New England National Scenic Trail Coordinator

Calling all outdoor enthusiasts! Join the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) in our mission to protect the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Appalachian region, ongoing since 1876. Our values encompass diversity, inclusivity, trust, and respect for the environment. As an employee, you'll gain access to enriching programs, policies, and procedures that enable you to drive real change. If you're ready to explore, protect, and create memories within a dynamic community, apply now to be a part of the AMC team!

The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is seeking an energetic and self-motivated New England National Scenic Trail Coordinator to advance the protection, promotion, and stewardship of the New England National Scenic Trail in Massachusetts and the New Hampshire M-M Trail. 

The New England National Scenic Trail (NET) is a 215-mile long distance hiking trail from Long Island Sound in Connecticut to the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, and is one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the U.S. The route features classic New England landscapes across a combination of public and private land: long distance vistas with rural towns as a backdrop, agricultural lands, unfragmented forests, and large river valleys. The trail also travels through areas of Native American significance as well as colonial historic landmarks, and highlights a range of diverse ecosystems and natural resources: traprock ridges, mountain summits, forested glades, vernal pools, lakes, streams, and waterfalls. AMC manages the NET in Massachusetts in partnership with the National Park Service and in coordination with the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, which manages the NET in Connecticut. The NET has been a National Scenic Trail since 2009. Most of its route follows the historic route of the Metacomet-Monadnock (M-M) Trail that was created by AMC’s Western Massachusetts Chapter in the 1950’s, and AMC continues to support maintenance of the M-M Trail in New Hampshire.

Key goals for the NET are to ensure a consistent, high quality recreational experience; engage communities and local stakeholders in its stewardship; maintain ongoing communication with landowners and the public; develop and implement a long-term trail protection strategy; and promote the trail as a tremendous resource to local communities and visitors alike.

The NET Coordinator supports the AMC Western Massachusetts Chapter and NH volunteers that carry out much of the hands-on trail maintenance and improvements. The Coordinator also collaborates with a range of internal and external partners, including other AMC trails and outdoor leadership staff in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the National Park Service, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, private landowners, land trusts, regional planning agencies, and municipalities. The NET has benefited from funding that supports a Holyoke-based summer teen trail crew. The NET Coordinator’s role is to collaborate with Mass Hire for crew hiring and assist the Southern New England Volunteer Programs Supervisor in the identification and planning of crew projects.

What You’ll Be Doing At AMC

• Support and build capacity within the AMC’s volunteer Western Massachusetts Chapter New England Trail Committee for robust volunteer engagement, consistent trail stewardship, and to plan and promote an annual schedule of trail projects.
• Collaborate closely with the National Park Service Trail Administrator and Connecticut Forest and Park Association Trails Director to develop and advance trail wide NET goals.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for information about the New England Trail in Massachusetts and the M-M Trail in New Hampshire.
• Foster and maintain strong working relationships with both private and public trail landowners, including state and federal officials, municipal officials, regional planning agencies, land trusts, and individual private landowners.
• Collaborate with AMC trails staff in New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts to organize volunteer trail skill trainings and to deploy trail crews for relatively technical trail projects as needed.
• Identify trail projects on the New England Trail and work with other trails staff and volunteers to carry them out
• Organize, often in partnership with other organizations, community-oriented events and activities to promote the New England Trail
• Hire, supervise, and support NET Outreach assistant to help with NET promotional activities and other trail management and planning projects as funding allows.
• Contribute content for online NET promotional resources, including the NET web page and Facebook; and manage web support consultant for the NET and NH M-M Trail web pages.
• Manage GIS-based landowner database and trail information.
• Support and contribute to grant applications and other funding requests; identify and leverage resources to advance NET project goals.
• Provide input to NET project budgets and track expenses
• Serve as an AMC representative on the Mass Recreational Trail Advisor Board
• Uphold existing partnerships with Indigenous tribes and communities in the NET corridor
• Assist in the management of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum Tribal Youth Gear Library

What the AMC Is Looking For

• At least two years of experience in activities related to trail or land stewardship, recreation and/or volunteer organizing, or a combination of professional experience and education.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop productive working relations with partners, and to represent AMC and the New England Trail with town officials, land trusts, landowners, state and federal agencies, and other community stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently with little supervision to carry out tasks and projects
• Comfort with using online communication tools, including social media platforms.
• Experience or aptitude in organizing or supporting volunteer efforts.
• Group facilitation skills and ability to organize and promote events.
• Experience with GIS mapping software to understand and illustrate trail information, land characteristics, and landowner configurations, highly preferred.
• Experience in trail building and maintenance
• Physical abilities: Most work is performed in a standard office setting with occasional work on the trail. Must be able to stand, sit, walk, lift up to 20 pounds from floor to waist height, and operate standard office equipment.  Must be able to travel safely and independently on easy to moderate terrain in all weather conditions on typical woods trails in the Massachusetts Pioneer Valley and southern New Hampshire, carrying up to 25 pounds in a backpack.
• Valid driver’s license with access to a vehicle to travel to meetings and site visits.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends

What AMC Can Offer You

Salary: $42,840 - $57,834

We are committed to fair compensation practices. The initial salary represents our starting point, and our compensation philosophy is designed to reward and recognize the contributions of our employees as they grow within the organization. External candidates typically begin their journey with us at the starting point of the salary range. The final compensation offer will be based on factors such as experience, education, competencies, and geographic differential relevant to the position, and will be discussed during the interview process.

Benefits

•  Health Plan: Generous employer contributions through Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts with optional vision and dental.
• Other Insurance: 100% employer paid life insurance, AD&D insurance, long-term disability.
• Career Progression: The potential to have annual compensation reviews commensurate with performance and effort.
• Retirement: 403(b) with 4% matching employer contributions and a vesting schedule. This benefit increases with tenure.
• Paid Time Off: up to 4 weeks of Paid Time Off and up to 11 paid company holidays at hire. This benefit increases with tenure.
• Other Team Member Perks:
  •  30% discount on AMC Merchandise Free Annual AMC Membership
  •  10 Free nights at AMC locations
  •  Educational Assistance
  •  Pro deal discounts on equipment & gear and more!

To Apply:

Please include a resume and letter of interest. No phone calls or agencies please.

AMC encourages all interested candidates to apply, even if they do not meet every listed qualification. If you have a passion for the outdoors and believe your skills and experiences align with this role, we welcome your application.

The Appalachian Mountain Club has zero tolerance for child abuse or placing children in danger. The AMC requires all employees who work in a program or facility that serves children, disabled persons, or the elderly to have a criminal background record check performed on their name annually with employment contingent upon satisfactory results.