Camps Director & Sports Program Assistant

CHELSEA PIERS CONNECTICUT LLC • Stamford, CT

1d • $55,000 - $60,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Camps Director & Sports Program Assistant coordinates, grows, and ensures successful execution of Summer Camps, School Break Camps, Kids Unleashed, and other youth and family programs at Chelsea Piers Connecticut. The role oversees operational execution and reports directly to the Vice President of Sports. It is relationship- and business-management driven, with camps and youth programs serving as entry points for families into Chelsea Piers. The position oversees curriculum development and delivery, staff development and training, revenue-generating programming, and guest experience while maintaining strong operational execution across camps and specialty sports- and enrichment-related youth programs.

The role owns the financial performance of camps and assigned youth programs, including revenue growth, profitability, labor management, and enrollment targets. It collaborates with sports directors and other departments to support staffing, schedules, training, safety, communications, and consistent operations. The director also builds relationships with schools, community organizations, and families, and develops approaches to introduce participants and families to other Chelsea Piers programs and experiences.

This is a full-time, in-person position based in Stamford, Connecticut, scheduled for 40 hours per week. The schedule may vary with events and business needs and may include weekday evenings and weekends. Compensation is $55,000–$60,000 per year.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in camps, afterschool programs, recreation, or youth programming, including at least 3 years in a leadership role overseeing staff and program operations.
• Demonstrated success developing, launching, and growing youth programs, including curriculum development, enrollment growth, and participant retention.
• Experience recruiting, supervising, coaching, and training seasonal and year-round staff and building a positive, service-focused team culture.
• Experience managing program budgets, staffing plans, labor costs, and payroll accuracy, and evaluating profitability and operational efficiency.
• Working knowledge of camp and childcare licensing, safety practices, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, including coordinating multiple programs, schedules, facilities, and departmental priorities.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, including partnering with families, addressing sensitive concerns, and developing relationships with schools and community organizations.
• Business development mindset and ability to identify programming opportunities and collaborate with Marketing and department leaders to drive enrollment and cross-selling.
• Sound judgment and ability to respond calmly and effectively to staffing challenges, participant concerns, and emergencies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience using registration, scheduling, customer management, and payroll systems.
• Current CPR and First Aid certifications, or ability to obtain them before assuming program oversight.
• Availability for a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends as required.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Recreation Management, Education, Business Administration, Sports Management, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience is considered.
• Experience with Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) requirements is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and grow summer camps, school break camps, and sports and specialty youth programs across Chelsea Piers Connecticut.
• Own financial performance for camps and assigned youth programs, including revenue growth, profitability, labor management, and enrollment targets.
• Support sports directors in building and retaining teams of counselors and coaches for camps, enrichment programs, partnerships, and specialty youth programs.
• Identify trends and develop and execute programming for children from toddlers through teens.
• Develop and deliver staff training that motivates staff and builds a camp culture across programs.
• Coordinate schedules with sports directors.
• Communicate with parents about children's physical, social, and emotional progress or program experiences.
• Identify and launch revenue-generating youth and family programs that use facilities during traditionally underutilized days and times, in collaboration with the Vice President of Sports.
• Serve as the camps subject-matter expert for OEC timelines, deadlines, regulations, and compliance.
• Build relationships with schools, camps, PTOs, community organizations, and families to generate business opportunities.
• Develop strategies to convert camp participants and families into year-round Chelsea Piers customers through sports programs, memberships, events, and other experiences.
• Work closely with Marketing.
• Oversee operational execution of Summer Camps, School Break Camp, and specialty youth programming.
• Ensure staffing, scheduling, training, guest experience, safety, communication, and operational consistency across programs.
• Build scalable systems and standard operating procedures to support operational excellence and long-term growth.
• Partner with Sports, Operations, Marketing, Fitness, and Guest Services on execution and customer experience.
• Oversee recruitment, training, and onboarding for camp staff in collaboration with sports directors and People Operations.
• Manage the [email protected] mailbox and ensure timely communication.
• Support the Vice President of Sports on strategic initiatives, new programming opportunities, special events, and cross-departmental projects.
• Deliver results measured by camp revenue growth, new programming, enrollment and retention, execution quality, inspection readiness and compliance, training completion, staffing and scheduling efficiency, payroll accuracy and timeliness, labor cost management, and budget management.

Benefits

• Complimentary Chelsea Piers membership.
• Discounts on Chelsea Piers programs for the employee and their family.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• FSA account.
• Life insurance, long- and short-term disability, and other voluntary benefits.
• 401(k) investment plan with matching up to $1,000 per year after one year of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager