Full Time Jobs – Multi Day Adventure Guide - Yellowstone at REI - 11/2021

This job contributes to REI's success by leading groups of clients on multiday outdoor adventure trips across the country. Adventure trips may include activities such as hiking, backpacking, road cycling, and mountain biking with accommodation styles ranging from basic camping to high-end lodge-based trips. Multi-day guides are professional guides committed and focused on providing unparalleled customer service, food quality, well researched and delivered local interpretation, and have the skill and demeanor to facilitate a safe and fun experience for our guests. Models and acts in accordance with REI's guiding values and mission.
Guiding/Hosting:

• Lead guests on multiday tours, assuring trip meets the advertised content and itinerary, while consistently demonstrating exemplary customer service ensuring a five-star guest experience
• Manage guest health and well-being, including such activities as on-trail foot care and general first aid
• Connect with each and every guest, demonstrate compassion, patience and sense of humor
• Comfortably carry on conversations with individuals from all walks of life, reading social cues and adapting presentation style naturally and easily. Facilitate introductions and relations between guests
• Ensure safe practices and procedures are followed at all times. Proactively monitor individuals and ensure everyone is safe and feels at home
• Demonstrate cultural awareness and involvement, share in-depth knowledge of regional destinations and/or cultural activities (e.g. art, natural and cultural history, food, and wine)
• Demonstrate in-depth expertise at local level to ensure a quality experience – e.g. geography, geology, local flora/fauna and other elements that set the guest experience apart
• Meal preparation, ensuring safe cooler and food management
• Trip administrative duties such as preparing guest luggage for backcountry, securing guest valuables, packing client bags in van/trailer, lifting bikes and other equipment, etc.
• Act as gear expert and advisor
• Professionally represent REI to hotels, restaurants and vendors
• Maintain consistently high customer evaluation scores and elicit positive customer comments.
• Submit all post experience feedback, paperwork, debrief and incident reports in a timely fashion.

Communication:

• Communicate the itinerary and important information with all guests in a fun and interesting way (pre-trip, debriefs, orientations, safety talks, regional/cultural information, etc.)
• Set clear expectations for the guests regarding schedule, safety, and their responsibilities to the group.
• Offer suggestions and appropriate warnings when needed
• Provide thorough feedback and ideas for improvement
• Mentor or train new Guides, as assigned
• Actively seek out opportunities that will improve our guests' experience and streamline logistics
• Be open and honest with teammates and Guides and be comfortable providing constructive feedback

As assigned, perform Trip Lead duties, such as:

• Act as final on-site decision maker with regards last minute trip itinerary changes, crisis and risk management, compliance, conflict resolution, and group management
• Operate as lead contact for home office and vendor communication and logistics for 3rd party service providers
• Complete all required documentation including Post Trip Reports and Expense Reports

Bring your passion and expertise

• 2+ years experience in guiding outdoor and/or overnight tours, and/or outdoor educational skills/programs in a group setting
• Wilderness First Responder certification
• Must be skilled in at least two activities for which we lead trips, such as Hiking, Camping, Backpacking, Road Cycling, Mountain Biking, etc.
• Relevant certification or equivalent experience in technical outdoor education (AMGA, ACA, IMBA, etc.)
• Strong leadership and communication skills with guests of different ages and backgrounds
• Food Handlers certification
• Leave No Trace certification
• Valid in-state drivers' license acceptable driving background and ability to acquire commercial driver's license which includes medical screen and to pass a drug screen
• Commitment to extraordinary customer service with ability to effectively resolve difficult customer issues
• Ability to identify and mitigate field hazards. Responding to field incidents using sound judgment.
• Actively participates and collaborates with others on one's own team and across REI for the achievement of business goals.
• Flexible in one's viewpoints and positions in order to support the direction taken by others at REI.
• Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities.
• Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound decisions.
• Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
• Works smart by setting effective work goals, establishing priorities, and planning well in order to produce quality work.
• Executes effectively by using resources efficiently, meeting deadlines, and keeping others informed of work plans and progress toward goals.
• Clearly conveys and accurately receives information by a variety of methods and in various situations.
• Builds rapport with all kinds of people inside and outside the organization.
• Acts upon opportunities and involves and influences others in the accomplishment of worthwhile organizational goals.
• Challenges the status quo, champions change and influences others to change.