What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Camp Strategy and Operations position at Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa?
Director of Camp Strategy and Operations
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Department: Girl Services - Camp
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Classification: Exempt
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Reports to: Vice President of Girl Services
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Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.
Purpose: The Director of Camp Strategy and Operations will showcase a daily priority on servant leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion. They will lead the overall strategy and operations for summer camp programs, year-round partnerships, and camp rentals at Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa. This includes overseeing our residential camps—Tanglefoot and Sacajawea—and two affiliated non-residential camps. The role collaborates across departments to ensure safe, enriching and inclusive summer camp programming and outdoor adventure opportunities while ensuring that staffing, camp retail, and alumni relations run smoothly and are aligned with GSGI’s mission. The Director also plays a key role in data collection and analysis to support decision-making and meet strategic goals.
A day in the life… (Essential functions)
- Team Leadership & Development
- Lead and mentor two camp directors, fostering collaboration to deliver exceptional camp experiences.
- Support the camp directors in building high-performing teams, focusing on recruitment, development, training, and engagement to maintain a positive, effective work environment.
- Drive a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout all camp programs and rentals, ensuring every member feels valued and respected.
- Planning and Strategy
- Collaborating with other departments, create and manage an annual plan to provide strategy and guidance for outdoor programming at GSGI.
- Oversee summer camp and outdoor adventure programming, ensuring high-quality experiences for campers, parents, guardians, and rental groups.
- Implement systems for evaluating program impact and member satisfaction, using feedback to continuously improve programming and properties.
- Develop and implement revenue-generating models for summer camps, camp partnerships, and rentals, all while promoting Girl Scout leadership outcomes.
- Oversee the camp department budget, ensuring financial health across camp programs, retail revenue, and rental operations.
- Manage vendor contracts to ensure smooth operations for services such as transportation, food and beverage, and specialty activities like horseback riding.
- Stay informed on the latest updates from ACA and GSUSA, bringing fresh ideas and opportunities to enhance the camp experience.
- Work closely with cross-functional teams, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment with GSGI’s mission.
- Manage grants and partnerships that fund various aspects of camp operations and programming, driving long-term sustainability.
- Safety & Risk Management
- Partner with the camp directors and property team to maintain campgrounds, facilities, and equipment, prioritizing camper safety and comfort.
- Work with the camp directors to assess and manage risks, providing recommendations for mitigation to the leadership team.
- Ensure compliance with all camp licensure and regulatory requirements to maintain safe and legally sound operations.
- Provide hands-on support during summer camp programming as needed to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality.
- Camp Rentals & Partnerships
- Oversee the rental experience for all GSGI properties, ensuring consistency, quality, and smooth operations:
- Manage the rental calendar to ensure accurate availability across all properties.
- Communicate proactively with rental groups at Joy Hollow and Juliette camps, addressing needs and ensuring a positive experience.
- Coordinate with local property managers to prepare facilities for rental groups, ensuring safety and cleanliness.
- Misc.
- Support council goals in membership and customer support as well as supporting overall council strategies, initiatives, and events.
- Other duties as assigned
Leadership Responsibilities:
- Direct Reports:
- Two full-time camp directors (Tanglefoot Director and Sacajawea Director)
The fine print… (Qualifications)
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field
- 5 years of operational experience including at least 2 years of managerial and financial management responsibility in a camp, residential or direct youth service program field.
- Direct supervisory experience required
- Strong customer service orientation and excellent communication skills
- Proven track record of managing all aspects of a successful project through its lifecycle
- Goal-oriented, problem solver, highly organized
- Strong business acumen with excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Ability to adapt to changes in circumstances, direction, processes and strategy
- Excellent written skills, including editing/proofreading
- Strong computer skills including MS Office products
Additional Eligibility Qualifications and Requirements
- Must uphold and support Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as outlined in our Employee Handbook
- Must maintain annual or lifetime membership in Girl Scouts at all times
- Must possess a valid driver’s license and liability insurance
- Successful completion of a criminal background check
- Flexibility is key. We’ll need you to work weekends and evenings as needed
Your Surroundings
- Position requires seasonal outdoor work where heat, cold, precipitation, and the results of weather and nature may be encountered
- During different job duties the noise inside or outside can become very loud
- Some evenings and weekends required
- Up to 30% travel within the council (varies seasonally), as well as occasional out-of-state to relevant conferences
