Camp Director - Telluride Association

Role Overview

The Camp Director provides logistical, programmatic, and administrative support for the Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS). This position supervises a team of Factotums (counselors) who, in turn, supervise up to 28 high school student participants. In addition, the Camp Director supervises the site Health Director and Assistant Health Director. The Camp Director ensures participant safety and well-being and works closely with support staff and contacts at the host university to ensure smooth operations. They also liaise with seminar Faculty and Teaching Assistants to facilitate positive learning outcomes for students. The Camp Director is responsible for ensuring positive working relationships among summer staff, and for managing Transformative Justice and behavior support on site.

• Position Type: Temporary / Non-Exempt during preparation period; Exempt (Administrative) during in-person training and program period
• Work Schedule: This is an intensive position that may require work up to seven days per week during the program period, including evening and weekend hours.
  • Prep period (March 24, 2025 - June 8, 2025):
    • Total of 120 hours for orientation, virtual training, and program planning with factotums, scheduled with supervisor.
    • Occasional evening and weekend hours required.
  • In-Person Training & Site Setup (June 9, 2025 - June 21, 2025)
    • Full-time during this period - estimated 40-45 hours/week over 5 days per week. 
  • Program period (June 22, 2025 - August 3, 2025): 
    • During the program, this is an intensive position that may require work up to seven days per week, including evening and weekend hours. 
    • Typically estimated at 45 hours per week over 6 days per week. Additional hours may be required for field trips and other critical events. 
    • Camp Directors are expected to stay on site until August 3 (one week after the students depart) to complete reports and assist with breakdown. 
    • Evening and weekend hours required.
    • During the program, Camp Directors take off one planned day per week by arrangement with their supervisor. 
  • Work Location: Ithaca, NY or College Park, MD
  • Travel Requirements: Camp Directors are expected to travel for in-person training June 9 - June 15, 2025. In addition, they reside on-site at the program location for 8 weeks June 16 - August 3, 2025
  • Position Duration: March 24 - August 3, 2025
  • Benefits Eligibility: Not benefits eligible. Sick leave provided.
  • Compensation:
    • $34.45/hour (hourly) during prep period
    • $1,378/week (salary) during in-person training and program period
    • Telluride will pay for travel to and from training and the program site.

About TASS: TASS is an intellectually rigorous humanities seminar intended to transform how students understand and participate in the world, housed in a thoughtful group-living environment where students explore the principles of democratic community-building. TASS offers seminars in both Critical Black Studies (focused on a broad variety of topics touching on the history, culture, and experiences of people of African descent) and Anti-Oppressive Studies (focused on the use of power, race, and oppression as frameworks to explore topics in the humanities and social sciences). TASSers leave the program with a greater capacity for critical thinking, democratic self-governance, and community-building. More information can be found at tass.tellurideassociation.org. 

Key Relationships: 

• The Camp Director reports to the Summer Program Manager and directly supervises Factotums and Health Director at their site. 
• The Camp Director liaises with university contacts at their site (for instance, Conference and Visitor Services, residential/dining hall services, and others)
• The Camp Director collaborates closely with other Camp Directors, their site Faculty and Teaching Assistants, and Telluride administrative staff.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in leadership, teaching, or mentoring experience in residential or cooperative education, summer programs, camps, secondary education, and/or other academic or residential youth program settings.
• (New York site only) Meets New York state requirements for summer camp director, including:
  • Bachelor’s Degree or at least 25 years old
  • At least 24 weeks of administrative or supervisory experience in camps or comparable programs for minors
• Camp Directors must be a minimum of 18 years of age as they are supervising minors.
• Camp Directors must meet all other regulatory requirements for the state where their site is located.  
• Experience working with Black students and/or populations. Experience working with students of color, working-class students, LGBTQIA students, and/or other students of marginalized backgrounds and diverse educational preparation.
• Experience with anti-racism work and practice and/or transformative justice, preferably within an educational setting. 
• Awareness of and ability to reflect productively on power and privilege.
• Experience in skillfully mediating conflict.
• Excellent communication skills: demonstrates skillful verbal and written communication for diverse audiences; maintains composure in high-stress situations; demonstrates emotional intelligence, listening skills, and compassion.
• Excellent judgment: makes timely decisions; exhibits sound judgment; ensures compliance and safety standards are met; explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; demonstrates integrity. 
• Experience in managing people: gives regular performance feedback; develops employees’ skills and encourages growth, delegates work; sets expectations and ensures accountability; provides recognition for results.
• Experience in leadership: inspires and motivates others to perform; inspires respect and trust; provides vision; displays passion and optimism; mobilizes others to fulfill the vision
• Ability to engage with conflicts constructively in an individual and community context.
• Ability to manage high-stress environments and adapt, especially in emergency situations.
• High level of organization, attention to detail, and flexibility.
• Proficiency in Google Drive, Zoom, and Microsoft Office.
• Able to commit to the Camp Director position; no other commitments planned for the program period.

