Camp Director

JOB DESCRIPTION: Program Director

We are looking for highly motivated, energetic, dedicated problem solvers who want to lead and have fun doing it! Our summer academic enrichment program for 13 - 17 year old students is called the TryEngineering Summer Institute.

TryEngineering Summer Institute is a co-ed residential engineering summer program for rising 9th through 12th grade students held at premier colleges and universities across the USA. The Program Director is responsible for organizing and leading the entire camp experience. From leading the program staff of instructors and counselors, to ensuring the implementation of all rules and policies of the programs, the Program Director has a vital role in the success of the program. The program you are applying for is held at the following exciting location!

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA

Who are you?

• You’re an experienced, creative, fun-loving educator. You’re as comfortable resolving conflict between two campers as you are mentoring your staff or adding your own unique flavor to your program.
• You’re a communicative, trustworthy leader. As a relationship-builder and mentor, you measure your own success in large part by the success of those around you, and care deeply about helping them meet professional development goals. You’re also responsible for people’s children, so parents will be wanting to hear from you!
• You’re an organized, problem-solving manager. You love fine-tuning operational logistics, ensuring program efficiency, and learning new strategies for driving overall performance.
• You’re ready to grow. You know that true mastery requires commitment, effort, thoughtful feedback, personal reflection, and implementation of lessons learned.
• You’re knowledgeable in your location. You’re local or you are someone who knows the city like the back of your hand and has plenty of cool ideas to keep our campers entertained in the evenings.

Camp website: Please check out our website for more details on the program: https://tryengineeringinstitute.ieee.org/

DATES: the following dates are estimates and subject to change.

University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA

Staff Training (on-site): June 25th - June 28th, 2025

Session 1: June 29th - July 8th, 2025

Session 2: July 11th - July 20th, 2025

What the job looks like:

We aren’t going to sugar coat it, it’s a lot of work, but we find that it is totally worth it! This position is split into two parts.

The first part of this position is the lead up to camp! Upon hiring, you get started working with our year-long administrative staff on the planning of your location of camp. Those responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Giving input on a potential hire for your team (this may mean conducting or attending a second interview).
• Attending our monthly Zoom Calls for Prospective Parents.
• Keeping in touch with your staff members, as well as our administrative team.
• Possibly responding to any specific questions or concerns to parents via your camp email.

The pay for any work done before camp will be $30/hr

The transition into the second part of this position will be on our online Zoom Director’s training (dates TBA). This is when things really start heating up! This is when you’ll send your Welcome Emails to parents, introducing yourself and your location. This is also when you will start being in contact with your staff as much as possible, as well as getting in touch with the venue staff so you can start planning your setup and training week. You will have our administrative team and our handy Staff Manual to help you out with any questions, concerns, and uncertainties you may have on the way!

Camp staff move onto campus one week before the first day of camp for staff training and camp set up, and this is when camp truly begins. Camp directors are on call 24-7, live on campus, and lead the community by example. This sounds like a lot of work, and it is! But, as long as you make time for yourself, and stay organized, you should have plenty of downtime to relax.

Job Responsibilities:

• Overseeing the camp programing, including the learning sessions and after hours activities
• Managing the staff of assistant directors, nurse, instructors and counselors
• Coordinating with the University faculty, staff and administration
• Training and scheduling of staff
• Managing the onsite budget
• Organizing and leading staff meetings and camp meetings
• Acting as the primary contact with parents and keeping them informed
• Setting the stage for the summer, SAFE AND FUN
• Coordinate Closing Ceremonies for each session

Focused hours for Program Directors:

• First day is check-in day and it is an ‘all hands on deck’ day.
• Last day of the session, students attend a closing ceremony and pack up and leave camp by 12pm. After all the students have left, then the team will ‘flip the dorm’. Tidying up, hanging new name tags on doors, getting everything ready for the next group of students to arrive, and wrapping up any outstanding duties.
• There will be 2 days between sessions that you and your staff will have off - if all tasks to wrap up the previous session and prepare for the new session, have been completed.
• Accompany field trips: There are field trips to local sites and you will have the opportunity to accompany to provide support and supervision
• In the evenings, you are supervising and joining the staff who are leading activities with the students, enjoying campus, etc.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s Degree a plus
• Drivers License with clean driving record
• Experience working with pre-university students (middle school and high school aged children) in a camp setting
• Experience in leading or managing a team/staff and delegating responsibilities
• Skilled in current technology used to create dynamic and engaging programs
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Well organized and knows how to multitask
• Energetic and creative individual
• Attend mandatory Director’s training before camp (Date TBA in May/June)
• Be able to live in the dorms throughout the duration of the program and staff training (All meals and housing is provided)
• Commit a certain number of hours a month leading up to camp.This will be a part of your paid training to prepare you for the program
• Please submit a cover letter
• Background check. We will conduct a full background check on each staff member
• US Citizen. This program can only employ US citizens or those authorized to work.

Preferred:

• Having attended any kind of summer camp or program.
• Preferred, First Aid / CPR certified (we will have a certification session)
• Previous experience as Camp Director or Assistant Director is a plus.

Compensation:

Job Type: Contract

: $5,500.00

you’ll stay in a dorm room with air conditioning and get the same meals our students get, often in the campus dining hall, or perhaps on a field trip for a bag lunch.

to any event you are working (when we go on a field trip, and if you're a chaperone, your ticket is paid for by camp)

Do a great job and get a great letter!

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $5,500.00 per month

Application Question(s):

• Please submit a cover letter.

Ability to Commute:

• Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Philadelphia, PA 19104: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $30