Gear Coordinator

Excited to grow your career

We value our talented employees and whenever possible strive to help one of our associates grow professionally before recruiting new talent to our open positions. If you think the open position you see is right for you we encourage you to apply!

Our people make all the difference in our success.

About the Role:

Backroads is looking for a highly organized and detail-oriented Part-Time Gear Coordinator to lead and manage the full lifecycle of gear sourcing branding and fulfillment across multiple internal and external programs. This includes supporting gear initiatives for staff guests the BEST Club departmental and one-off requests. Youll collaborate closely with the Marketing Design Operations and Executive teams to ensure our gear reflects the Backroads brand and is delivered on time and within budget. This is a dynamic fast-paced role that plays a critical part in enhancing the Backroads experience through thoughtful gear and swag. Youll serve as the project lead across a six-figure budget and more than 75 SKUs and over 20 vendor relationships including Patagonia Stio Osprey and more.

What youll be doing:

• Lead the end-to-end sourcing design production and distribution of staff and guest gear managing 20 items across multiple vendors each season.
• Research new products and brands cultivate vendor relationships and negotiate pricing to ensure quality gear within budget.
• Coordinate samples branding elements and artwork with the design team; prepare recommendations and revisions for executive approval.
• Track gear quantities budgets timelines and order status to ensure all items are finalized and delivered ahead of key seasonal milestones (e.g. Trip Leader trainings).
• Manage production and fulfillment logistics partnering with vendors Brightpoint (embroidery/printing) and the Salt Lake City operations team.
• Oversee gear-related e-commerce operations including the staff and guest Shopify stores product listings inventory and sales reporting.
• Manage the gear program for the BEST Club loyalty program coordinating milestone and recognition items across multiple vendors.
• Partner cross-functionally to source and produce custom gear and branded materials for departments including Sales Marketing Operations Trip Development and People & Culture.
• Coordinate special projects and one-off gear initiatives such as Staff Ride apparel recruiting swag tradeshow materials and guest gifting programs.
• Maintain organized sample inventory track gear stock levels and partner with Operations on forecasting and reorders.
• Analyze staff and guest feedback to recommend new gear improvements and alternative product solutions.

What youll need to be successful:

• Proven project management skills and ability to juggle multiple moving pieces.
• Strong aesthetic sensibility with experience collaborating with design teams.
• Familiarity with sourcing branding and vendor negotiation.
• Comfortable using tools like Shopify Excel/Google Sheets and Jira (or similar project tracking tools).
• Self-starter who thrives in an autonomous and flexible environment

Work environment:

• On-Site Berkeley CA
• 4 days in-office 1 day work from home
• This is a part-time role at 20 hours/week during peak busy periods (max 80 hours/month).

About the Department:

The Backroads Marketing team is powered by strong collaborators visionaries and creative minds who bring decades of knowledge and experience to showcase the fun-filled seamless adventures our guests love. Youll be bringing your imagination strong work ethic and critical eye for detail to a dedicated group of team members who are passionate about sharing the joys of active travel with both returning guests and brand-new audiences.

The department is comprised of several teams which include the below:

• Direct Mail & CRM: Engages past and prospective guests through targeted email campaigns and personalized direct mail leveraging data to drive bookings and loyalty.
• PR & Partnership: Builds brand awareness and credibility through media outreach strategic partnerships and influencer collaborations to expand Backroads reach.
• Website Management: Oversees the websites content functionality and user experience to ensure seamless navigation accurate information and optimized conversion.
• Brand Content Community: Responsible for the creative design content and social media presence for the Backroads brand.

By joining the Marketing team at Backroads youll be part of a group that values building innovative people processes and fostering a positive inclusive employee experience.