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Executive Director

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Reports to: Board of Directors

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Who We Are:

Camp Gilboa is more than a summer camp — we are a part of an international Zionist youth movement building the next generation of progressive Jewish leaders. Our summer camp and year-round programs spark a passion for social justice, develop critical thinking, and encourage youth to be active participants and creators in their communities.

 

Our people are idealists, dreamers, and activists. Campers and staff show up each summer ready to build something new and explore what it means to live according to our values. To us, living Jewishly means building an inclusive and creative community, creating opportunities for personal exploration and deep questioning, and striving to close the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should be. During summer session as well as weekend seminars and events, campers engage in youth-led programs ranging from serious discussion to wacky, creative games with underlying lessons. Our campers develop close friendships within and across age groups and build skills and confidence to bring change to their current and future communities. 

 

Camp Gilboa has been growing in enrollment over the past several years and is working on a Master Plan to expand capacity to enable further growth in the future. 

 

The Executive Director Role - Summary: 

The Executive Director of Habonim Dror Camp Gilboa is the primary leader for the organization. Under the oversight of the Board of Directors, the ED provides vision and direction and is responsible for the fiscal and organizational health of Camp Gilboa. They lead planning and development projects, guide year-round and summer staff, support and coordinate the work of the board and its committees, and manage all operations, budget, and fundraising. 

 

The Executive Director mentors and nurtures the development of our young Jewish leaders who will embody the principles of collective responsibility, social justice, equality, peace, and coexistence in Israel/Palestine and North America. Camp Gilboa is one of six summer camps in the U.S. and Canada that are part of Habonim Dror North America (HDNA), the Labor Zionist youth movement, and the Executive Director is responsible for promoting Habonim Dror’s core mission among Camp Gilboa’s stakeholders — campers, youth leaders, board, volunteers, alumni, and families. The Executive Director is responsible for maintaining relationships with the network of organizations that make up HDNA, as well as representing the organization in the camp world, in the West Coast Jewish community, and in Big Bear, where the camp is situated. 

 

Our next Executive Director should be someone who is ready to dream, build, and lead. Someone who sees value in the process as well as the substance of youth and leadership development - in camp and other settings. Someone who loves camp and is a people’s person who cherishes conversations with alumni from the 1950s, passionate college students, and third graders. 

 

Principal Responsibilities:

• Lead staff and board in planning, decision making, and assessing organizational needs

• Supervise, manage, and train year-round and summer staff 

• Oversee camper and counselor recruitment and retention efforts

• Lead fund development efforts including donor stewardship, fundraising campaigns, and grant writing, in collaboration with board leadership

• Participate in and drive strategic planning in collaboration with board leadership

• Oversee year-round day-to-day operations of Camp Gilboa, including accounting, payroll, HR, taxes, and all regulatory compliance issues

• Develop and monitor budgets for camp and year-round activities 

• Provide 24/7 operational oversight at campsite during operational months (mid-June through mid-August)

• Ensure that Camp Gilboa’s policies and practices meet American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation standards and are in compliance with county, state, federal, and any other regulatory agencies

• Develop policies and maintain practices to ensure camper health and safety

• Ensure proper maintenance of camp facilities

• Support youth leadership development at camp and year-round

• Support the relationships and communication among staff, alumni, and Board of Directors

• Develop community partnerships and support educational outreach to recruit campers and further the understanding of Habonim Dror in the community 

• Collaborate with the Foundation for Jewish Camp, local Federations, JCamp180, Habonim Dror Camp Association (HDCA) network, and other communal organizations to stay abreast of trends and development opportunities and ensure the adoption and implementation of best practices

 

Desired Qualifications:

• At least 5-7 years experience in camp leadership, non-profit leadership, or educational leadership that includes:

  • Supervising staff, adult and youth

  • Coordinating board and volunteer committees 

  • Budget development and implementation

  • Fundraising 

  • Work with membership or registration databases / GSuite / QuickBooks

• Personal connection, experience, and knowledge or willingness to learn about progressive Jewish communities in the US and Israel/Palestine 

• Experience working with children and teens, ideally in a summer camp

• Commitment to social justice and progressive change in Israel/Palestine and the United States

• Commitment to youth leadership and mentoring

• Familiarity with Jewish history, Judaism, and Israel/Palestine

• Willingness to live at camp during summer session

• Ability to work in a high-altitude, physically demanding outdoor environment

• Ability to travel throughout California periodically for outreach and other events

• Flexibility to work irregular hours, including frequent weekend hours

• Physical ability and emotional wisdom to act swiftly and appropriately in a crisis or emergency

• Relevant masters degree preferred

 

Work Conditions:

• Role is based in Los Angeles with some ability to work from home during the off-season

• Full-time residence at high altitude, off-the-grid camp in Big Bear area during summer session

• Our year-round office is at the Westside JCC, which includes a day-care center, pre-school, swimming pool, and other amenities and opportunities for partnership

• Benefits include healthcare, paid time off, flexible work hours during the off season, 403(b) retirement savings account, and free camp tuition for eligible-age children

• In addition to vacation, the office will be closed for two weeks at the end of summer session. 

 

Salary:

 

$100,000 - $140,000, depending on experience, plus benefits

 

Send cover letter and resume to execdirectcandidate@campgilboa.org by January 15th, 2023.