Chief Program & Impact Officer, Austin Sunshine Camps

CampHire Recruiting • Austin, TX

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

Austin Sunshine Camps (ASC) provides the magic of overnight camp without the barrier of cost, envisioning a world where all children have a place to grow, connect, and explore. Since 1928, ASC has offered free overnight camp programs to children from families facing access barriers. ASC operates two camp locations, one in Zilker Park (Austin) and another on Lake Travis (Marble Falls), serving 760 children ages 8-15 through summer, spring break, and winter break programs. Camp activities include swimming, canoeing, hiking, skill-building, crafts, and music. During the school year, ASC engages the community through seasonal programs, events, and a CIT program for high school students (ages 16+), deepening family relationships and increasing access to camp's transformative experience. The Chief Program and Impact Officer (CPIO) is a senior executive reporting to the CEO, responsible for the strategy, leadership, quality, safety, community engagement, impact, and sustainable growth of all ASC programs. The CPIO leads a team of camp leaders and ensures programs are safe, impactful, operationally excellent, community-responsive, and mission-aligned. This role is crucial for scaling program quality, culture, and impact as ASC expands. As a leadership team member, the CPIO acts as a thought partner to the CEO, a collaborative leader, and an external ambassador, building community relationships and identifying growth opportunities. The position is based in Austin, requiring three days a week at the Zilker Park office, full presence during camp sessions, and availability for evening/weekend commitments, especially during camp and year-round family programming.

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.
• Must pass a criminal background check.
• Must 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