Pros
Co-op claims lofty values - and works hard to live up to them. No company succeeds here all the time, but the effort to stay true is legitimate and sincere. President and CEO Jerry Stritzke is an inspiring leader, with razor sharp management skills and a love of storytelling. After coming aboard in late 2013, needed changes, which had gone unchecked for years, were identified and successfully acted upon with skill, tact and precision - and in an impressively short time span. More importantly, he re-focused the REI brand vision and provided a clear path to follow that is easy to understand, and enhances the cultural values which are so vital to the company's identity and its loyal employee base. These actions have instilled great confidence in everyone from VPs to hourly retail employees, and the co-op has never felt - or performed - better. Dream job. Seriously. The work is surprisingly complex and challenging, and when done well, the result is something that actually makes you feel as though you are contributing to a better planet. Teaching a 40 y/o adult to ride a bike for the first time is something you never forget. Enabling a team to inspire and prepare thousands of people to explore the outdoors in ways they never previously thought possible (or at least lacked the skills for) - is absolutely priceless. Your team, colleagues and bosses are exceptionally talented and passionate people who deeply care about the work being done. Managers, and even hourly staff, can enjoy a fair amount of autonomy - as long as results are produced.
Cons
Key strategies are sometimes at odds with financial expectations; occasionally, meeting one goal can directly result in compromising another. Divisional goals and metrics change significantly each year. If you're not good at shooting multiple targets while riding backwards on a runaway horse, move along. New ventures are often announced with deadlines that are difficult (and occasionally impossible) to meet. To succeed, one needs a highly creative approach, honed organizational skills, and the ability to energize a fatigued team. Organizational re-structure is an annual occurrence. While corporations must anticipate and adapt to the constant change in business environment, this division has a significantly higher rate of change than any other. If you aren't comfortable with a LOT of change, look elsewhere. While REI is famous for its work/life balance, salaried managers often work 50-60 hours per week (sometimes 60-70), and are on-call on days off. Expect long days, longer weeks, and an end to the "busy season" because there is no "slow season." As a manager, expect to work in a virtual environment with superiors and colleagues, as well as the majority of your staff, whom are part time and work remotely.