National Trails Day Coordinator

Position Description

About American Hiking 

Founded in 1976 and serving as the only national voice of the hiking community, American Hiking lives out its mission, Empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience, through grassroots and grasstops advocacy and trail stewardship. We envision a world where everyone feels welcome in the American hiking community and has permanent access to meaningful hiking, including urban, frontcountry, and backcountry opportunities. We will achieve this vision by empowering all communities to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience; advocating for the protection and expansion of hiking spaces; fostering trail stewardship; and collaborating with partners whose strengths are complementary. We provide an exciting, creative, and professional yet relaxed atmosphere with a strong outdoor and conservation ethic. AHS is committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in all we do, internally and externally; and we are a collaborative, de-siloed team that values harnessing each other’s strengths and honoring work-life balance.

Position Title: National Trails Day Coordinator
Position Type: Part-Time (Non-Exempt, Salaried); 28 hours per week January - June, then 20 hours from July - December
Location: Remote. This position is open to applicants in CO, DC, IN, MD, NY, UT, VA, and WY with an understanding that the majority of work falls between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST.

Reports To: Senior Director for Programs and Advocacy

Position Summary

The National Trails Day Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, and optimizing the communications strategy and event management strategy for American Hiking Society’s signature annual event, National Trails Day® (NTD), which occurs the first Saturday of every June. Between January and June, as the National Trails Day Coordinator, you will be responsible for establishing and carrying out AHS’s brand voice through NTD print and digital mediums and event recruitment, registration, and management for NTD event growth. This is not an on the ground event planner position. NTD events are planned and executed by partner hosts but promoted and supported by AHS as the national coordinating organization of NTD.

From July through December, this role provides coordinated support to AHS program initiatives by supporting volunteer recruitment and engagement. This will include drafting communications and graphics for volunteer recruitment and project recaps. This position will also support volunteer coordination and communication efforts by responding to volunteer emails, calls/texts,and other correspondence, completing project confirmations and other registration support, and tracking volunteer impact data.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities (January-June)

Event Coordination & Planning 

• Coordinate annual planning and execution of National Trails Day® within an established framework and timeline
• Oversee key deadlines, calendars, and deliverables related to the national campaign
• Serve as the internal point person to keep the campaign on track across departments
• Support continuous improvement by documenting processes and lessons learned

Host & Partner Support

• Recruit and support local event hosts nationwide (land managers, nonprofits, trail organizations, clubs, municipalities, etc.)
• Serve as the primary contact for host questions and technical support
• Update and distribute communications and resources including host toolkits, graphics, guidelines, and timelines
• Ensure hosts understand branding, messaging, and reporting expectations

Communications & Marketing Coordination

• Draft and coordinate with AHS staff on National Trails Day® messaging and promotional efforts
• Draft email, website, and social media (with social media contractor) campaigns, including managing timelines and content inputs
• Collect photos, stories, and impact highlights from event hosts for storytelling and reporting
• Ensure consistent use of National Trails Day® branding and messaging

Sponsorship & Development Support

• Coordinate with development staff to meet sponsor engagement and recognition deliverables
• Ensure sponsor benefits and acknowledgments are executed accurately
• Assist with tracking and reporting any fundraising tied to National Trails Day®

Data Management & Reporting

• Oversee event registration systems and host event submissions
• Track participation metrics (events, volunteers, miles maintained, impact data)
• Compile post-event summaries and reports for internal use, partners and sponsors, and board updates
• Maintain organized digital records and templates for future years

Post-Event Follow-Up

• Coordinate thank-you communications to hosts, partners, sponsors, and participants
• Administer post-event surveys and collect feedback
• Archive materials and update tools for the next campaign cycle

Program and Volunteer Support (July - December)

• Support the Programs team with coordination of additional AHS programs

• Draft external communications and graphics for volunteer recruitment and project recaps
• Support volunteer coordination and communication efforts through volunteer email, phone, and other correspondence, project confirmations, registration support, and impact tracking

Skills and Experience

• Commitment to follow AHS Values and AHS’s Commitment to the Hiking Community a must.
• A genuine belief in the AHS mission of empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience
• 3+ years of experience in Event Management, Communications, Marketing, or related field preferred
• Proven experience marketing a nationwide event
• Experience in the non-profit sector preferred
• Photography and video creation and editing experience preferred 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills a must with the ability to write a message clearly and concisely that resonates with different audiences
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills
• Thorough understanding of effective communications and marketing strategies
• Inspiring storyteller with a knack for creativity
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, Dropbox, Asana, Wordpress, Canva, and email marketing systems
• Understand principles of graphic design, layout, and publishing
• Experience with customer relationship management (CRM) software or ability to learn software quickly 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a part-time capacity and also cohesively as part of a remote team with a growth and solution driven mindset

Salary and Benefits

• The annual starting salary for this position is $28,674 - $30,665 and is non-negotiable and calculated within that range according to experience. This role has a variable pay structure aligned with seasonal hours - 28 hours per week from January through June and 20 hours per week from July through December.
• Generous time off to include 3 weeks accrued vacation your first year, sick time, paid holidays
• Additional time off to include hike days, volunteer days, and enjoy your birthday off!
• Discounts on outdoor gear
• Strong culture of work-life balance and valuing mental and physical health of employees