Field Experts - Winter 2025-2026

Backroads•Salt Lake, UT

About The Position

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. Field Expert Program To see all available TE, OpX, and TE/OpX positions, please see Open Field Expert Positions. Carefully review the seasonality, language requirements, and additional position details for the role(s) you are interested in. For full information on the Field Expert role, responsibilities, and benefits, please review the Field Expert Handbook . This application closes on August 4, 2025. Who You Are Field Staff who seek growth, look for more responsibility, want to contribute to the quality, have an impact on our trips and regions, and embody our TE Criteria and OpX Criteria . A Trip Expert’s objective is to maintain and improve the quality and value of their trip(s). Trip Experts are asked to view their trip through the eyes of our guests. How do our guests perceive the elements of the trip? Should we be adding activities or upgrading hotels? Are we paying too much for something that the guests do not perceive as having a high value? Trip Experts serve as our local, on-the-ground experts. They develop and maintain relationships with suppliers, propose/review trip changes and review marketing materials, contracts and costs. They collaborate with their RD and RL to make their itineraries the best they can be. A TEs main deliverables are broken into three projects: Presearch, Quality Assessment & Search, PreSeason Updates. These projects align with other business timelines and carve out time for TEs to assess the quality of their trip, research new options, develop supplier relationships and keep the product portal (soon to be Ascent) up to date. An Operations Expert’s objective is to maintain and improve the quality of our regions. From the opening to the closing of the region, OpXs are responsible for facilitating a smooth and cost-effective experience for all field staff that pass through. In addition to the primary role as TPS or Trip Leader, this encompasses welcoming Field Staff entering the region, educating them on the systems created, overseeing all aspects of field house and overflow accommodations, establishing a storage space, and maintaining that space and all Backroads equipment in an organized manner. The role as an OpX is as much about working with people as it is about working with equipment – whether coordinating with the Ops team in that hub, helping field staff solve logistical issues while on trip, or collaborating with Field Staff in the region to refine systems. Part of the mission as an OpX is to work toward constantly improving the region so that Backroads can deliver incredible experiences to guests through a balance between cost of projects and quality improvements that come from them.

Requirements

Trip Leader Performance must be 25% or greater, with a minimum of 20 guest evaluations
If you have fewer than 20 evals, your LPF must be 40% or greater, with a minimum of 3 trips led.
Eye for Quality – ability to improve trip quality (TE) and regional quality (OpX)
Trip leading, TPS, and/or personal experience in the region
Cultural knowledge and understanding of the region
Working knowledge of Office 365 systems: Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Word/Excel
Ability to meet deadlines and work independently
Timely and responsive with communication
Meets language requirements for the region
Biking TEs and OpXs must be tested Proficient or higher in bike skills.
Two-year commitment is highly recommended and preferred
Meeting minimum scheduling availability requirements
The primary job of a Field Expert is to remain in the field as a Trip Leader or TPS.
This requires excellent planning and time management skills, especially during peak periods of the year.
Quantity of trips to be determined depending on timing, volume, Regional Director (RD), Regional Field Lead (RL) or Field Lead - Operations (FLO) input
Time off will be reviewed by RD, RL, or FLO in advance to allow for planned coverage by a Quality Torch
Complexity of the role (number of products/versions and departures for TEs, and number of units and departures for OpXs) subject to change from season to season based on growth, demand, and business needs.

Responsibilities

Work closely with the RD and RL to understand and advise on current trip itineraries and trip improvements
Maintain successful relationships with hotels and other suppliers
Serve as the Backroads field representative and resolve issues as they arise in the field
Maintain accurate and complete product portal (soon to be Ascent) itineraries, GPS routes and On Trip App information
Complete weekly quality review of trip feedback and bring trends to RL and RD as well as feedback to suppliers, as needed
Timely completion of Travel Planner and web page review. Review for accuracy and quality to ensure both capture the details and the spirit of the trip
Timely completion of Desk & Field Presearch to set the season and field staff in your region up for success
Prepare for Field Presearch by connecting with RL and RD, setting up meetings with suppliers and creating a Field Presearch plan
Review Product Portal (soon to be Ascent) and incorporate updates from Field Presearch in order to ensure that information is complete and accurate
Review and update field staff resources such as Emergency Resources, FAM guide, Prep Day Checklist. Review and update guest resources such as On Trip App and Travel Planner
Timely completion of mid-season Quality Assessment and Quality Search effort
Problem-solve current-year quality issues
Reflect on trip quality and research future year quality improvements
Timely completion of Pre-Season Updates (PSUs)
Ensure all products for the following year are built out in Product Portal (soon to be Ascent). This entails reviewing and updating information used for contracting, selling your trip and setting up leaders to lead your trip.
Review and update field staff resources Emergency Resources, FAM guide, Prep Day Checklist. Review guest resources. This includes GPS routes and On Trip App experience which must be created and updated for the following year.
Capture changes to itinerary and notes for next year in Regional Team Channel
Work closely with the FLO and Operations Hub
Ensure all Backroads operations policies are followed, and new initiatives are implemented
Actively communicate with field staff entering, working in, and departing the region
Maintain all equipment, bikes, and Backroads possessions
Coordinate with staff during the arrival and departure of all vans, trailers, bikes, unit equipment
Coordinate regional bed bookings and overflow
Communicate transportation needs (i.e. rental cars for FAMs, trips, GRAFs) with FLO
Educate field staff on systems and processes within the region
Act as the regional point person for landlord relations
Receive feedback from field staff and suggest improvements to FLO, implement as needed
Find field house and storage if FLO hasn’t already or if there is overflow needed
Create and update regional documents: RON, Welcome Doc, Unit Schedule, other region-specific. Ensure that all utilities and cleaning services are set up, billed, and paid for in a timely manner
Set up and stock inventory for field house, storage, and office spaces
Coordinate the arrival of roving mechanic in mid-season
Coordinate mid-season maintenance including inventorying all the bikes and equipment in region and requesting equipment from the hub
Coordinate van and trailer maintenance as needed
Update RON
Close down field house, storage, and office spaces
Ensure that all utilities and cleaning services are closed down
Return all necessary equipment to the hub