Director of Summer Programs - Chinese American International School

ABOUT CAIS

Founded in 1981, Chinese American International School (CAIS) is the first and one of the most prominent Mandarin-English dual language immersion schools in the United States. Located in the heart of San Francisco, CAIS serves a diverse community of approximately 550 students from Preschool through 8th Grade. As a pioneer in bilingual education, CAIS has earned a reputation for its academic excellence, progressive pedagogy, and commitment to multicultural and multilingual fluency.

As the first Mandarin immersion school in the country, CAIS has long been at the forefront of immersion education. Its dual language program is recognized nationally and internationally for its effectiveness and innovation. Students spend approximately half of their instructional time in Mandarin and half in English, beginning with full immersion in the early years and transitioning to a balanced bilingual model in the upper grades. The school employs native Mandarin-speaking educators and follows a co-teaching model to ensure authenticity and linguistic depth.

MISSION AND VISION

CAIS's mission is to Embrace Chinese, Become Our Best Selves, and Create a Kinder World. The school is dedicated to preparing students to become courageous, compassionate, and globally competent leaders. By cultivating a deep understanding of Chinese language and culture alongside a rigorous and inquiry-based academic program, CAIS empowers students to develop a broad worldview, empathy, and the skills to thrive in a complex and interconnected world.

CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY

In fall 2021, CAIS completed a significant milestone with the purchase of a permanent campus at 19th Avenue in San Francisco's Sunset District. The new site offers state-of-the-art facilities and ample space to accommodate the school's growing programs and community. The consolidation of CAIS's operations to a single, unified campus reflects a bold investment in the future and a renewed commitment to long-term sustainability and innovation.

CAIS is proud of its vibrant, inclusive community of students, families, and faculty. The school embraces the diversity of San Francisco and is committed to equity, inclusion, and justice. Educators and staff at CAIS are passionate about child development, culturally responsive teaching, and progressive education practices.

CAIS is in an exciting period of growth and transformation. With the new campus, the school is expanding program offerings and deepening its leadership in dual language and global education. Strategic priorities include innovation in curriculum and instruction, professional development for faculty, and greater engagement with the broader educational community in San Francisco and beyond.

THE SUMMER OPPORTUNITY AT CAIS

With the acquisition of its new campus, CAIS stands at a crossroads of possibility—one where innovation, community engagement, and educational excellence intersect. Specifically this marks a pivotal moment for CAIS, offering a unique and robust platform to build and enhance summer programming in ways that align with the school's strategic priorities. With increased space, state-of-the-art facilities, and greater access to resources, there is potential to design innovative and dynamic summer experiences that attract a diverse group of students, enrich our school's reputation, and contribute to long term sustainability.

CAIS envisions a summer program that is not just an extension of the school year but a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive experience that leaves a lasting impact on every student who participates. Long-term we envision the establishment of high quality summer programs that are recognized in California and beyond. We look forward to welcoming a leader who can help us realize this vision and take full advantage of the opportunities our new campus provides.

CAIS has partnered with SPARC to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for auxiliary programs, including summer programming. This strategic collaboration provides a framework for innovation, identifying key areas for growth, and ensuring the alignment of summer programs with CAIS's broader goals for educational excellence and community engagement. This collaboration underscores the strategic importance of the Director of Summer Programs role in advancing the school's vision for expanded and exceptional educational offerings.

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NEW DIRECTOR OF SUMMER PROGRAMS

The new full-time role of Director of Summer Programs at CAIS represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand the impact of our mission and vision. This position is strategically vital to CAIS, as it aligns directly with the school's mission and long-term goals. By leading the development of summer programming, the Director of Summer Programs will play a pivotal role in extending the school's educational impact, fostering innovation, and enhancing CAIS's standing as a leader in education.

This objective is to craft an educational experience that not only complements but elevates our year-round curriculum, ensuring that students of all backgrounds and interests thrive in an immersive, supportive, and dynamic environment.

This position also offers the rare entrepreneurial opportunity to build programs from the ground up, allowing the Director of Summer Programs to establish a lasting legacy through shaping the future of summer learning at CAIS with creative and impactful summer initiatives. The position offers a platform for a program leader who wants to innovate, create high quality programming, and work with a dedicated community and administration.

