Become a Group Leader
Advance your career in outdoor experiential education with Outward Bound.
Group Leaders are responsible for the facilitation of safe and high-quality Outward Bound journey-based outdoor education programs. • Experience the ultimate outdoor adventure. • Industry-leading professional development. • Contract or casual with great conditions. Download the position description and check out our FAQs below.
Outward Bound operates in the ACT, Victoria, NSW and Western Australia. You will have the opportunity to travel and work in a variety of locations if you want to.
Outward Bound works with schools in years 4 to 12 during school terms, mostly in high-school age groups on expedition programs.
During the school holidays we offer 5-day adventure programs for youth ages 12 to 14, and 10-day expedition programs for ages 15 to 24.
We also work with community partners to delivered specially designed programs for groups such as Aboriginal youth, youth at risk, visually impaired teenagers, refugees, and new migrants.
Outward Bound also offers corporate programs for graduates and leaders.
As you develop and progress as a group leader, you will have the opportunity to work with a variety of clients. No two programs are the same.
Most of the Operations Team is on contract, and work and live together. The team will travel together to different areas too.
This means that the team bonding is strong and many people adventure together on their time off too!
Minimum Australian qualifications:
- Certificate IV in Outdoor Leadership (or equivalent) with preference for the following electives: bushwalking, natural abseil, top-rope climbing, high ropes, flat-water canoeing and/or white-water rafting.
- Wilderness First Aid Certificate.
- Working with Children Check.
For International applicants:
Please email a copy of your transcript of records (in English) for any qualifications you may hold and a logbook, which is a record of your experience in the outdoor industry (see downloadable template here).
Share housing for field staff is available in Tharwa, ACT on our National Base. There is limited capacity and may not be always available.
When we travel to other operations area staff accommodation and facilities are available free of charge.
A full-time staff member is eligible for 10 days of paid professional development per year (or pro rata on a part time contract). This includes both internal and external qualifications and training.
Further, Outward Bound will cover the cost of a Working with Children Check and Wilderness First Aid Certification for contracted staff members.
For the field team, progression happens from Group Leader (leading and facilitating groups on your own) to Senior Group Leader (leading the team and supporting the coordinators) to Coordinator (running programs and the day-to-day operations of base camp) and/or Trainer (working with our trainees and new staff members).
Outward Bound Australia offers a variety of contracts to suit work-life balance. Contracts are also open for review twice yearly in January and August.
Full-time, part-time (0.8 and 0.6), seasonal and casual contracts are available.
When working overnight with a group, you will be eligible for $80 overnight allowance for every night you have duty of care.
Travel days are paid work days.
In addition to 4 weeks of annual leave and to recognise the demand of our work, on each client day you will accrue an extra 1.5 hours of time-in-lieu and will receive an extra 15 days of leave each year (or pro-rata for part-time contract).
No. While Outward Bound is happy to consider international applicants, we are not in a position to sponsor overseas applicants.
Your visa option is to apply for a Work Holiday Visa (subclass 417 or 462). These are valid for 12 months and may be renewed for a further 12 months.