Camp Director - Camp Stella Maris

The Camp Director leads Camp Stella Maris’s summer overnight camp, day camp, and Counselor-in-Training and Leader-in-Training programs. Reporting to the Executive Director, this leader manages seasonal staff, programming, camper experiences, safety, and summer budgets while working closely as an essential member of the year-round team.

Success requires a director who is present in daily camp life, builds relationships with campers and staff, and creates a summer that is both fun and well organized. The director will recruit and develop a strong seasonal team, communicate clearly with families, and make intentional decisions.

The director prepares for the summer season, supports year-round programming, and collaborates with colleagues on enrollment, facilities, administration, and community relationships. The next leader will earn trust by preserving CSM’s valued traditions while making improvements that serve campers and staff.

Top 3 Reasons to Join Us

• Lead a Camp That Stays with People: Join a community where campers become counselors, families return across generations, and alumni remain connected.
• Build on a Strong Foundation: Work alongside an experienced Executive Director and committed team to strengthen the camp’s future.
• Bring a Community Together: In New York’s Finger Lakes region, bring the mission to life through sharing the joy of camp.

Top 3 Candidate Qualities

• A Trusted, Steady Leader: Listen carefully, act with integrity, and pair empathy with clear expectations.
• A Visible Staff Mentor: Enjoy working with camp staff, invest in their development, and bring the energy and practical support that camp life requires.
• An Organized, Mission-Centered Operator: Turn plans into dependable daily operations, while honoring the camp’s established culture.

Compensation: $85,000 benefits.

Camp Location: Livonia, NY

Housing: On-site private housing.

Questions? Please email Dan Weir along with your Linkedin or resume at dan@immersive1st.com

What We Are Looking For

1. Camp Leadership, Culture, & Mission: Lead summer operations with clear priorities, sound judgment, and consistent follow-through. Be approachable and visible, listen to experienced staff, and address concerns respectfully. Uphold the camp’s Catholic identity and help staff understand their purpose in camp life. Build relationships that support lasting leadership and continuity.

2. Staff Recruitment, Training, & Development: Recruit, interview, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate seasonal camp staff, excluding office, kitchen, and maintenance staff. Match hiring and schedules to weekly program needs and staff availability. Coordinate paperwork and logistics with the Program Administrator and Business Manager. Deliver pre-camp and in-service trainings. Coach emerging leaders, delegate when possible, and use staff feedback to strengthen morale and retention.

3. Programs & Camper Experience: Support the summer team that is developing creative, age-appropriate overnight, day camp, CIT, and LIT experiences that reflect the camp’s mission and offer progression, challenge, and success. Preserve the joy of camp while supporting camper behavior and well-being. Ensure activities have qualified personnel, clear guidelines, and appropriate safety and emergency procedures.

4. Safety, Compliance, & Preparedness: Maintain applicable camp compliance and accreditation requirements, working with colleagues and relevant agencies. Update and implement the camp safety plan and applicable emergency action and crisis communication plans. Participate in the Safety Committee and incident reviews. Clarify supervision and safety responsibilities, including waterfront roles, and coordinate annual challenge course inspections and permits with the Director of Year-Round Programming.

5. Enrollment, Family Communication, & Outreach: Provide responsive, respectful service to campers and families, including resolving concerns within the director’s scope. Partner with the Marketing Director on summer communications, camp fairs, and recruitment efforts that broaden the geographic and racial and ethnic diversity of families reached. Build confidence through timely communication and a clear understanding of each family’s camp experience.

6. Budget & Administration: Develop, track, and forecast summer budgets and manage operations toward a balanced year-end budget. Maintain organized records and positive vendor relationships. Oversee summer setup and teardown, coordinate facility readiness with the Facilities Manager, and advise the Executive Director on improvements affecting programming and supervision.

7. Year-Round Collaboration & Community Engagement: Support staffing for year-round camps with the Program Administrator. Represent camp in local organizations and professional learning opportunities including the American Camp Association. Support alumni relations, fundraising, board committee work, and special projects as assigned by the Executive Director.

Qualifications

The strongest candidates will bring:

• Three or more years of experience in camp leadership, business, education, or nonprofit management.
• Proven managerial and administrative skills, including scheduling, organizing, supervising staff, and managing competing priorities.
• The ability to build respectful relationships with children, young adults, colleagues, and parents.
• Integrity, emotional steadiness, and the ability to make decisions and follow through under stress.
• Enthusiasm, creativity, and a willingness to participate actively in daily camp life while mentoring others.
• A commitment to supporting the camp’s mission, Catholic identity, spiritual practices, and traditions.
• Ability to meet the employer’s minimum age requirement of 25, pass required background screening, and hold or obtain a valid New York State driver’s license.

Additional qualities that are valued but not required:

• A bachelor’s and/or master’s degree, preferably in education, recreation, human services, or a related field.

Candidates do not need to be practicing Catholics but they should be prepared to respect and support the camp’s Catholic values and spiritual life. We value a willingness to learn the community and invest in relationships over time.

Position Expectations

This full-time, year-round position is based in Livonia, New York. The Camp Director must reside on camp premises during the summer camp season in June, July, and August and commit to the full season. The role requires nontraditional hours, including evenings and weekends as needed, with substantial availability during summer operations.

Work takes place in office, indoor program, and outdoor camp settings. Responsibilities include public speaking, walking tours, physical activity, and occasional heavy lifting as workflow and staffing require. The director also represents camp at recruitment events, community functions, and professional trainings and conferences.

Compensation

Salary: $85,000 annually and benefits

Housing: The position includes on-site housing, with residency required during the summer camp program.

About Camp Stella Maris

Camp Stella Maris is a Catholic camp community in Livonia, New York, with a century of history and enduring connections among campers, staff, families, and alumni. Its overnight camp, day camp, and leadership programs combine fun, friendship, creativity, and personal growth with the camp’s spiritual traditions. Year-round camps and adventure-based learning programs extend that work beyond the summer season.

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