Camp Director, Camp Rising Sun

The Louis August Jonas Foundation (LAJF), which operates Camp Rising Sun (CRS) and The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE), seeks a strategic, relationship-oriented, and mission-driven Camp Director to lead the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of Camp Rising Sun, one of the world's longest-running international leadership-development programs for young people.

Reporting directly to the Director of Programs, the Camp Director serves as the operational and programmatic leader of Camp Rising Sun and is responsible for delivering a safe, inclusive, and transformative experience for participants and staff. The Camp Director oversees seasonal staff recruitment, training, supervision, camper onboarding, participant wellbeing, regulatory compliance, and program operations while partnering closely with the Director of Programs to strengthen curriculum, evaluate outcomes, and advance LAJF's mission.

The Camp Director plays a significant year-round role within the organization and serves as a key member of the Program Team, contributing to organizational planning, participant recruitment, alumni engagement, and the development and implementation of future programmatic initiatives emerging from LAJF's Strategic Plan. This is a full-time, exempt position.

About Us

The Louis August Jonas Foundation operates two leadership programs for young people: Camp Rising Sun (CRS) and The Ethical Leadership Experience (TELE). Both programs bring together participants from countries around the world and focus on developing compassionate and responsible leadership through experiential learning, dialogue, and cross-cultural exchange.

Camp Rising Sun (CRS)

Founded in 1930, Camp Rising Sun (CRS) is an experiential leadership-development program that welcomes participants on a full scholarship from around the world to the Town of Clinton, New York. Each summer, approximately 120–130 fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds from more than 30 countries come together across two four-week sessions for leadership development, cross-cultural exchange, community living, and service.

Campers participate in a challenging and supportive environment designed to cultivate compassionate and responsible leadership, deepen intercultural understanding, and inspire lifelong commitments to improving their communities and the world.

Following their participation, campers become part of a global alumni network and remain connected to LAJF through educational, professional, and community-building opportunities throughout their lives.

Having recently completed a strategic planning cycle and preparing for the organization's next chapter, LAJF is exploring opportunities to deepen participant engagement, strengthen alumni programming, and expand its leadership-development offerings beyond the summer experience.

Job Duties

Program Leadership & Delivery

• Lead the successful planning and delivery of two annual sessions of Camp Rising Sun, ensuring alignment with LAJF's mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with the Director of Programs to evaluate and strengthen the Camp Rising Sun curriculum and participant experience.
• In partnership with the Director of Programs, use program evaluation data, participant outcomes, staff feedback, and best practices in youth development to develop an annual action plan that enhances the CRS experience. Significant program changes require the approval of the Director of Programs or the Executive Director, in consultation with the Program Committee.
• Oversee the implementation of all programmatic elements, including leadership curriculum, evening programming, service learning, cultural exchange activities, traditions, and special events.
• Maintain systems and documentation that support consistency, institutional knowledge, and year-to-year program improvement.

Participant Safety, Health & Wellbeing

• Supervise the Health Director and Health Center staff.
• Supervise the Kitchen Team and oversee food service operations, including menu planning, dietary and allergy needs, and compliance with Department of Health food safety requirements.
• Serve as the primary leader responsible for participant safety, wellbeing, and community health throughout Camp Rising Sun.
• Partner with medical and mental health professionals to support participant wellbeing and ensure timely and appropriate responses to physical, emotional, and behavioral concerns.
• Oversee participant support, including behavior management, conflict resolution through restorative community practices, and approaches that encourage self-reflection, awareness, and growth.
• Ensure timely incident reporting, including documentation, communication, and follow-up regarding participant health, safety, and behavioral concerns.
• Support the development of an emotionally safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive camp community.
• Ensure compliance with all Department of Health and youth protection policies and organizational safeguarding practices.
• Partner with the Board’s Health and Safety Committee, in coordination with the Director of Programs, on health, safety, and risk-management policies and practices.

