Program Administrator (Director)

Job Title: Program Administrator (Director)

Reports to: Program Development Manager

Classification: Seasonal, exempt

Compensation: $1,500 per program; $1,200 per modified program*

Position Summary:

At PALS, we provide inclusive camp experiences for individuals with Down syndrome and their Peers. Our volunteer-led programs change attitudes, transform lives, and inspire a world of belonging.

PALS programs are planned and executed by volunteer Program Leads. As a Program Administrator, you oversee the execution of your programs by supporting and guiding Program Leads and other volunteer leaders and furthering the mission of PALS through coordinating and managing the program, human resources, and strategic operations. The Program Administrator is a seasonal role with some pre-summer responsibilities.

Time Commitment:

Pre-camp: Attend 6 hours of virtual training, as well as CPR/First Aid training. Attend pre-camp planning calls with Program leads 8-, 6-, 4- and 2- weeks out from program start as available. The exact timings of calls are to be determined, and all calls will be held virtually.

Summer: Attend your assigned in-person program(s) from Friday morning through the following Saturday afternoon, nine days total**. Program Administrators must attend their assigned programs in their entirety and cannot be admins for consecutive program weeks. The cost of travel to programs will be covered according to PALS’ staff travel policies.

**If you are assigned to a modified 21+ program, you are expected to to be in-person from Tuesday afternoon through the following Sunday morning, six days total.

Location options: Varies across the USA, location preferences will be considered, options may have some flexibility.

Week 1: New York - Friday, June 12 - Saturday, June 20

Week 2: New Jersey - Friday, June 19 - Saturday, June 27

Week 3: Los Angeles Friday, June 26 - Saturday, July 4 | DC*: Tuesday, June 30 - Sunday, July 5

Week 4: Cleveland - Friday, July 3 - Saturday, July 11

Week 5: Boston -Friday, July 3 - Saturday, July 11 | Atlantic City 1* - Tuesday, July 14 -Sunday, July 19

Week 6: Baltimore, Philadelphia - Friday, July 17 - Saturday, July 25

Week 7: Chicago - Friday, July 24 - Saturday, August 1 | Atlantic City 2* - Tuesday, July 28 -Sunday, August 2

Week 8: San Francisco - Friday, July 31 - Saturday, August 8 | San Francisco* - Tuesday, August 4 - Sunday, August 9

Essential Job Functions:

Summer:

1. Live on-site for the entire duration of your program (9 days)
2. Lead pre-camp trainings with all relevant Lead and Peer volunteers
3. Ensure all policies and procedures, including standards of the American Camp Association (ACA) and state and local requirements, are met and adhered to by staff and participants. Respond to all critical incidents and act swiftly in any emergency situation in accordance with organizational policies and procedures, including ACA standards.
4. Oversee the daily operation of the summer overnight camp, including program, food service, business, participant and staff supervision, and health care.
5. Oversee and monitor all risk management, crisis, healthcare, and emergency procedures. Ensure all staff are well-trained and informed of all policies and procedures. This includes but is not limited to, inclement weather, outdoor risks, lost participant procedures, fire, medical procedures, strangers on-site, etc.
6. Maintain communications with University Contact, PALS Program Manager, on-call PALS staff members, and parents where appropriate throughout the week of camp.
7. Facilitate evaluations of camp program and volunteer leaders
8. Ensure that all records, materials, and equipment are accounted for and securely stored at the end of the week.
9. Other duties as assigned by PALS staff related to the success of the summer camp program.

Requirements:

• Have at least two prior seasons of administrative or supervisory experience in an organized camp (approximately 24 weeks).
• Commitment to living out the PALS Promise and living by the PALS values to be welcoming, genuine, passionate, supportive, and fun.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with individuals with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities is helpful but not required.
• The ability to provide leadership, counsel, motivation, and supervision to a volunteer staff team of up to 30 people.
• This position requires listening to others, observing others’ actions and taking corrective actions when necessary, reading text and information, and comprehending instructions and manuals. It also requires the ability to move throughout the campus, on and off transportation, and around off-campus trip sites in various environmental conditions.
• Complete 6 hours of virtual training as well as CPR/First Aid training.
• Ability to cultivate individual and collaborative relationships while preserving the professional boundaries necessary to create and maintain effective relationships.

Equal Opportunity Employer

PALS is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workspace. We recognize that this takes consistent work and are committed to continual improvement. We believe that diverse ideas, cultures, and traditions reflect the broad diversity of the U.S. and are essential to building our vision of a community of belonging. PALS encourages applicants to describe in their cover letter the unique contributions they, as individuals with diverse experiences, would bring to the organization. We particularly encourage BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals to apply.

To Apply:

• Submit a resume and cover letter to hiring@palsprograms.org
  • In your cover letter, please include not only your experiences and skills but also specifics about this job that you are excited by. This role requires strong initiative and resilience. If you have a specific example in your life that illustrates these qualities, we would love to read about it in your cover letter.
• Optional: In lieu of a cover letter, you may submit a 2-4 minute self-recorded video telling us a bit about yourself and why you are interested specifically in this job.
• In addition to the resume & cover letter, complete an application here (https://forms.gle/sZhBLVDm6QEcLmGi8).

For more details, please check out https://www.palsprograms.org/jobs

Requirements:

• Have at least two prior seasons of administrative or supervisory experience in an organized camp (approximately 24 weeks).
• Commitment to living out the PALS Promise and living by the PALS values to be welcoming, genuine, passionate, supportive, and fun.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working with individuals with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities is helpful but not required.
• The ability to provide leadership, counsel, motivation, and supervision to a volunteer staff team of up to 30 people.
• This position requires listening to others, observing others’ actions and taking corrective actions when necessary, reading text and information, and comprehending instructions and manuals. It also requires the ability to move throughout the campus, on and off transportation, and around off-campus trip sites in various environmental conditions.
• Complete 6 hours of virtual training as well as CPR/First Aid training.
• Ability to cultivate individual and collaborative relationships while preserving the professional boundaries necessary to create and maintain effective relationships.