Chief Executive Officer

Camp Tawonga; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 245,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Camp Tawonga seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead strategic directions, strengthen Jewish identity within a diverse community, and ensure exceptional summer camp and year-round programs. The role emphasizes financial stewardship, philanthropy, and organizational culture, with a hybrid work model in the Bay Area.

The ideal candidate will balance innovation with Tawonga’s traditions, preserve its culture of belonging, and build strong relationships with families, donors, and partners while

Qualifications

• Competencies include effective communication, building teams, trust, financial acumen, strategic thinking and visionary leadership.
• Must align with Tawonga’s mission, culture and values.
• Master's degree in nonprofit management, business or public administration preferred.

Responsibilities

• Guide Camp Tawonga through its next chapter by translating the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan into measurable outcomes and long-term stability.
• Strengthen the community’s connection to Jewish identity and values.
• Ensure excellence of summer camp and year-round programs, and oversee safety and quality.
• Oversee financial strategy, budgeting, internal controls, and cash flow oversight.
• Expand philanthropic support, enrollment, and engagement across the Bay Area Jewish community.

Skills

Communicates Effectively

Builds Effective Teams

Instills Trust

Financial Acumen

Drives Vision & Purpose

Strategic Mindset

Education

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

BACKGROUND

The Organization

For 100 years, Camp Tawonga has served as a leader in Jewish camping, fostering in children and families a deep connection to nature, community, and Judaism. Camp Tawonga offers transformative educational and recreational programs for children, adults, and families that foster self-esteem, inclusive community, lifelong friendships, connections with nature, and a positive Jewish identity. Programs are offered both during the summer and year-round at a residential campsite next to Yosemite National Park and in the Bay Area.

The Position

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will provide strategic, operational, and financial leadership for the organization. The CEO will work in partnership with a talented senior leadership team to ensure the continued excellence of Camp Tawonga's summer camp programs, year-round offerings, and broader community impact. The next CEO will balance innovation with tradition, ensure financial sustainability, foster community trust, and preserve Tawonga's unique culture of belonging, joyful Jewish life, and connection to nature.

The CEO will serve as Tawonga's chief ambassador, cultivating strong relationships across the Bay Area Jewish community, philanthropy sector, alumni network, families, and national and international partners. An ideal CEO will bring strategic vision, strong management skills, fundraising acumen, camp experience, and a deep commitment to community building and Jewish life.

Role Priorities

• Guide Camp Tawonga through its next chapter, working across the organization to translate the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan priorities into measurable outcomes and long-term stability.

• Strengthen and deepen the Camp Tawonga community’s connection to Jewish identity and Jewish values.

• Ensure continued excellence of the core summer camp experience. Assess program quality, including summer and down the mountain programs.

• Oversee Camp Tawonga’s financial strategy to ensure long term organizational sustainability.

• Expand philanthropic support, enrollment, and engagement across the greater Bay Area Jewish community.

• Lead a community with diverse ideological and political perspectives while preserving Tawonga’s culture of belonging.

• Support and develop senior leadership and implement an excellent organizational structure.

• Be a good steward of the land: advance key campus and infrastructure initiatives.

• Continue to build connection among families, alumni, donors, and the broader Camp Tawonga community.

The Position

ROLE OVERVIEW

Organizational Strategy and Leadership

• Partner with the board and staff to implement and refine long-term strategic priorities.

• Serve as a compelling ambassador and storyteller for Tawonga’s mission and impact.

• Strengthen the organizational structure to support long-term sustainability.

• Foster engagement and personal investment among families, alumni, staff, donors, and community stakeholders

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, supporting strong governance as well as recruitment and engagement of board members.

• Ensure that Camp Tawonga’s values are evident and consistent in every aspect of the organization, including its staff and programs.

Development and External Relations

• Expand relationships and build presence throughout the entire Bay Area Jewish community and broader philanthropic landscape.

• Strengthen financial sustainability through fundraising, including major gifts, donor cultivation, and foundation relationships.

Summer Camp and Year-round Programs Oversight

• Steward Camp Tawonga’s Jewish mission, values, and traditions

• Maintain high quality, impactful, and mission-aligned summer camp and year-round programming(both at the campsite and in the Bay Area)

• Provide visible leadership and decision-making during the summer season at Camp Tawonga

• Ensure a safe, secure summer camp season.

Financial Stewardship and Operations

• Oversee Camp Tawonga’s operating budget and ensure responsible financial management, internal controls, and cash flow oversight.

• Continually assess organizational resource allocation to maximize impact while remaining fiscally responsible

• Advance campus planning and infrastructure priorities, including long-term site stewardship, in alignment with the 2015 Master Plan and the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan

• Ensure continued excellence in safety, crisis readiness, and risk management and robust plans for security across all camp operations.

Staff Leadership and Culture

Build and maintain effective and trusting relationships with the senior management team to ensure professional excellence, development, and retention.

• Implement an excellent organizational culture that prioritizes equity, belonging, and accountability.

• Provide ongoing supervision, mentoring, professional development, and growth to direct reports.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate for the Chief Executive Officer position possesses the following competencies:

• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey an understanding of the needs of different audiences

• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong teams with a strong identity that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals

• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity; balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders

• Financial Acumen: Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better decisions

• Drives Vision and Purpose: Painting a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action

• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to the future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies

Additional Qualifications

• Strong alignment with Tawonga’s mission, culture, and values

• Demonstrated commitment to Jewish community, Jewish identity, and Jewish values.

• Commitment to fostering a broad and welcoming community while recognizing complexity and difference.

• Exceptional relationship-builder with high emotional intelligence; political savvyness

• Strategic thinker capable of balancing long-term vision with operational realities

• Calm, thoughtful crisis manager who demonstrates sound judgment under pressure.

• Appreciation for and understanding of the value of outdoor and environmental education.

• Familiarity with the Bay Area Jewish community or ability to quickly build credibility within it.

• Experience with change management and consensus building

• Master's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field preferred

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Work Environment

Camp Tawonga has a hybrid working schedule, including work from home and the San Francisco office.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Camp Tawonga is an Equal Opportunity Employer, values diversity, and is committed to being an equitable and inclusive environment for all employees. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and to hiring people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and organizational need.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary

$245,000-$275,000

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage

• Basic life insurance, AD&D, long-term disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and mental health telehealth benefits

• Retirement savings through a 403(b) plan with employer contributions and matching opportunities

• Vacation – 17 days paid vacation, tiered based on years of service

• Holidays – 15-20 total paid days off per year for Jewish and secular holidays

• Sick time – 10 days per year, capped at 15 days max accrual

• 2 weeks of paid parental leave, in addition to state-mandated leave

• Paid jury duty and bereavement leave

• Sabbatical program for employees after 7 years of consecutive employment

• A comprehensive array of discounts on Tawonga summer and year-round programs.

• Mileage reimbursement

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, we expect you to hear from us by October.