Chief Program & Impact Officer, Austin Sunshine Camps

CampHire Recruiting • Austin, TX

13d • $100,000 - $120,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Austin Sunshine Camps (ASC) is dedicated to providing the magic of overnight camp to children from families facing financial barriers, ensuring that cost is not an obstacle to this enriching experience. Since 1928, ASC has offered free, fun-filled overnight camp programs, operating two camp locations in Austin and Marble Falls. Each year, ASC serves approximately 760 children aged 8 to 15 through programs during summer, spring break, and winter break, offering activities like swimming, canoeing, hiking, crafts, and music. Beyond overnight camps, ASC engages the community year-round through seasonal programs, events, and a Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program for high school students, fostering deeper family relationships and increasing access to life-changing camp experiences.

Requirements

• Significant leadership experience in youth development, camps, education, out-of-school-time programming, or a related mission-driven environment.
• Significant people leadership experience developing high-performing teams.
• Experience working in a nonprofit setting with Boards, funders, schools, and partners.
• Must have a valid driver's license, pass a criminal background check and be able to lift up to 35 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in an overnight camp or multi-site youth development organization preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a collaborative executive team member, taking shared ownership of ASC's overall strategy, culture, financial health, and multi-site expansion.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year program strategy aligned with ASC's strategic plan and organizational capacity.
• Translate high-level vision into actionable priorities, clear performance metrics, and sustainable accountability frameworks.
• Provide concise, decision-ready data and risk assessments to the CEO and Board of Directors.
• Position ASC as a respected thought leader in youth development and overnight camping through speaking engagements, partnerships, and strategic community engagement.
• Play a lead role in shaping and scaling ASC's program model and team structure as the organization grows to serve more campers and expands to additional camp locations.
• Recruit, coach, and retain a high-performing Program/Camp Director team capable of independently managing multi-site operations.
• Build an organizational culture rooted in trust, ownership, psychological safety, continuous learning, and accountability.
• Establish clear decision-making frameworks, delegated authority models, and performance benchmarks for program staff.
• Build an organizational approach to impact measurement, using data and research to strengthen programs, inform strategic decisions, and communicate outcomes to funders, partners, and the Board.
• Oversee programmatic strategy across camps, CIT program, seasonal retreats, and year-round family engagement initiatives.
• Define and measure key indicators for program success, youth outcomes, camper retention, and operational efficiency.
• Leverage camper/family feedback, research, and youth development best practices to continuously enhance program quality.
• Partner with the Development team to ensure timely grant implementation, reporting, and stewardship of restricted program funding.
• Independently maintain and evolve ASC's program logic models and outcomes frameworks, staying current on trends in youth development and out-of-school-time programming to keep ASC's approach competitive for funding and aligned with best practice.
• Maintain executive accountability for organizational safety, risk management, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure strict adherence to state licensing requirements, American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation standards, and legal mandates across all facilities.
• Proactively identify operational risks and establish escalation protocols for legal, safety, or reputational concerns.
• Serve as a visible, authentic ambassador for ASC across Central Texas, expanding network connections into actionable strategic partnerships.
• Build strategic alliances with school districts, youth-serving non-profits, government agencies, and community leaders.
• Collaborate closely with the CEO and Development team to engage funders, represent ASC at public forums, and cultivate revenue-generating opportunities.
• Assist in developing compelling cases for support, communicate program impact, participate in donor cultivation and stewardship, and ensure funders have confidence in ASC's program quality and outcomes.
• Develop long-term strategies for camper and family engagement that strengthen belonging, increase retention, and cultivate lifelong connections to ASC.
• Manage program department budgets in close partnership with Finance, ensuring rigorous stewardship of resources.
• Ensure robust administrative systems exist for camper recruitment, enrollment, staffing, training, and cross-departmental coordination.
• Ensure programs are implemented consistent with grant commitments, restricted funding requirements, and organizational priorities.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• SIMPLE IRA with a 3% employer match.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Eligibility for staff members' own children to attend camp, within ASC's policy for non-qualifying admissions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed