Timberlake Summer Camp Director - Farm & Wilderness Foundation

Timberlake Camp Director

Hybrid Role- Remote and Onsite

The Opportunity: We are seeking a year-round Director for our Timberlake Camp, an overnight summer camp for male and gender non-binary campers. Timberlake is the oldest of five camps and programs operated by Farm & Wilderness (F&W), all of which are grounded in F&W’s values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equity, and Sustainability. The Timberlake program is centered on campers learning agency, sincerity, and interdependence. It’s a place where “anything is possible, everybody counts, we get it done.”  Learn more about Timberlake here.

The Timberlake Director is jointly responsible for the success of the camp and its continued growth including all aspects of staff management, camper and parent relations, program development and management, camp risk management, American Camp Association accreditation, budget oversight and adherence to the F&W mission. The Timberlake Director will lead a well-established camp with robust rituals, staff and family connections, and strong systems. The ideal candidate will continue these elements and continue to find ways to evolve the program to meet the needs of today.

Joyful play, purposeful work, rugged outdoor living.

Our camps and conservation efforts kindle the spirit and teach timeless skills.

Timberlake has approximately110 campers each session, ages 9-14, and employs around 60 seasonal staff.

From mid-June through late August this role is full-time and on-site at Timberlake in Plymouth, VT. During the rest of the year, the Director has part-time responsibilities which can be done from any location with access to the internet. The Director will be able to schedule much of their work, however there will be some scheduled events and meetings which the Director will be expected to attend, including an in-person fall retreat and a march American Camp Association conference.  

Reporting and Collaboration: The Director will report to the Director of Camps (and former Timberlake Director), Jarod Wunneburger. The Director collaborates closely with all departments of Farm & Wilderness to ensure the best outcomes for campers. The Director works closely with Admissions on camper recruitment and enrollment, and Human Resources and Marketing on staff recruitment and hiring. Additionally, they will work with the Sustainable Resources Director, Farm Manager, Conservation Coordinator and Operations Director, to prepare camp facilities, and coordinate program resources. The Director is part of a team of Camp Directors who share advice and insights and support each other to innovate their individual camp programs in alignment with F&W’s values and mission. 

Compensation: $40-$45k

Work Location: From June-August: Plymouth, VT; From late August to early June: Remote (work from

               Anywhere).

Job Type:  Hybrid: Full Time June – August, Part Time September-May

Are you a match? Since 1939, Farm & Wilderness has operated camps which are guided by Quaker values and practices and focus on developing timeless skills. Our camps and programs are known to be joyful, creative places and to encourage staff and campers to embody the idea that “work is love made visible”. For this critical role, we are looking for someone aligned with our values and who has been an educator in an experiential or classroom setting, worked with families, and managed and developed staff.  To succeed here, you must be able to collaborate effectively across functions (marketing, facilities, finance, etc.), setting expectations, and holding yourself and others accountable. Does this sound like you?

In this role you and the Director will (Essential Functions)

Provide Program and Education Leadership

• Continue delivering on goals, objectives, and outcomes for the Timberlake program, within the context of the greater F&W mission
• Maintain a program that fosters the positive physical, emotional, and spiritual health of all campers and staff
• Partner with F&W in-house and outside experts in Timberlake’s activity to develop and staff programming
• Be accountable for all American Camp Association requirements for operations and on-going accreditation of Timberlake Camp Program
• Monitor and manage program for risk, in collaboration with key F&W partners
• Prepare (with the Director of Finance and Administration) and manage the Timberlake operating plan and budget
• Be the face of Timberlake to camp families, campers, seasonal staff, alumni and the camp industry

Lead Program Improvement & Innovation

• Create and implement strategies for achieving camper developmental outcomes in activity areas and general programming
• Conduct annual program evaluation and innovation, including research and program pilot planning

Recruit Campers and Engage Families

• Participate in Timberlake camper recruitment and family engagement activities to achieve full enrollment as requested by Marketing, Admissions, and the Director of Camps. This might include in-person events, social media work, and conversations with perspective families
• Coordinate communications to the Timberlake community during camp including blogs, camper letters, and social media
• Respond to all parent communications (email and telephone) during the camp season and in the off season with the appropriate level of urgency, attention, and care

Recruit and Manage Seasonal Staff

• Interview, hire, evaluate and conduct exit interviews for seasonal staff for Timberlake using F&W’s seasonal staff hiring system and with support from the Human Resources Manager
• In coordination with the Director of Camps, develop a plan to train and prepare staff for camp responsibilities, drawing on other F&W and outside resources as necessary and coordinating with other camp Directors and F&W staff
•  Create a strong camp leadership team and culture to ensure that staff are effectively supervised, supported, and evaluated each summer according to F&W personnel policies and practices as outlined in the F&W Staff Handbook.
• With the Director of Camps, develop and implement a professional growth plan for self and key Timberlake staff

Support the overall mission and function of Farm & Wilderness

• Model the F&W values in your work with colleagues, campers and their families, and seasonal staff
• Participate in the overall organizational inclusivity and equity mission of F&W
•  Travel outside of the camp season for meetings and event attendance such as staff retreats and an annual presentation to the Board of Directors

Work Conditions and Location

During mid-June through mid-August this position requires the director to live onsite at Timberlake. The director has a personal cabin, and meals are provided in the camp dining room. Farm & Wilderness accommodations are rustic, therefore there is no electricity in the camp cabins and all camp and staff use composting outhouses and shared shower facilities. During camp, the work shift consists of 6 days on and one day off.

During the rest of the year, the Director has part- time responsibilities, which can be done from any location with dependable access to the internet and the ability to be on video for meetings. The Director will be able to schedule much of their work around their other responsibilities, however there will be some scheduled events and meetings that the Director will be expected to attend and/or lead, some of which will be scheduled during evenings and weekends. The Director is also expected to meet deadlines for critical work (budgeting, enrollment projections, etc.).

Desired Qualifications

• Experienced educator in an experiential, academic, or outdoor setting, with a passion for outdoor education
• Demonstrated experience in managing youth development programs (in school or extracurricular programs)
• Demonstrated experience in engaging families in educational program implementation
• Demonstrated experience in managing and training staff for an educational program 
• Demonstrated experience in leading conversations around identity, power & privilege, social justice and intersectionality
• Strategic management of people and resources; Timberlake’s budget is around $1.3M (including staff salaries and camp resources).
• Knowledge of F&W and Timberlake culture, history, and traditions or a willingness and ability to learn
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Teams, and HubSpot, or willingness and ability to learn
• Alignment with Farm & Wilderness’ values

Organizational Summary

F&W is a non-profit educational organization operating eight summer camps and programs for children and teens, a family camp, retreat rentals, and a conservation organization. Encompassing over 1,500-acres in the Green Mountains of Vermont, our camps and programs are known to be joyful, creative places full of adventure where staff and campers embody the idea that “work is love made visible”. In 2018, F&W joined forces with the Nineveh Foundation to manage the conservation of more than 3,300 acres of land and water in the Lake Ninevah valley. People of any race, background, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or economic status are encouraged to apply to join our community as campers or staff. To learn more about F&W please visit: http://www.farmandwilderness.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Farm & Wilderness is an equal opportunity employer. No employee or applicant for employment shall be unlawfully denied an employment opportunity for which the employee or applicant is qualified because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other protected category. F&W is committed to non-discrimination in its employment.