Safety and Program Director

Outward Bound USA

Safety and Program Director overseeing safety standards and crisis response at Outward Bound USA. Leading initiatives for safety management and outdoor educational experiences for diverse communities.

Posted 6/2/2026full-timeRemote • Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $115,000 - $135,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the maintenance and evolution of the National Safety Standards (NSS) that apply to the OB system in the US
Oversee and support Schools in meeting OBUSA Safety Objectives and the NSS, so Schools have clear expectations, actionable feedback, and support for continuous improvement
Lead the review of School safety performance during Charter Reviews and monitor compliance with the NSS throughout the OB system in the US
Consult with Schools regarding the efficacy of their safety management systems
Analyze and identify safety trends in order to establish avoidance and mitigation plans for the OB system in the US, translating findings into actionable recommendations that strengthen mitigation and decision-making
Chair the National Safety Directors Committee (NSDC), convening periodic calls and coordinating the annual NSDC conference to strengthen alignment, share leading practices, and advance system-wide safety learning
Work with the Chair of the Safety Committee of the OBUSA Board (SCB) to prepare the agenda for quarterly SCB calls and bi-annual calls with the School Safety Committee Chairs
Represent safety on the Board Risk Management Committee
Supervise the Safety and Program Manager.
Lead the OBUSA Crisis Response Team and assist in the management of OBUSA resources during critical incidents
Support incident response at Schools, and interface with the crisis communication consultant as required
Lead the development and maintenance of OBUSA’s incident investigation methodology and procedures
Work with Schools and OBUSA Risk Management Counsel to provide oversight of significant incidents
Lead incident investigations in collaboration with individual Schools as required
Review and approve New Program Plans, ensuring appropriate risk management procedures and alignment with our mission and Theory of Change (TOC)
Support the administration and implementation of nationally aligned program models throughout the OB system in the US
Support access and belonging principles across the student course experience, including program admissions and safety, to expand participation, strengthen belonging, and improve outcomes for marginalized and underrepresented groups.

Requirements

What you’ll need

7+ years of progressive experience in outdoor experiential education, with 5+ years in a leadership role responsible for safety and risk
5+ years of experience working within nonprofit, education, or mission-driven organizations, with responsibilities spanning program delivery, evaluation and safety management
5+ years of experience leading or collaborating with cross-functional teams—including programming, people and culture, evaluation and safety and risk management
5+ years of experience developing, tracking, and reporting safety-related metrics
5+ years of experience in crisis management and responding to critical incidents
Demonstrated experience partnering with senior leaders and governing bodies to align safety strategy with organizational goals, policies, and governance practices
Demonstrated experience managing budgets, consultants, or project resources, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
Familiarity with trends in wilderness and outdoor education risk management, and knowledge of national and state-level policies relevant to our industry.

Benefits

Comp & perks

health/dental/vision insurance
short-term disability
long-term disability
life insurance
403(b) retirement plan with employer match after 6 months
PTO, combined sick and vacation bucket that accrues to 15 days a year
ten federal holidays
additional paid time off for the last week of the year

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

safety management systemsincident investigation methodologyrisk management proceduressafety-related metricscrisis managementprogram deliveryprogram evaluationsafety performance reviewcompliance monitoringdata analysis

Soft Skills

leadershipcollaborationcommunicationstrategic alignmentbudget managementconsultationproblem-solvingdecision-makingcontinuous improvementinterpersonal skills