• All Telluride residential summer seminar employees are required to have and provide proof of an FDA-or WHO-authorized or approved COVID-19 primary immunization and other required immunizations, or have obtained an approved disability/medical or religious exemption.

• Ability to meet travel requirements of the position.
• Ability to meet acceptable background check standards.
• Ability to work flexible hours which may include evenings and/or weekends, as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with the TASS program and/or TASS Factotum position.
• Interest in and commitment to the Association’s mission.
• First aid and CPR training.
• Valid driver’s license and excellent driving record.
• Experience with and commitment to enacting anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Experience with students of color, working-class students, LGBTQIA students, and/or other students of marginalized backgrounds.

Responsibilities

Management - 45%

• Supervise Factotums.
  • Provide support for training and pre-program preparation.
  • During the program, check in with Factotums daily to assess needs and help Factotums work through challenges. 
  • Manage Transformative Justice, behavior support, and dismissal procedures. 
  • Manage Factotums in booking speakers, implementing field trips, and booking transportation as needed. This includes booking required training presenters and university admissions session and campus tour.
  • Ensure that Factotums have adequate rest and time off (including at least one day of off-call time per Factotum per summer), and program needs are covered during Factotum time off. 
  • Serve as backup for Factotums who are unavailable. This may include stepping in personally or arranging for other Factotums to be present. 
  • Ensure that Factotums meet their programmatic, administrative, and financial requirements, follow established policies and procedures, and do their utmost to keep program participants safe and ensure the success of the program. Provide corrective feedback as needed, in consultation with the Summer Program Manager. 
• Work with the direct supervisor of site kitchen and maintenance staff to provide feedback and information needed for planning. 
• Assist Summer Program Manager to facilitate positive working relationships between Faculty, Teaching Assistants, and Factotums and positive learning outcomes for students.
  • In the first week of the program, lead a meeting between Camp Director, Factotums, Teaching Assistants, and Faculty to discuss roles and needs for the summer.
  • Promptly contact supervisor if additional support is needed.

• Lead weekly all-staff meetings, including Assistant Camp Director, Factotums, health staff, Faculty, and Teaching Assistants at the site.

• Track program challenges and successes through the summer and complete a comprehensive program report and evaluation at the end of the summer to assist with future programs.

Supervise Site Operations - 20%

• Complete mandatory online trainings during the prep period (approximately 36 hours total). This includes orientation as well as training on transformative justice, supervisory responsibilities, mandated reporting, health and safety, non-harassment, and program administration.
• Attend mandatory in-person training. Dates: June 9, 2025 - June 15, 2025
• Read and abide by Telluride policies and procedures.
• Act as primary point of contact with parents of summer program participants, including writing a letter to parents that establishes the Camp Director’s role as point of contact.
• Check in with Summer Program Manager, other Camp Directors, and designated Telluride Association Board member(s) at least weekly.
• Work closely with Summer Program Manager and Telluride Association administrative staff to ensure smooth program operations. Collaborate with Telluride Association administrative staff to manage finances, host university relationship, facilities needs, kitchen & maintenance staff and budget requests, and any unusual student or finance needs.
• Work with host universities and third-party vendors as needed to ensure services for summer program students (e.g. university registration, housing and meal service, student IDs, access to medical and academic facilities, cleaning, etc.). 
• Monitor program budgets and expenditures. 
• Ensure the collection of photos, participant feedback, and other content for recruitment and communications needs.

• Assist with supervising TASSer self-administration of medications, as directed by Health Director.