TIMEFRAME AND START DATE

Our goal is to identify the Director of Summer Programs through a process that will conclude by the end of June 2025. The expectation is that the new Director will step into the role by August 2025. This timing will allow the new Director time to observe current summer programs and initiate planning for Summer 2026 a full year in advance.

DIRECTOR OF SUMMER PROGRAMS POSITION

Reporting directly to the Director of Finance and Operations, the Director of Summer Programs is a full-time position responsible for strategic planning, program design, market development, staffing, budgeting, operations, and ongoing growth of CAIS summer programs. The Director will be able to work with and have the support of school personnel (eg, Director of Finance and Operations, HR Supervisor, Communications Director, etc). In particular, the Director is responsible for:

Strategic Program Development and Management

Continually develop a vibrant portfolio of summer programs that achieve desired strategic priorities and supports the school's overall program and mission.

• Lead new program development through through ideation and collaborative generation of ideas that leverage the intellectual and physical assets of the school
• Enhance and expand summer program offerings aligned with CAIS' mission to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs of current and prospective participants
• Collaborate with school leadership and administration to ensure the camp program aligns with the school's mission and educational philosophy
• Evaluate the overall program on an annual basis, making adjustments as necessary to maintain exceptional program quality
• Remain current with programming trends and new developments within the field
• Seek to identify partnerships that may enhance program potential

Financial Management

In collaboration with the business office, ensure that the financial performance of summer programs 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
• Continually strive to generate and grow net revenue in support of the school
• Oversee payroll policies and operations for all seasonal employees
• Establish and manage contracts with any third party partners and vendors

Recruitment and Registration

Manage summer program recruitment and ensure that enrollment targets are met.

• Oversee recruitment of participants and registration for all summer programs
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive CRM for all campers

Marketing and Communications

In coordination with the Marketing and Communications department, effectively promote CAIS summer programs so as to achieve enrollment and revenue targets.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for summer programs
• Ensure 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
• Serve as the main spokesperson for the camp including parent contact, media contact, and the public

Administration and Operations

Ensure that the administration and operation of camp programs and activities are efficient and effective.

• Oversee the organization and implementation of record-keeping for the camp program in conjunction with school expectations
• Coordinate and communicate with the Facilities Dept. to ensure appropriate use of school facilities
• Develop and oversee all safety and health protocols in coordination with the school's risk management plan
• Ensure that all summer programs are in compliance with all applicable regulations of licensing and governing entities

Human Resources

Hire, manage, and retain a qualified, effective, diverse, and customer-focused team.

• Supervise and manage all summer programs personnel including seasonal staff
• Work in conjunction with Human Resources to recruit, hire, onboard, and train all summer program employees
• Ensure that all necessary and required employment forms, including background checks, are completed and on file

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Successful candidates will have the interest, expertise, and drive to create and manage new summer programs for CAIS. They will be motivated by an entrepreneurial spirit and committed to continuous program innovation. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate ability and/or potential in the following areas:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in education, administration, or a related field, Masters preferred.
• The ability to design an experience, program, curriculum, or product, based on a deep understanding of what the audience and community values.
• A strategic thinker with the ability to implement change that drives growth in participation and revenue.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to quickly and regularly adjust strategy based on the school's needs.
• Ability and/or potential to develop financial models for new programs and to manage a budget with the support of the Business Office.
• The ability to foster positive relationships with all constituencies in an independent school environment through excellent oral and written communication skills.
• An independent and visionary thinker capable of understanding the full scope of projects while seeing individual tasks through to completion.
• Capacity to develop and lead marketing initiatives in partnership with the Communications Office.
• Ability and/or potential to effectively train, supervise and evaluate staff.
• Well-developed collaborative work style; ability to interact with employees at all levels of the community.
• An effective manager, capable of guiding a team while facilitating and supporting their growth and productivity.
• Aptitude for utilizing technology resources and solutions.
• A high level of integrity and a strong work ethic.
• A positive outlook, and a sense of humor.

TO APPLY

CAIS is partnering with SPARC, the Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative, to conduct the hiring process for this position. Interested candidates should apply using this online application. Your application will require the following:

• Cover letter addressed to: Hathaway Brown School
• Resume or CV
• List of 4 professional references with contact information

CAIS's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (https://www.cais.org/about/mission/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/) is central to our mission. People of color and LGBTQIA
candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.