Position & Program Summary

Trailhead Ambassador Technicians will implement a Trailhead Ambassador program at high-traffic trailheads, campsites, and day use areas on the Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, May-September 2026. Trailhead Ambassadors act as the first point of contact for recreators, equipping them with basic information for safe, informed, and positive outdoor experiences. The Trailhead Ambassador program aims to inspire the next generation of stewards for our public lands and enforce sustainable use of the outdoors by disseminating Leave No Trace principles and information about how to recreate responsibly.

Organizational Overview

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust works to steward a diverse landscape that stretches 100 miles from the shores of Puget Sound across the Cascade Mountains to Central Washington. Designated as a National Heritage Area in 2019, the Greenway landscape encompasses two million people, 28 cities, three major river systems, two Interstate highways, and 1.5 million acres (900,000 acres publicly owned). Its working lands support forests and farms on both sides of the mountains. Its waterways provide habitat for salmon. Its protected alpine wilderness includes recovery corridors for wolves, grizzly bears, and other species once hunted to regional extinction. Its expansive access to nature, including 1,600 miles of trails, is the heart of Washingtons $20 billion outdoor recreation economy.

Vast natural resources, the nations 15th largest metropolitan area, and many competing interests create the potential for conflicts. Navigating these conflicts, with the goal of conserving that precarious balance between natural and built environments, is the founding and enduring purpose of the Greenway Trust.

An early adopter of collective impact, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust was founded on the belief that to grow in harmony with nature instead of consuming it, the full community must be engaged. The goal of conserving this regions wild and green character brought together the spheres of government, industry, and conservation and community organizations for the first time. Collaboration, compromise, and common good were the rules of engagement. We are proud to say that, three decades later, they still are.

Essential Job Functions

Execute Trailhead Ambassador Programming (50%)

• Engage members of the public at high-use recreation sites on the Cle Elum Ranger District Fridays Mondays during the busy season, sharing information about:
  • How to recreate responsibly
  • Leave No Trace principles
  • Passes and permits
  • Trail conditions
  • Parking guidance
  • The Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area and other opportunities to connect with public lands
• Collaborate with Greenway and USFS staff to develop and disseminate recreational guidelines and other relevant information.
• Track, store, and produce new tabling materials (binders, maps, giveaways, etc.).
• Table at volunteer recruitment events hosted by other organizations.

Volunteer Oversight (15%)

• Organize volunteer schedules and participation throughout the season.
• Assist the Kittitas Volunteer Stewardship Coordinator with updating volunteer training materials and shepherding volunteers through the training process.
• Provide safe conditions for volunteers by serving as point-of-communication with U.S. Forest Service and Greenway Staff during tabling events.

Program Documentation and Support (15%)

• Assist with program documentation (i.e., create events and log volunteer hours in Salesforce, maintain visitor count data, take and upload photos, etc.).
• Update volunteer training materials to reflect lessons learned throughout the season.
• Assist Kittitas Volunteer Stewardship Coordinator with drafting final report to USFS staff.
• Collaborate with Greenway communications staff to engage new volunteers.

Greenway Field Programs Support (10%)

• Assist with additional Greenway volunteer events, cleanups, and possible interpretive programs connected to the U.S. Forest Service sites, visitor education, and front country recreation.
• Provide additional staff leadership at all-hands Greenway Trust events (ex: National Public Lands Day) during the season.

Other (10%)

• Cultivate an inclusive environment by maintaining respectful, supportive, and compassionate relationships with coworkers, volunteers, and members of the public.
• Represent the Greenway positively in this public-facing role.
• Perform other duties as situations require or as assigned by supervisor.

Experience

Please review the completejob descriptionfor this posting with additional information on skills, abilities and requirements. At least one year of demonstrated experience with a combination of the following:

• Speaking in front of, training, and leading groups of people of various ages and backgrounds for the purpose of sharing information or providing instruction
• Demonstrated experience engaging people from diverse backgrounds and levels of familiarity with your assigned topic
• Planning and executing events
• Personal or professional familiarity with outdoor recreation in Kittitas County
• Understanding of Leave No Trace principles
• Collecting and organizing information for future analysis

Reports To

Kittitas Programs Senior Manager

Work Schedule

Part-time non-exempt position. Position will typically work a 32-hour week, Friday to Monday, from date of hire through September 30, 2026.

Work Location

110 East First St, Cle Elum, WA, 98922. This position is hybrid, with much time spent planning and scouting in the field, and flexibility to work from home or the Cle Elum office location. Field work will be located within Kittitas County, and optional monthly meetings with the full Greenway staff will occur at one of the King County office or off-site locations.

Physical Requirements

The majority of this positions tasks include event leadership in the field, with physical requirements such as working in all types of weather; walking up to five miles across uneven terrain; transporting event supplies (e.g., A-frame signs; folded tables and chairs; supply bins); and visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental hazards. Program documentation and support tasks involve sitting or standing for long periods while working on a computer and participating in meetings.

Field Gear

The Greenway Trust provides a long- and short-sleeved shirt and a hat at the start of the season, and loans rain gear (overalls and jacket) and required personal protective equipment. The Greenway Trust provides a $250 gear stipend at the start of the season to help employees purchase required personal gear, including closed-toe shoes that are comfortable for walking up to five miles and a backpack.

Equal Opportunity Provider

The Greenway Trust is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, ancestry, genetic information, use of a service animal, honorably discharged veteran, military status, political ideology, personal appearance, family responsibilities, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. Each person is evaluated on the basis of personal aptitude and merit.