Seasonal Staff Hiring, Training & Supervision

• Develop and implement an annual staffing strategy that recruits and retains a diverse, mission-aligned seasonal staff team capable of delivering exceptional programming.
• Lead seasonal staff recruitment efforts, including outreach, candidate assessment, interviewing, hiring decisions, and onboarding, with final approval from the Director of Programs before contracts are issued.
• Work toward maintaining a healthy balance of returning staff, program alumni, and new staff members.
• Plan and deliver a comprehensive seasonal onboarding process, including administrative preparation, relationship-building, expectation setting, and training logistics.
• Design and facilitate an experiential pre-season staff training program that prepares staff to successfully support participants and deliver high-quality programming.
• Lead the CRS Leadership Team and provide ongoing supervision, coaching, mentorship, performance feedback, and professional development to seasonal staff leaders, including Assistant Camp Directors.
• Serve as the senior on-site leader of all Camp Rising Sun seasonal staff, with ultimate responsibility for the camp community, including direct supervision of staff who do not report to another member of the CRS Leadership Team, such as the Health Team and Kitchen Team.
• Develop systems that promote staff accountability, collaboration, wellbeing, and professional growth.

Camper Recruitment, Selection & Onboarding

• Lead the planning and implementation of second-year camper selection processes.
• Support recruitment and outreach efforts that strengthen access to Camp Rising Sun for young people from diverse socioeconomic, cultural, and geographic backgrounds.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with schools, educators, community organizations, and volunteers involved in camper recruitment and selection.
• Maintain strong partnerships and communication with international and U.S.-based selection committee leads.
• Support first-year camper recruitment efforts, including information sessions, school visits, and outreach initiatives.
• Oversee all post-acceptance onboarding processes, including registration, CampDoc administration, travel coordination, host-family arrangements, and pre-camp communications with campers and families.
• Design and facilitate onboarding experiences that prepare participants to engage thoughtfully in a diverse and inclusive international community.
• Coordinate processes that assess participant readiness and identify support needs prior to arrival.

Operations, Compliance & Risk Management

Working closely with the Director of Operations, the Camp Director will:

• Lead annual permitting processes and maintain compliance with all applicable Department of Health regulations.
• Prepare Camp Rising Sun for inspections and ensure compliance throughout the operational season.
• Develop and maintain emergency preparedness, risk-management, and incident-response systems.
• Monitor operational readiness related to facilities, transportation, equipment, vendors, and program logistics.
• Manage the Camp Rising Sun budget, as approved by the Director of Programs within LAJF’s annual budget, and ensure responsible stewardship of organizational resources.
• Contribute to the development of the annual Camp Rising Sun budget and support forecasting, planning, and operational decision-making throughout the year.
• Ensure that summer staff work days are tracked and that timesheets are provided to the Director of Operations prior to each payroll period.
• Lead LAJF’s support of international summer staff in securing visas and work authorizations, working closely with the Director of Operations and external partners to ensure successful completion of all requirements.

Communications, Documentation & Storytelling

• Oversee communication with camper families before, during, and after the program.
• Ensure timely, professional, and empathetic responses to participant and family concerns.
• Maintain accurate records related to participant wellbeing, staff performance, incidents, and program operations.
• Maintain digital systems that support collaboration, communication, and institutional knowledge sharing.
• Partner with Communications and Advancement staff to identify and capture stories, photographs, videos, testimonials, and program outcomes that demonstrate organizational impact.
• Support the creation of mission-aligned content for use in fundraising, recruitment, marketing, and alumni engagement efforts.

Advancement & Community Engagement

• Partner with the Advancement Team to facilitate donor, foundation, alumni, and partner visits to Camp Rising Sun.
• Participate in selected cultivation, stewardship, and alumni-engagement activities throughout the year.
• Support fundraising efforts by sharing participant stories, program outcomes, and organizational impact.
• Serve as an ambassador for LAJF with alumni, donors, educators, community partners, and prospective participants.

Organizational Leadership & Program Growth

• Serve as a thought partner to the Director of Programs regarding the future development of Camp Rising Sun and related programming.
• Participate in organizational planning, strategic initiatives, and cross-departmental projects.
• Represent LAJF at recruitment events, conferences, school visits, alumni gatherings, and community events.
• Support the development and implementation of new participant and alumni programming initiatives that emerge from LAJF's Strategic Plan.
• Contribute ideas, operational leadership, and program expertise that strengthen LAJF's long-term impact.