• Support Faculty site needs:
  • Communicate with Faculty and Teaching Assistants to ensure that faculty site needs are met as needed, including host university room reservations, A/V equipment procurement, field trip transportation planning.
• Manage moving & materials:
  • Work closely with factotums to ensure that the site is set up before the program begins and fully cleaned after the program ends. This may include walkthrough, communicating with cleaners or facilities management, key distribution, collection, and mailing belongings back to students.
  • Work closely with factotums to ensure that any necessary supplies are procured before the program.
  • Sign out laptops & other supplies as needed; collect laptops and other supplies at the end of the program. If necessary, ensure that they are mailed back to Telluride Association.
  • Manage move-in and move-out. Ensure that students arrive and depart safely. 

Student Support - 10%

• Check in individually with each student at least once during the summer; solicit student feedback as needed. 
• Manage transformative justice (TJ), behavior support, Code of Conduct, and dismissal procedures.
  • Attend the TASSer TJ training and Community Agreement discussion. 
  • Supervise the Factotums in ensuring Tier 1 Behavior Support, facilitating daily/weekly TASSer check-ins, carrying out day-to-day TJ facilitation and conflict resolution, and monitoring for any escalated issues. 
  • Manage escalated behavior support needs, Code of Conduct violations,  and dismissal processes as necessary, in accordance with Telluride Association procedures.
    • Inform supervisor promptly of escalated behavioral issues or potential dismissals. 
    • Document behavioral issues and dismissals in accordance with Telluride Association procedures. 
    • Draw up student behavior contracts where necessary, working closely with factotums.
    • If necessary, work with Summer Program Manager to implement dismissal. Dismissals must be signed off on by Summer Program Manager and Board. If dismissal is necessary, manage on-site logistics, supervision, travel and/or lodging for the dismissed student.
• Respond promptly to other special situations and emergent student needs as necessary, looping in supervisor and other staff as needed.

Risk Management - 25%

• Quarantine procedures. Work with TA staff, other Camp Directors, and host university administration to refine and implement COVID and infectious disease policies and quarantine strategies including off-site quarantine accommodations as necessary. Work with Factotums and health staff to provide appropriate care for staff and/or students if quarantining is necessary. This may require the supervisor to chaperone and stay in off-site housing.
• Medical needs. Work with Health Staff and Site Staff to ensure that the medical needs of students (e.g. doctor’s appointments, allergies, food restrictions, mental health needs, disability accommodations, etc.) are appropriately met, and promptly reach out to supervisor if additional support is needed.
• Crisis support. Be available on call to assist after hours in an emergency or crisis support for staff and participants. 
• Other risk management. Proactively monitor potential risks to safety, health, property, institutional relationships, and programmatic goals. Take active steps to reduce risk; promptly notify supervisor of concerns.
• Documentation. Ensure that incident and injury reports are completed and filed in a timely manner. 

Other Responsibilities

• Enact Telluride Association’s commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion in all activities and duties.
• Support Telluride Association to maintain a safe working environment. Act proactively to prevent accidents and injuries and communicate hazards to supervisors when identified. 
• Abide by the policies and guidelines of the Telluride Association and all local, state, and federal laws. Failure to do so may result in suspension or termination of employment. Relevant Telluride policies include:

• Safety Plan and Policy on Working with Minors: Ensure the safety and well-being of minor program participants. See policy for specifics.

• Confidentiality: All TASS students’ application materials, evaluations, and similar documents must be kept confidential. Faculty should not disclose any of this information without explicit authorization from the TASS Committee.

• Non-harassment: The Telluride Association does not tolerate sexual or other unlawful forms of harassment. Please see the Non-Harassment Policy.
• Non-discrimination: The Telluride Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical disability, or any other protected category.

• Support the general activities of Telluride Association and carry out other duties as assigned.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Essential physical requirements: Position requires use of computer, phone, and office equipment. Position requires travel and evening/weekend work. Requires some movement of objects less than 100lb. Position requires frequent accompaniment of students, including accompanying students on walking trips around campus and during field trips.
• Visual: normal concentration
• Hazards: limited exposure

Telluride Association is committed to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in our programs and our workplace. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities. Telluride Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Telluride Association participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Learn more here.

If you need an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please contact telluride@tellurideassociation.org.

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