Program Supervisor

Program Supervisors ensure high-quality educational experiences for students and supervise field instructors in curriculum, route planning, and risk management. Evaluate performance and recommend appropriate work levels for field faculty.

This role is at our New Zealand campus and will be involved in the following activities:

• Facilitate growth-oriented briefings and debriefings for instructors and students.
• Ensure faculty understand NOLS Accepted Field Practices.
• Apply NOLS Field Instructor Skills in evaluating faculty performance.
• Write timely and appropriately thorough faculty evaluations.
• Organise and review all course related paperwork.
• Contribute to an environment that encourages field staff and students to feel relaxed, supported, and focused going into the field.
• Work to create exceptional student and staff experiences.
• Actively guide and mentor field staff in their professional development at NOLS.
• Assist in the management of field evacuations and in-town incidents as needed.
• Assume or assist with other projects supervised by the director.
• May be required to act as a fill-in field instructor. Must be willing to gain and/or maintain active NOLS instructor status.
• Be an active member of NOLS New Zealand’s emergency and evacuation support team, including sharing the monitoring of our emergency phone.
• Facilitate challenging situations including student behavioral issues, injuries/illnesses, and staff performance concerns.
• Must be willing to work in both program and operations roles to ensure a high level of student service.
• Occasionally assist with course rationing, meal preparation, and maintenance as necessary to maintain facilities and high calibre student/instructor service.
• Must role model excellent in-town expedition behaviour.
• Help NOLS foster a strong local presence in New Zealand.

• Have gained a strong understanding of NOLS expeditions facilitated in NZ.
• Support instructors and students who have gone out on expeditions from when they first arrive to when they graduate.
• Worked closely within the NOLS NZ team to support expeditions running.

What makes a great Program Supervisor:

• Applicants need to hold the legal right to work in New Zealand (or be working holiday visa eligible) to be considered for this position.
• Familiarity with and ability to support the NOLS mission and operations, and a commitment to serve our students.
• A positive attitude, calm demeanor, and high degree of motivation, initiative, and organisational skills are required.
• Interest and ability to become, or current active status as, a NOLS field instructor.
• Must be able to work flexible and at times irregular hours, including some weekends and public holidays.
• A background in outdoor education, guiding, or instructing is essential, with particular competence in at least one of the following skill areas: hiking, sea kayaking, whitewater canoeing, mountaineering, keelboat sailing. NZOIA qualifications (or similar) highly regarded.
• Class 1 driver's licence with excellent driving record required. Must undertake and meet NOLS driver training requirements. Passenger endorsement and/or New Zealand Class 2 licence viewed favorably.

This is a full time 40hrs a week fixed term role Start at the beginning of September 2025 and finishing at the end of April 2026. You will get about three weeks leave over Christmas and new years.

Applications close June 15th 2025.