We are looking to recruit two multi-activity outdoor instructors to work within our existing vibrant team.

Hillary Outdoors is arguably New Zealand’s foremost and most iconic outdoor education provider. Each year we introduce thousands of young people to the outdoors through our Centres at Tongariro and Great Barrier Island and in regions all around New Zealand through our events and off site programmes.

Our core business is secondary school groups, instructors plan their weeks based on the objectives of their clients and their own specialties so there is ample room to make sure the job is not repetitive. We also run adult multi-activity and specialist technical skill courses, corporate groups and our 2-year tertiary programme in Outdoor Leadership. Working these advanced courses are a goal that most of our staff work towards over 2 – 3 years.

We are looking for someone who is energetic, exciting, and motivated. It is essential that you enjoy working with young people as this is our bread and butter work. These programmes include basic rock, high ropes, kayaks and canoes on flat and moving water, alpine, bush, cave, ABL and facilitation. Senior instructors will also work with our tertiary programme, corporate and adult technical skills courses.

The successful candidates will possess an enthusiastic commitment to the industry and an eagerness to pass on quality learning experiences to participants. You will be expected to run programmes independently after a 7 week induction period has been completed. Hillary Outdoors has a commitment to ongoing staff development and there will be opportunities for further on the job training and working towards NZOIA awards. However we do need the successful candidate to have the skills and experience to run school programmes without too much skills training.

We run a comprehensive induction programme for new staff regardless of their past experience which allows them to get familiar with our local environment and organisational systems. We take our staff professional development very seriously and have a department dedicated to training. Staff coming from other organisations are often amazed by the training opportunities we provide.

Hillary Outdoors is committed to role modelling and educating our clients into sustainable living and nurturing a respect for our environment. It is essential that you share these values and any experience in teaching environmental education or sustainability would be an advantage.


‘Support’ weeks are allocated occasionally where you will be supporting other instructors in the field, working with maintenance and catering, driving shuttles and performing other non-instructional tasks. Instructors at Hillary Outdoors also have a responsibility during support weeks to assist with resource development and maintenance tasks, so any wider work experience will be considered favorably during the application process. The work is physically demanding with hours including an overnight camp and an evening presentation each week.

Hillary Outdoors has a great working and living environment, whether you are single or have a family. On-site accommodation is available for rent at well below market value rates. Many staff live in Turangi where rent and house prices are astonishingly low. Staff have an excellent network for adventuring together, varying from family friendly trips to ‘on the edge’ adventures. If you have kids, the local school in National Park (up to year 8) runs a fantastic ski programme over winter where they can ski up to three days a week! With rivers, lakes, mountains, rock crags, bush and ski fields on our doorstep, it is an ideal place for any outdoors person to live and work.

Essential skills and qualities include:

• An ability to deliver high quality courses using a wide range activities and venues independently.
• An empathy with young people and recognition of the benefits of Outdoor Education in their development.
• A passion for environmental sustainability.
• An ability to work as part of a close knit team
• A commitment to further training and personal development.
• A knowledge of risk management in outdoor recreation.
• Driving license with P endorsement (or commitment to gain a P endorsement).
• Outdoor First Aid, PHEC or equivalent First aid certificate.
• Have a broad range of experience across all the activities Hillary Outdoors offer.
• Multi activity instructors will ideally hold 1 or 2 NZOIA Level 1 awards.