Director of Children, Youth & Camp

JCC Association of North America; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Jewish Long Beach seeks a visionary Director of Children, Youth & Camp to lead camp, afterschool, and youth programs, creating high-quality experiences that foster connection and belonging.

The role oversees Summer Camp, Break Camps, Specialty Camps, Teen Programs, Afterschool, and other youth initiatives, with a focus on program quality, enrollment, fiscal health, staff development, safety, and compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in education, recreation management, youth development, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years progressive experience in camp, youth, recreation, education, or related program management, including at least 2 years in a leadership or director-level role.
• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and evaluating high-quality youth programs.
• Proven experience developing and managing budgets, enrollment goals, staffing plans, and program operations.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification, or ability to obtain certification upon hire.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Camp and Youth programs, establishing clear goals for program quality, enrollment, retention, financial performance, family experience, and growth.
• Serve as Camp Director for Summer Camp, and provide leadership for Break Camp, and Specialty Camps, leading program design, planning, staffing, training, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee Afterschool programming, School Days Out, Parents' Night Out, and youth initiatives.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development for staff, including developing and strengthening Inclusion services across programming.
• Recruit, train, develop, and retain strong seasonal teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, Jewish values, and exceptional participant experience.
• Develop and manage Camp and Youth budgets, enrollment projections, pricing recommendations, revenue goals, staffing models, and expense controls to ensure fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability.
• Use enrollment, retention, satisfaction, financial, and program data to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and make timely adjustments.
• Build strong relationships with parents and caregivers through consistent, proactive, and responsive communication before, during, and after programs.
• Maintain a visible and welcoming presence throughout programs and serve as a trusted point of contact for families, staff, and participants.
• Partner across Jewish Long Beach departments to create seamless family experiences and strengthen connections among ECE, Camp, Youth, Membership, Aquatics, Jewish Life, and other programs.
• Collaborate with the Communications team on annual marketing, recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategies for all Camp and Youth programs.

Skills

Program Leader

People Developer

Family Relationship Builder

Operationally Strong

Growth Mindset

Collaborative Leader

Mission Driven

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education/Related Field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Location and Job Title:

Director of Children, Youth & Camp
Barbara and Ray Alpert JCC (Jewish Long Beach)
3801 E Willow St
Long Beach, CA 90815-1734

Principal Responsibilities:

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities or requirements of this position. Employees are expected to perform other functions as assigned or requested to further support the organization's mission.

Position Overview

The Director of Children, Youth, & Camp provides strategic and operational leadership for Jewish Long Beach's camp, afterschool, and youth programs. The role is responsible for creating high-quality experiences that strengthen connection, support families, and build a pathway for children to grow within the J.

This leader serves as Camp Director for Summer Camp, Break Camps, Specialty Camps, Teen Programs, and oversees Afterschool, and other youth initiatives. The Director is a highly visible presence with children, families, staff, and community partners and is responsible for program quality, enrollment growth, fiscal performance, staff development, safety, and regulatory compliance.

The primary goal is simple: ensure every member, guest, child, and family leaves the J feeling just a little better than when they arrived, while building camp and youth programs that create lasting connection and belonging.

Essential Position Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Camp and Youth programs, establishing clear goals for program quality, enrollment, retention, financial performance, family experience, and growth.
• Serve as Camp Director for Summer Camp, and provide leadership for Break Camp, and Specialty Camps, leading program design, planning, staffing, training, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee Afterschool programming, School Days Out, Parents' Night Out, and youth initiatives.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and professional development for staff, including developing and strengthening Inclusion services across programming.
• Recruit, train, develop, and retain strong seasonal teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, Jewish values, and exceptional participant experience.
• Develop and manage Camp and Youth budgets, enrollment projections, pricing recommendations, revenue goals, staffing models, and expense controls to ensure fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability.
• Use enrollment, retention, satisfaction, financial, and program data to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and make timely adjustments.
• Build strong relationships with parents and caregivers through consistent, proactive, and responsive communication before, during, and after programs.
• Maintain a visible and welcoming presence throughout programs and serve as a trusted point of contact for families, staff, and participants.
• Partner across Jewish Long Beach departments to create seamless family experiences and strengthen connections among ECE, Camp, Youth, Membership, Aquatics, Jewish Life, and other programs.
• Collaborate with the Communications team on annual marketing, recruitment, enrollment, and retention strategies for all Camp and Youth programs.
• Develop partnerships with schools, community organizations, and other stakeholders that expand participation and strengthen Jewish Long Beach's rh.
• Staff assigned committees and task forces and partner effectively with lay leadership to advance program goals.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable State Child Care Licensing, California Department of Developmental Services requirements, American Camp Association standards, and organizational policies, including required records, documentation, training, and procedures.
• Maintain strong systems for health, safety, incident response, risk management, participant records, and emergency preparedness.
• Attend required staff and leadership meetings and represent Jewish Long Beach at appropriate community and professional events.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Skills and Competencies

• Program Leader and Builder: You can translate a strong vision into well-run, joyful, safe, and engaging experiences for children and families.
• People Developer: You recruit, coach, support, and hold teams accountable while helping staff grow as professionals and leaders.
• Family Relationship Builder: You communicate with warmth, clarity, and responsiveness and know that trust with families is central to retention and belonging.
• Operationally Strong: You manage details, calendars, staffing, budgets, enrollment, compliance, and competing priorities without losing sight of the participant experience.
• Growth Mindset: You use data, feedback, and observation to improve programs, strengthen retention, and identify opportunities for sustainable growth.
• Collaborative Leader: You work effectively across departments and with lay leaders, community partners, and colleagues to achieve shared outcomes.
• Mission Driven: You understand the role camp and youth experiences can play in building community, deep knowledge of Jewish life, identity and how to strengthen Jewish connection, and creating a lasting sense of belonging.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in education, recreation management, youth development, nonprofit management, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.

Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in camp, youth, recreation, education, or related program management, including at least 2 years in a leadership or director-level role.

Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and evaluating high-quality youth programs.

Proven experience developing and managing budgets, enrollment goals, staffing plans, and program operations.

Demonstrated success supervising, coaching, and developing professional and seasonal staff.

Experience with American Camp Association standards and California childcare or youth program licensing strongly preferred.

Experience in a JCC, Jewish communal organization, Jewish education, camp, school, or mission-driven community organization highly preferred.

Current CPR and First Aid certification, or ability to obtain certification upon hire.

Schedule and Travel Requirements
This is an on-site leadership position. Work schedule may vary based on operational and program needs and may include early morning, evening, and weekend hours with appropriate advance scheduling, as applicable. Additional hours may be required during camps, special programs, family events, and peak enrollment periods.

Position may require local travel for field trips, community meetings, recruitment, and professional development. Travel requirements will be based on business needs and assigned job responsibilities.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment
Work is performed in a variety of settings, including office, classroom, camp, aquatic, recreational, and outdoor environments. The position requires regular movement throughout the campus and program spaces as needed to perform the essential functions of the position.

Essential job duties may require standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and transporting program materials. Employees may also work outdoors and may be exposed to varying weather conditions. The specific requirements of the position will vary based on assigned duties and operational needs.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Jewish Long Beach is proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an all-inclusive environment for all and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran and other status protected under Federal, state, or local law.

Salary:

$85,000 - $95,000

Agency Information:

About the Organization

Founded in 1948 as separate organizations, Jewish Long Beach and the Barbara and Ray Alpert JCC are now a single, integrated agency serving as a foundation, federation, and community center.

The organization offers a wide range of programs rooted in Jewish values and open to all, including early childhood education