Director of Summer Programs - Thayer Academy

Sparc•Braintree, MA

About The Position

Reporting to the Associate Head of School, the Director of Summer Programs is responsible for strategic planning, operations, market development, program design, budgeting, and management of Thayer Summer Programs. Specific responsibilities include: Strategic Program Development Build vibrant programs that achieve desired admissions goals, annual and long-term net revenue targets, and support the school’s mission and program. Assess, enhance, and where appropriate, expand summer program offerings aligned with Thayer’s mission to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs of current and prospective participants Collaborate with school leadership, administration, and faculty to ensure all summer programs align with the school’s mission and educational philosophy Annually seek and analyze input from campers/students, families, and staff regarding the quality of their program experience Explore opportunities for leveraging the intellectual and physical assets of the school Seek to identify partnerships that may enhance program potential Program Management Ensure all summer program participants have a safe and positive experience. Oversee ongoing curriculum development for all summer programs in coordination with program directors Ensure all programs are of the highest quality and provide an appropriately safe, caring, and enriching environment for all participants Establish routines, provide positive guidance, and enforce policies and procedures, including disciplinary policies, in accordance with Thayer’s stated values Provide ongoing supervision and support of all faculty and staff of the summer programs Develop and oversee all safety and health protocols in coordination with school risk management plan Manage all rentals of school facilities in coordination with school calendar and facility availability Financial Management Ensure that the Summer Programs’ financial performance meets or exceeds budgeted expectations. Prepare annual budget covering all aspects of program expenses and revenues to ensure profitability Monitor revenues and expenses in accordance with budgetary restrictions for bottom line performance across all programs Continually strive to generate and grow net revenue in support of the school Work with individual coaches and teachers to ensure profitability of their programs Establish appropriate compensation for all auxiliary program employees in coordination with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer Establish and manage contracts with all third party partners and vendors Marketing and Communications Effectively promote the programs so as to achieve the enrollment and revenue targets. In coordination with the Marketing department, develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for all summer programs Ensure that summer programs have an effective and accurate web presence including the website and social media Plan and coordinate the publishing and advertising of marketing documents, both digital and print Manage all public relations and marketing initiatives including open houses, mailers, brochures, camp fairs, and ad placement to promote and communicate the programs to prospective and enrolled participants Write and distribute regular communications among summer program constituencies that effectively provide updated information and a sense of community Administration and Operations Ensure that the administration of summer programs is efficient and effective. Coordinate and organize registration processes for summer programs (i.e. rosters, processing of forms and confirmation letters, parent communication, etc.) Maintain accurate and comprehensive summer and auxiliary program database Prepare reports for and communicate with school leadership to ensure awareness of summer program performance Ensure that summer programs are in compliance with all applicable regulations of licensing and governing entities Human Resources Hire and manage to build a qualified, effective, and customer-focused team. Work collaboratively to recruit, hire, and train all summer program seasonal and part time employees Ensure that all necessary and required employment forms, including background checks, are completed and on file Design and deliver a thorough onboarding process for all summer employees and provide a comprehensive summer staff training Oversee the annual performance evaluation process of all summer programs counselors, coaches, teachers, and staff Coordinate and communicate payroll as needed with the Business Office Other Duties Participate in special assignments and projects as needed to improve school operations (i.e. special projects, buildings and grounds, safety, accreditation, committees, etc.) Maintain a commitment to student and employee diversity Perform other duties as assigned by the Associate Head of School and the Head of School

