Youth & Camp Director

The Youth & Camp Director has the overall responsibility for the development, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the JCC’s youth and children’s programs, including Camp JCC, the JLounge after-school program, Vacation Camp and Snow Days. The Youth & Camp Director plays an integral role in building our growing camp program and being an agent for change and positive growth. The Youth & Camp Director must be a self-starter, capable of working independently and also as part of a team of professionals. The Youth & Camp Director must be capable of “switching gears” – being approachable and fun when working with children and parents, while also being organized and professional when in the office.

The Youth & Camp Director is a full-time position, reporting to the Program Director. The position requires expertise working with children in an informal or experiential environment, such as summer camp or out-of-school programs. The Youth & Camp Director supervises a team of full-time and part-time staff, and works alongside a team of professional colleagues as part of the JCC’s program team. This position is an excellent opportunity for a mid-career JCC professional (or someone in a related field) who is looking to take a second or third step in their career.

We are looking for someone who is energetic and motivated, with a positive, can-do attitude. The ideal candidate is a creative problem-solver who is capable of working both independently or as part of a team as the situation dictates. To be successful, the Youth & Camp Director will need to be a self-starter, who is able to set goals and work toward them, and takes an interest in their own personal and professional development.

Primary Responsibilities

Management
• Provide supervision for part-time and seasonal staff members as assigned.
• Assist in preparing the annual budgets for the youth and camp departments.
• Help develop the brand identity for each department’s programs in line with the organization’s mission and market demand.

Programming
• Lead Camp JCC, the JCC’s summer camp program (50% of time during the school year, 100% of time during the summer). This includes:
o Creating a camp culture instilled with spirit, positive energy, and a commitment to the organization’s values.
o Growing program offerings, camper enrollment, and departmental revenue through enhanced marketing, outreach, relationship-building, programming, recruitment and sales.
o Serving as the camp director during the summer and supervising the camp leadership team consisting of year-round and seasonal employees.
o Hiring, recruiting, interviewing and evaluating camp staff. Planning and executing staff orientation and ongoing training, scheduling staff and leading staff meetings
o Overseeing the planning of all programmatic aspects of camp, such as field trips, special days, activity areas and Shabbat.
o Being responsible for all aspects of camper safety.
o Acting as the primary liaison with parents.
o Maintaining rooms and spaces inside and outside the building utilized by camp and coordinating facility usage with building services staff.
o Ensuring that camp operations are in line with American Camp Association standards.
• Plan and execute select programs and events throughout the year (25% of time during the school year), including classes and special events. This includes, but is not limited to:
o Winter Break Camp
o Special events
o After-school enrichment classes
o Youth arts and music programs
• Supervise the JCC’s after-school program, called JLounge (25% of time during the school year). This includes:
o Providing supervision for the After-School Coordinator, and serving as a backup when other staff have time off.
o Recruiting new students.
o Building relationships with parents, schools, and community leaders.
o Planning and executing enrichment classes for school-age children.
o Recruit, hire, and supervise staff members.

Leadership
• Take an active interest in career growth, including learning new skills, staying current on industry trends, and constantly innovating and taking calculated risks.
• Lead staff meetings and trainings.
• Participate as a member of the JCC’s program team, providing support to co-workers.
• Conduct personal outreach to JCC members and participants, building relationships and leveraging them to encourage repeat and cross-department business.
• Regularly assess local competition to determine brand positioning and opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum two years of professional experience working with children, preferably in an informal/experiential environment (such as summer camp or out-of-school programs)
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent computer skills, including the Microsoft Office suite, and the ability to learn new systems quickly
• CPR, AED and First Aid certification (or ability to obtain)
• Knowledge of the JCC field and Jewish culture, traditions and celebrations, or willingness to learn