Day Camp Site Director & Director of Human Resources

About Us / Company Mission

At DEAN Adventure Camps, we create life-changing opportunities for young people to discover their passions, explore endless possibilities, achieve meaningful goals, and navigate thrilling adventures — all while developing character and skills that last a lifetime.

Guided by our core values of Compassion, Trust, Growth, and Creativity, we foster an environment where learning, discovery, and personal development thrive. Our vision is to inspire generations of resilient, compassionate, and confident individuals who contribute positively to their communities and the world.

Position Summary

This leadership role requires expertise in both camp operations and human resources:

• From September–May, this position serves as the Director of Human Resources, overseeing the recruiting, compliance, training, and workforce strategy for DEAN Adventure Camps.
• From June–August, the position serves as the Camp Director at Sidwell Friends. Leading and managing all aspects of the summer program, ensuring an outstanding camp experience for 150–300 weekly campers and 30–50 staff members each week.

This role requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and adaptability to balance both responsibilities across the full camp cycle.

This position is ideal for someone based in the DC/MD/VA region with experience as a day camp director, independent school auxiliary camp director, youth development, niche activity-based or YMCA camp director. The role is perfect for a candidate who has managed a team of 30–50 counselors and camp operations for 150–300 campers. This person also has workforce strategy experience in sourcing, interviewing, onboarding, and training 160 camp positions per summer.

Key Responsibilities

September–May: Director of Human Resources

• Implement a workforce strategy - evaluating current employees and strategizing for future staffing needs. Identify gaps, manage the process of managing employees, develop strategies for hiring, and develop employee retention methodologies.
• Innovate recruitment strategies based on our mission, vision, and values to attract top seasonal and year-round talent by optimizing all aspects of the talent acquisition lifecycle, including interviewing, onboarding, and training.
• Ensure workplace compliance, including labor laws, EEOC guidelines, background checks, and I-9 verifications.
• Conduct interviews, actively recruit for open positions, and play a hands-on role in managing the onboarding process.
• Oversee employee relations, conflict resolution, and performance management.
• Analyze labor and wage trends to optimize staffing and operational strategies.
• Manage and look for efficiencies and improvement as it pertains to using an HRIS system.
• Using technology and digital tools (Google Workspace, Airtable, Asana, Slack, HubSpot, JazzHR and AI, etc.) for optimizing workflows and efficiency. 
• Create evaluation criteria and rubrics to aid in objective decision-making, e.g. job fair attendance, paid job posts, and candidate criteria.
• Manage the Associate Director in HR to provide support in all aspects of HR.
• Train other year-round employees in the interview process, disseminating first and second interviews.
• Work with the Head of Marketing, Communication, and Sales to develop content to support the pre and post-hiring season, e.g. social posts, blogs, HR monthly newsletter, paid digital ads, and website updates.
• Create and manage the HR budget.
• Attendance at career fairs and local community events is required.

• Orchestrate the daily operations of DEAN Adventure Camps at the Sidwell Friends School location with the support of assistant directors to ensure a smooth, safe, fun, and high-quality experience for parents, campers, partners, and team. Responsibilities include:
  • Managing schedules: staff scheduling, daily camp schedules, scheduling evaluations, and meetings as needed.
  • Oversee program execution: Ensure instructors have the support they need.
  • Maintain the cleanliness and organization of our designated spaces at Sidwell Friends School.
  • Manage onsite supplies: this includes inventorying, ordering, and maintaining equipment for functionality.
  • Supervise, mentor, and support a seasonal team of 30–50 employees, including Assistant Directors, Counselors, and CITs.
  • Serve as the primary liaison between DEAN Adventure Camps and Sidwell Friends School, ensuring alignment and collaboration.
  • Oversee parent communication, camper experience, and conflict resolution.
  • Conduct on-site staff training and performance evaluations to uphold camp standards.
  • Provide on-site support at other DEAN Adventure Camps locations, post Sidwell Summer's season. This requires 2-3 weeks of travel and overnight stays (reimbursed).
  • Foster a positive and inclusive team environment, ensuring strong morale, effective communication, and collaboration among staff to maintain high levels of motivation and engagement throughout the camp season.

