Director, Programs – Youth Camps & Events
$120,000–$150,000 year
On-siteWashington, District of Columbia, United States or Washington, United States
Job Summary
Lead annual strategy, forecasting, and operational planning for the Youth Camps & Events division, translating company priorities into clear divisional goals and execution plans. Own divisional performance across enrollment, customer experience, program quality, and financial results with full P&L accountability. Define standards for safety, compliance, and program delivery, ensuring consistent execution across all camps and partner locations. Build and develop the full-time team across Sales, Customer Success, Product Delivery, and Talent functions, fostering trust and clarifying ownership. Strengthen divisional data governance and reporting integrity to support high-quality program delivery and sound decision-making. Partner with cross-functional leaders to solve problems and keep the division aligned. Manage seasonal travel to camp locations during pre-season and in-season operating periods.
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of progressive leadership experience managing full-time, year-round central/corporate operations that support frontline delivery in camps, recreation, sports programming, events, for-profit education, or a comparable experiential services business
- 3+ years of experience leading a team of multiple full-time employees, including responsibility for performance management, retention, and professional development
- Experience managing managers or overseeing seasonal or temporary staff
- Understanding of how frontline delivery and central/corporate operations work together in a full-cycle experiential services business
- Ability to translate corporate workflows, systems, and planning into high-quality programs that achieve enrollment, experience, and revenue goals
- Demonstrated P&L ownership and a track record of delivering profitable results
- Expertise in operational planning, forecasting, KPI management, and data-informed decision-making
- Experience leading teams to fully leverage core business systems, maintain clean and reliable data, build efficient reporting practices, and design workflows that work well for both internal users and external customers
- Ability to work well with cross-functional partners, balancing collaboration, clear ownership, and sound decision-making
- Excellent communication skills
- Change leadership ability
- Ability to prioritize effectively in fast-paced, seasonal environments
- Passion for the Headfirst Companies' core mission and values
- Belief in the ability to work together to make a difference in the lives of children and young adults
- Motivation as a self-starter who is autonomous and dependable
- Team player mindset with a strong sense of individual responsibility and emphasis on team over self
- Humility and enthusiasm to serve as an ambassador of the Headfirst Companies
- Entrepreneurial spirit and focus on finishing the job every day
- Independent thinking with the ability to assume responsibility beyond what is asked
- Capacity to grow through self-reflection, providing and receiving thoughtful, constructive performance feedback
- Ability to prioritize and multitask, managing several projects concurrently, sometimes under pressure, and often with tight deadlines
- Positive attitude and professional demeanor under pressure
- Availability to be based out of Headfirst Companies' Washington, DC headquarters throughout the year
- Expectation of regular travel to Headfirst Summer Camps and Headfirst Professional Sports Camps locations during the pre-season and in-season operating periods
Desired Qualifications
- Experience managing managers or overseeing seasonal or temporary staff is viewed favorably
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.