Youth Program Manager and Camp Director - The Trustees of Reservations
Hingham, MA
About the Job
Who We Are:
Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is Massachusetts’ premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org.
Salary: $50,000 - $57,000
Hours per week: 40
Job Classification: Exempt, Full-time
Job Type: Onsite
Location: Weir River Farm, Hingham, MA
What You’ll Do:
Your Impact:
Originally part of the picturesque, early-20th-century country estate of renowned artist Polly Thayer Starr, today Weir River Farm is a 75-acre working farm comprising fields and pastures surrounded by oak and red cedar woodlands. Close by, World’s End comprises four coastal drumlins—spoon-shaped hills formed by glaciers—extending into Hingham Harbor. As the Youth and Program Manager/Camp Director, you’ll ensure young people can discover and explore these special places through field trips, summer camps, and other educational and recreational programs!
The Role:
As a Youth Program Manager and Camp Director, you’ll serve the schools and families of our community with immersive, experiential youth education, building on the Trustees’ expertise in nature conversation, designed landscapes, regenerative agriculture and coastal education to create our innovative nature and farm-centered systems-based curriculum. Reporting to the Southeast Senior Regional Engagement Manager, you will support The Trustees’ mission in two capacities.
- Coordinating and leading youth and school programs
- Managing all operations of the Weir River Farm and World’s End’s Camps (summer and school vacation weeks)
Specifically, you’ll be responsible for:
School & Youth Programs Management
- Design and execute education programs, including but not limited to Field Study programs (School Partnership Programs and field trips), and other education programs for school-aged children
- Work directly with statewide Director of Learning, Regional Engagement Manager, and Livestock Educator to refine and execute existing Field Study programs, educational partnerships, and develop new programming as appropriate
- Create, improve, and build comprehensive environmental and farm-based curriculum for all youth- education programs
- Hire, train, and manage a team of part-time environmental/farm educators and volunteers
- Support regional and statewide educational initiatives as required
Summer Camp Management
- Serve as the Director of the Weir River Farm Summer Camp, serving up to 40 campers per week for the full summer season
- Manage camp registration, parent communication, camp marketing, town permitting, and other camp administrative work, using dedicated Campbrain software and other platforms as required
- In partnership with the Regional Engagement Manager, oversee the World’s End summer camp.
- Recruit, hire, train, and manage a team of full-time seasonal camp staff: Assistant Camp Director, World’s End Camp Director, Camp Behavioral Specialist, and Camp Educators / Counselors.
- Coordinate and update comprehensive farm and nature-based camp curriculum
Operational Oversight
- Establish, organize, and maintain functional educational spaces, including organization and maintenance of all education supplies and materials for use by all members of the education team
- Manage Campbrain registration system for organizing inquiries, camper registration, required paperwork, invoicing & collecting payments, and managing calendars
- Serve as point of contact for incoming field study inquiries
- Maintain high standards of education and safety for all education programs
- Track and achieve revenue and membership goals for all school and youth programs and camps
- Perform / oversee all duties related to execution of education programs including set up, break down, and education supply restocking
- Secure Recreational Camp Licensure from local Board of Health for all camps
- Other duties as assigned
This is a full-time, exempt position (40 hours/week) reporting directly to the Senior Regional Engagement Manager.
Requirements
What You’ll Need:
Skills and Experience:
Required:
- 5 years of related work experience
- 3 years of supervisory experience
- A bachelor’s degree or related work experience in place of academic credentials
- Camp Director certification (training can be provided)
- First Aid, CPR, and AED certification (training can be provided)
- Experience working with youth and the public in an educational setting
- Ability to learn quickly and function and act independently
- Supervisory and staff training experience
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, needed for both internal and external stakeholders: colleagues, school officials and teachers, community partners, and parents.
- Strong organizational skills: ability to manage projects and workflow, using time and resources effectively.
- Technical sophistication is highly beneficial in this role, managing many technology platforms across programming.
- High regard for teamwork, collegiality, customer service and visitor experience.
- Experience with or enthusiasm for gaining familiarity with the care of livestock such as goats, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and pigs.
- Interest in working for a mission-driven organization focused on achieving conservation and agricultural impacts at the local, state, and regional level.
Preferred:
- Master's degree in Education, Environmental Studies, or Agriculture
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be able to lift upwards of 50 pounds
- Must be able to push and pull upwards of 150 pounds
- Must be willing and able to accomplish tasks in variable outdoor weather conditions throughout all seasons
- Must be able to stand, walk and navigate varied terrain for long periods of time
- Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment.
- A valid driver’s license, as well as a satisfactory driving record as outlined in The Trustees’ driving policy.
- A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check.
Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.
Questions? Contact our People Team at people@thetrustees.org
Benefits
Your Benefits:
- Sick time: 80 hours
- Vacation time: 15 days per year (prorated)
- Early release time: 36 hours per year
- Floating holidays/personal days: 15 Floating Holidays (13 observed holidays; 2 floating)
- Health insurance: You are eligible to participate in the Trustees health insurance benefit via Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). BCBS also offers additional benefits, such as fitness reimbursement and rewards for healthy habits.
- Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave
- Life Insurance
- 401k with 5% match after 1 year of employment
- Employee Assistance Program: Free access to a confidential service that helps employees and their communities with personal and work-related issues, such as mental health support, counseling, and financial advice.
- Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.
- Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.
- Day of Wonder: Spend one workday per year to exploring a Trustees property
- Day of Service: Spend one workday per year to helping with a project at a Trustees property
Equal Opportunity and Diversity:
The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.
The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org.