What Success Looks Like In This Role

During the first year in this role, the Camp Director will:

• Successfully recruit, hire, train, and supervise a diverse and mission-aligned seasonal staff team.
• Deliver two safe, inclusive, and impactful Camp Rising Sun sessions.
• Build strong relationships with campers, families, staff, alumni, and community partners.
• Strengthen systems for participant onboarding, staff training, documentation, and program evaluation.
• Maintain excellent compliance with health, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to the continued evolution of Camp Rising Sun and support the development of future year-round programming initiatives.
• Partner effectively with the Director of Programs, Director of Operations, and other organizational leaders to advance LAJF's mission and strategic priorities.

Required Candidate Qualifications

• Passion for LAJF's mission, history, and future vision, with a commitment to youth leadership development and experiential education.
• At least five years of progressive experience in camp leadership, youth development, education, experiential learning, nonprofit program management, or related fields. This experience may come from a combination of full-time, part-time, and seasonal roles.
• Experience supervising staff and leading diverse teams.
• Demonstrated success recruiting, hiring, training, and supporting seasonal staff.
• Experience supporting adolescent social-emotional development and participant wellbeing.
• Strong project-management, organizational, and operational-planning skills.
• Strong judgment and decision-making skills, particularly in dynamic environments involving young people.
• Experience working with culturally diverse and international communities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Ability to complete all required background checks and youth protection training.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification, or willingness to obtain prior to the summer season.
• Eligibility to reside and work in the United States.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and common communication, project-management, and data-management tools.

We recognize that strong leaders build their experience in many ways, and we encourage candidates whose background meets these requirements through nontraditional paths to apply.

Personal Qualities

• Positive, personable, and mission-centered.
• Strong relationship-builder who enjoys mentoring young people and developing staff.
• Calm and steady under pressure.
• Collaborative and low-ego leader who values teamwork and shared success.
• Flexible and adaptable in a dynamic environment.
• Creative, reflective, and committed to continuous improvement.
• Strong moral compass and ability to maintain highly sensitive and confidential information.
• Committed to fostering a culture of trust, transparency, inclusion, and mutual respect.
• Appreciation for and sensitivity to diverse communities inclusive of participants, staff, alumni, donors, and organizational partners from many backgrounds.

Commitment to Diversity

LAJF is committed to embracing diversity within our organization because we firmly believe that diverse employee teams help us achieve our best organizational outcomes. LAJF provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, ancestry, age, disability, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, caregiver status, military status, veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, reproductive health decision-making, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sex offenses, lawful off-duty conduct protected by law, criminal history to the extent protected by law, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, New York State or local law. This policy applies to recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, assignments, promotion, discipline, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.

We value diversity and actively strive to build an inclusive applicant pool through a thoughtful hiring process, which includes a diverse hiring committee, carefully designed interview questions, and mindfulness of unconscious biases. In addition, we are committed to inclusive fundraising that respects and reflects the diversity of our global alumni and donor community, ensuring that our advancement practices align with our mission and values.

Schedule and Location

This opportunity is open only to applicants who are legally eligible to work in the United States and who reside, or are willing to reside, in the United States.

Because the Camp Director plays a significant role in year-round program operations, participant recruitment, school partnerships, alumni engagement, organizational events, and emerging off-season programming initiatives, strong preference will be given to candidates living within reasonable driving distance of the Town of Clinton, New York and New York City, including the New York Tri-State region.

During the summer season, the Camp Director is expected to reside on the Camp Rising Sun campus and serve as the primary leader of camp operations. On-campus housing is provided during the summer season. Candidates with questions about accommodations for partners or family members are welcome to discuss them during the interview process. The summer season involves living and working in a rustic, residential camp setting, including outdoor work in varying conditions and the ability to respond to needs at any hour.

In the off-season, the Camp Director may work from home, from the LAJF office, or through a hybrid arrangement, while maintaining the ability to regularly travel to organizational events, meetings, and program activities.

Because LAJF's community spans multiple time zones, occasional evening and weekend meetings may be required. Staff are encouraged to flex their schedules to accommodate these needs.

Compensation Package

The salary range for this position is 72,000–88,000 annually, commensurate with experience, plus a full benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, a 401(k) retirement plan, and support for professional development opportunities.

As a small organization, LAJF may, at times, ask the Camp Director to assume additional responsibilities not specifically outlined in this job description in support of organizational priorities and mission advancement.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $72,000.00 - $88,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Ability to Commute:

• Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Salary : $72,000 - $88,000