• Ensure the continued operations of HR functions as a support to the President/COO (e.g., mid-season recruitment for urgent staffing needs, HR communications to the team, managing compliance issues).

Qualifications

Required Experience & Skills

• Camp Management: 5 years as a Head Director of a camp serving at least 150–300 campers per week and managing 25–50 staff members.
• Leadership: Proven ability to mentor and inspire mid- to large-sized teams while managing complex operations.
• HR Expertise: 5 years of experience in recruiting, compliance, training, and workforce management.
• Strong technological proficiency: to leverage technology for efficiency, collaboration, and process improvement with a proactive approach to adopting and implementing new solutions.  Experience using HRIS systems, Asana or other project management software, and Google Workspace. Preferred but not required experience in using Airtable, HubSpot, and AI tools. 
• Strong Communication Skills: Ability to engage effectively with families, staff, leadership, and external partners.
• Flexibility & Resilience: Ability to adapt to fast-paced environments and make sound decisions under pressure.

Work Environment & Expectations

• Remote Work: September–May, with the ability to easily go to the Media, PA office, and attend job fairs and community events often in the mid-Atlantic region. Living in the PA/DC/MD/VA region year-round is preferred or the ability to secure DC housing during the summer months.
• On-Site Presence: Required during the camp season (June–August) at Sidwell Friends School and at other DEAN camp locations (i.e., Congressional, Laughing Waters, Shelly Ridge) until the end of August. Housing is not provided during the nine weeks of Sidwell camp.
• Travel: Some travel is required for staff recruitment, training, conferences, and support at other DEAN Adventure Camps locations.
• Work Hours & Availability:
  • September–May: The team operates primarily between 8 AM–4 PM or 9 AM–5 PM EST, and leadership roles require active participation during these hours for meetings and collaboration. While flexibility is provided, responsibilities may extend beyond standard hours based on business needs.
  • June–August: Extended leadership hours are required to manage camp operations effectively.

• Vaccination & Health Compliance: Up to date on COVID-19 and other required immunizations per location, local, or federal mandates, with willingness to provide proof.
• Mask Compliance: Willing to wear a mask if required to protect the health of campers and staff.
• Health Form Submission: Willing to submit a health form if required by the location
• Physical Requirements:
• Lift and carry 40 lbs of supplies and equipment.
• Stand, walk, run, climb stairs, and perform other physical tasks as needed for camp operations and emergency response.
• Comfortable working outdoors in varying weather conditions and indoors as needed from June through August.
• Willing to work 10 hour days during the camp season, if necessary.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $68,000–$72,000 annually (compensation is reviewed annually and outlined in a separate compensation review document).
• FLSA Status: This is a full-time, exempt position under the FLSA.
• Health & Wellness: Up to 75% company coverage for medical and vision plans full coverage for life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Retirement & Financial Security: 401(k) plan with a 3% company contribution (no employee match required, subject to change).
• Time Off: 31 days total in 2025
  • 10 PTO days one week off in September/post-camp recovery (15 days off in 2025)
  • Recognized holidays (16 business days off in 2025):
    • MLK Day (Jan 20)
    • Presidents' Day (Feb 17)
    • Memorial Day (May 26)
    • Juneteenth (June 19)
    • July 4th (Friday)
    • Labor Day (Sept 1)
    • Thanksgiving Break (Nov 26–28, Wed–Fri)
    • Winter Break (Dec 24, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026) – 7 business days off
• Camp Tuition Benefits: Reduced or free tuition for dependents family and friends discounts.
• Professional Development: Employer-sponsored training, conferences, and an annual stipend for employee-selected learning (with approval).
• Travel Reimbursement: Reimbursement for Housing accommodations for required travel, federal mileage reimbursement, and meal stipends for approved travel. (Note: Housing is not provided during the summer at Sidwell Friends School.)

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

DEAN Adventure Camps is an equal-opportunity employer. Hiring decisions are based on a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the position and are made without regard to race, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or any other category protected by applicable law.

Salary : $68,000 - $72,000