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required
Significant experience in summer camps, youth programs, auxiliary programs, recreation, or related enterprises; independent school experience is helpful but not required.
Demonstrated success supervising, coaching, and evaluating staff; proven ability to build cohesive, high-performing seasonal and year-round teams.
A tight, reliable budget manager with proven experience building and managing program budgets, setting clear financial goals, and monitoring revenue and expenses.
Strong operational instincts and systems-thinking mindset; enjoys designing efficient, scalable processes (e.g., registration, scheduling, staffing, logistics) that improve both quality and customer experience.
Excellent communication skills - clear, warm, and responsive — with the ability to work effectively with children, families, faculty/staff, and external partners.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Customer-service mindset with high expectations for quality, timeliness, and overall family experience.
High level of integrity, judgment, and professionalism, with a strong commitment to safety and compliance.
Proficiency with Google Workspace, Excel, and registration/CRM or camp management systems; comfort learning new platforms and using data to inform decisions.
Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including some evenings, weekends, and extended summer hours as needed.
Must successfully complete a background check.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Education, Business, or a related field preferred.
Comfort partnering with a business office/Director of Finance and Operations on pricing, forecasting, and scenario planning.
Proven ability to design, launch, and grow new programs or initiatives — someone who brings ideas forward, refines them collaboratively, and then leads implementation.
Entrepreneurial, creative, and forward-thinking; energized by the opportunity to help Thayer enhance its core program through mission-aligned summer offerings.
Collaborative and collegial leadership style; eager to partner closely with the Associate Head of School, Director of Finance and Operations, and other school leaders.
Comfort stepping into a newly defined role, building relationships, learning school culture, and gradually extending an umbrella of coordination over existing programs.

Responsibilities

Strategic Program Development Build vibrant programs that achieve desired admissions goals, annual and long-term net revenue targets, and support the school’s mission and program.
Assess, enhance, and where appropriate, expand summer program offerings aligned with Thayer’s mission to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs of current and prospective participants
Collaborate with school leadership, administration, and faculty to ensure all summer programs align with the school’s mission and educational philosophy
Annually seek and analyze input from campers/students, families, and staff regarding the quality of their program experience
Explore opportunities for leveraging the intellectual and physical assets of the school
Seek to identify partnerships that may enhance program potential
Ensure all summer program participants have a safe and positive experience.
Oversee ongoing curriculum development for all summer programs in coordination with program directors
Ensure all programs are of the highest quality and provide an appropriately safe, caring, and enriching environment for all participants
Establish routines, provide positive guidance, and enforce policies and procedures, including disciplinary policies, in accordance with Thayer’s stated values
Provide ongoing supervision and support of all faculty and staff of the summer programs
Develop and oversee all safety and health protocols in coordination with school risk management plan
Manage all rentals of school facilities in coordination with school calendar and facility availability
Ensure that the Summer Programs’ financial performance meets or exceeds budgeted expectations.
Prepare annual budget covering all aspects of program expenses and revenues to ensure profitability
Monitor revenues and expenses in accordance with budgetary restrictions for bottom line performance across all programs
Continually strive to generate and grow net revenue in support of the school
Work with individual coaches and teachers to ensure profitability of their programs
Establish appropriate compensation for all auxiliary program employees in coordination with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer
Establish and manage contracts with all third party partners and vendors
Effectively promote the programs so as to achieve the enrollment and revenue targets.
In coordination with the Marketing department, develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for all summer programs
Ensure that summer programs have an effective and accurate web presence including the website and social media
Plan and coordinate the publishing and advertising of marketing documents, both digital and print
Manage all public relations and marketing initiatives including open houses, mailers, brochures, camp fairs, and ad placement to promote and communicate the programs to prospective and enrolled participants
Write and distribute regular communications among summer program constituencies that effectively provide updated information and a sense of community
Ensure that the administration of summer programs is efficient and effective.
Coordinate and organize registration processes for summer programs (i.e. rosters, processing of forms and confirmation letters, parent communication, etc.)
Maintain accurate and comprehensive summer and auxiliary program database
Prepare reports for and communicate with school leadership to ensure awareness of summer program performance
Ensure that summer programs are in compliance with all applicable regulations of licensing and governing entities
Hire and manage to build a qualified, effective, and customer-focused team.
Work collaboratively to recruit, hire, and train all summer program seasonal and part time employees
Ensure that all necessary and required employment forms, including background checks, are completed and on file
Design and deliver a thorough onboarding process for all summer employees and provide a comprehensive summer staff training
Oversee the annual performance evaluation process of all summer programs counselors, coaches, teachers, and staff
Coordinate and communicate payroll as needed with the Business Office
Participate in special assignments and projects as needed to improve school operations (i.e. special projects, buildings and grounds, safety, accreditation, committees, etc.)
Maintain a commitment to student and employee diversity
Perform other duties as assigned by the Associate Head of School and the Head of School