Program Director

Camp Greystone • Zirconia, NC

24d • Hybrid

About The Position

Camp Greystone is seeking a strategic and relational Program Director to join its year-round leadership team. This role leads the summer program, overseeing people, activities, systems, and facilities to ensure an exceptional camper experience. The Program Director is responsible for developing and improving class offerings, hiring seasonal staff, supporting leadership staff, and ensuring all activity areas are safe, fun, growth-filled, and aligned with the camp's mission. This is a leadership position for a dynamic camp professional skilled in long-term vision and immediate execution. The ideal candidate can envision the program's future while managing current operational needs like equipment ordering, staff hiring, and schedule preparation. This role is highly cyclical, requiring effective shifts between strategic planning, detailed preparation, people leadership, and operational logistics. The Program Director anticipates needs, staying ahead of staffing, scheduling, facility, communication, and program requirements. This individual is a relational leader, creative thinker, and organized operator who is self-motivated, collaborative, humble, and committed to enhancing the Greystone program for campers and staff. They are proactive, people-focused, and willing to contribute hands-on to create a positive camp experience. The role involves developing people, teamwork, problem-solving, and analyzing feedback to improve the program in alignment with the camp's mission.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; coursework or specialization in Recreation, Outdoor Education, Education, Human Resources, or a related field is preferred.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in a leadership role within a summer camp, outdoor education organization, or similar setting.
• A committed Christian, as evidenced by personal testimony and regular attendance of a Bible-believing church; someone who wholeheartedly supports Greystone’s mission and statement of faith.
• Knowledge of safety regulations, risk management, and best practices in outdoor and recreational activities.
• Willingness to travel as needed for staff recruiting.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire a team.
• A strategic and visionary thinker who can plan both in the short term and over a 1-5 year horizon.
• Exceptional situational awareness and operational judgment, with the ability to anticipate problems, identify dependencies, prioritize competing needs, and remain calm and solutions-oriented in a fast-moving environment.
• Strong systems-thinking ability, with a talent for creating, improving, and maintaining processes.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple detailed projects and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Comfortable seeking input, delegating effectively, and drawing on the expertise of others.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including consistent and timely communication with campers, parents, staff, and camp leadership.
• High comfort level with collecting and analyzing data, identifying trends, incorporating feedback, and using those insights to make informed decisions.
• Strong financial acumen, including an understanding of budgeting, forecasting, and planning.
• A creative and innovative mindset with enthusiasm for developing engaging programs and experiences for campers.
• Consistency and follow-through; a self-starter who keeps commitments and takes ownership of responsibilities.
• Collaborative, approachable, and team-oriented.
• Demonstrates humility and a willingness to objectively evaluate programs, staff, and their own performance.
• A commitment to fostering a positive, supportive, and mission-aligned camp culture.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive camp program with diverse, high-quality camper activities.
• Continuously evaluate program offerings using feedback, data, industry trends, and best practices.
• Research best practices in camp programming and build relationships with camping professionals.
• Develop new programs and improve existing ones annually.
• Strategically plan for the short- and long-term future of the camp program.
• Maintain open and effective communication with leadership, staff, and campers regarding program updates.
• Own the development and execution of camper and staff scheduling systems.
• Oversee Greystone's levels, patches, and awards systems.
• Own the camp's program hiring strategy, ensuring alignment with program offerings and camper enrollment.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive activity staffing plan.
• Use data to anticipate staffing needs and make hiring decisions.
• Lead the seasonal staff application and interviewing process.
• Lead program-related staff Orientation and pre-season training.
• Develop and coach Department Heads, equipping them to lead their teams.
• Identify and support individual leadership strengths and development needs among Department Heads.
• Provide regular summer feedback to staff and address issues.
• Lead between-session transitions, ensuring effective onboarding and reset.
• Manage seasonal staff HR functions assigned to the Program Director.
• Ensure program areas comply with safety regulations, risk-management practices, and ACA standards.
• Conduct regular inspections of program areas and implement improvements.
• Lead the ACA accreditation process during renewal years.
• Document and improve lesson content to maintain consistent class quality.
• Prepare program facilities before each camp season and oversee closeout.
• Manage equipment and supplies for program areas, including purchasing and inventory.
• Coordinate across departments to ensure alignment of program, staffing, facility, and operational needs.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to develop and manage budgets for program areas.
• Use quantitative and qualitative information to make decisions about program offerings, staffing, and investment.
• Maintain institutional memory by documenting decisions and preserving systems.

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Health insurance, with Greystone paying 75% of monthly premiums and employees paying 25% through paycheck deductions
• 15 vacation days per year (10 standard vacation days plus 5 additional days for Head Staff roles)
• 6 paid holidays per year
• Two weeks off at the end of December
• 5 sick/personal days per year
• 401(k) with profit sharing (eligible after 1 year of employment)
• Use of camp facilities, including workout room, track, tennis courts, and hiking trail
• Work computer provided
• All meals and housing provided during the summer season
• Greystone branded gear, gifted annually

What This Job Offers

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