Are you passionate about creating a great workplace? Enjoy connecting with diverse people and finding new solutions? If so, you could be the one to help our People team thrive! As the People Team Manager, you'll play a key role in the employee experience at NOLS. Supervising a small team of People Operations Coordinators, you’ll use your skills to guide all human resources practices, procedures, and policies in partnership with the Head of People. If you're looking for a dynamic and challenging role, keep reading!

The People Team plays a pivotal role in managing the entire journey of our employees, from their recruitment to their departure. With a broad spectrum of responsibility, we cater to the needs of approximately 1,300 individuals comprising full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff. Our reach spans across 13 diverse locations worldwide, including remote support, ensuring a global and comprehensive approach to employee support and engagement.

Key Logistical points:

• This position is either based in Lander, Wyoming or in a eligible location in the USA. Only candidates with established US working rights will be considered.

• Benefits: This position is eligible for Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Flexible Spending account, Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Long Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Time off, 403(b), 403(b) contribution, and more.

• Questions: Please contact peopleteam@nols.edu

What does a People Manager do?

• Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business objectives.

• Oversee the recruitment and onboarding process, including sourcing candidates, conducting interviews, and facilitating new hire orientation.

• Manage employee relations issues, including conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and performance management.

• Ensure compliance with all relevant labor laws and regulations, including EEOC, FMLA, ADA, and OSHA.

• Administer employee benefits programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records and HR databases.

• Develop and deliver training programs to enhance employee skills and knowledge.

• Foster a positive and inclusive work culture through employee engagement initiatives, team-building activities, and recognition programs.

• Conduct regular HR audits to identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance with company policies and procedures.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to management on HR-related issues and provide guidance and support as needed.

In your first 6 months, you will: 

• Review and ensure data integrity within ADP, our payroll system & HRIS

• Partner with the Head of People to revamp the Employee Handbook and assist with the implementation of a new policies

• Design and execute strategic plan and goals for the People Coordinators

What makes a great People Manager at NOLS? 

We are looking for people who share our values and are keen to learn and develop their expertise. We are looking for candidates with the skills listed below. We expect to provide training and development support in some of the areas.

• Thorough understanding of global employment laws and regulations, with the ability to ensure compliance in a complex and dynamic environment.

• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to effectively motivate and develop a diverse team.

• Demonstrated success as a collaborator and relationship builder, with strong interpersonal skills and ability to build coalitions and collaborative working relationships with a broad range of diverse individuals and groups and communities

• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

• Program development experience from conception to delivery

• Proven ability to communicate and synthesize complex issues in a concise, clear and effective fashion

• A passion for the outdoors and a desire to advocate for the value in the transformative experience of outdoor education

• A deep passion for fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment that enables all individuals to thrive in an industry that has historically excluded underrepresented groups of people

• 7+ years of professional work experience

• 3+ years of experience in supervisory roles, preferably within Human Resources

• 2+ years of experience managing leadership, organizational, and change management initiatives (or similar initiatives)

Who is NOLS?

NOLS is a nonprofit global wilderness school that strives to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. Our community—staff, students, trustees, and alumni—shares a commitment to wilderness, education, leadership, safety, community, and excellence. 

We believe that anyone can be a leader; it is our role to provide the environment and training to help people discover their full potential. We do that in classrooms close to home and in remote wilderness areas around the world. We are an organization with heart, expertise, and wildness, and these qualities help us support powerful, authentic experiences.

Why is NOLS a great place to work?

• We have locations in seven U.S. states, and six countries; and courses in all 50 U.S. states and over 10 countries.

• We have fantastic employee discounts on top outdoor gear brands

• We offer discounts on NOLS Courses for you and your family

• All employees can benefit of free Outdoor Equipment "Rental" at our various locations

• Insurance Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision benefits are available at a special NOLS rate to seasonal employees. Full-time employees are eligible for benefits package. 

• Wellness Time: Accrued leave that may be used for many HR-approved reasons throughout the season.

• Employee Assistance Program: Access to counselors that are available 24/7 to assist employees with work-life balance concerns.

Additional Information

NOLS currently can support remote employees with legal working rights in the following locations: Canada, provinces: British Columbia, and Ontario; Chile; India; Mexico; New Zealand; the US, states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

• A criminal background check is required from all NOLS employees.

• NOLS participates in e-verify for U.S. employees, Certificado de Antecedentes for Chilean or Mexican employees, and other relevant employment verification systems based on location.

• Current NOLS employees please note it is NOLS policy to conduct an internal reference check with People Team and/or your current supervisor as part of the reference check process. If you have any questions or concerns about this process please contact peopleteam@nols.edu.

NOLS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetics information, disability unrelated to job or admission requirements, or status as a protected veteran. The school’s nondiscrimination policy applies to all phases of its employment process, its admission and financial aid programs, and to all other aspects of its educational programs and activities. Retaliation directed to any person who pursues a discrimination complaint or grievance, participates in a discrimination investigation, or otherwise opposes unlawful discrimination is prohibited.

NOLS values community and fosters a sense of belonging for our employees and applicants. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations in the workplace because they embody these values, as well as our operating principle of promoting a positive, safe, and learning environment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested for disability; limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition; religion; and domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or harassment. Reasonable accommodations may be requested at any point of the employment process, including during recruitment. Please email peopleteam@nols.edu with your request.

How to Apply

At NOLS we use the Applied platform for our recruitment. Applied aims to overcome unconscious bias in recruiting. Instead of using your resume alone, we'll be asking you to answer questions to test skills needed for the role. The responses are then anonymized, and reviewed in a random order by members of our team. 

The Applied platform also asks some demographic questions before you start your application. We at NOLS never see the responses to these demographic questions with your application. We only see summary statistics to help us check if our candidate pool is balanced and if everyone has an equal chance to get hired irrespective of their background. If you prefer, you can easily opt out of answering these questions.

All you need to do is start the process by clicking on the "Start your application" button on the top right.