Organization Overview: Since 1951, Happy Hollow Children’s Camp, Inc. has provided transformative camping experiences for children ages 7–17 at our facilities in Brown County, Indiana. Our primary focus is offering an overnight summer camp for children from Marion County, with more than 95% of campers coming from families at or below the poverty level. Families pay only a modest fee, ensuring access for those who need it most. In addition to summer programming, Happy Hollow offers specialized camps for children with a variety of special needs, outdoor education programs during the school year and year-round facility rentals.
Position Purpose: The Camp Manager plays a key role in helping Happy Hollow Children’s Camp consistently deliver safe, well-planned, and highly sought after camping programs season after season.
Essential Job Functions:
1. Implement quality and safe camp programs that meet the needs and interests of the diverse groups that utilize Happy Hollow.
- Assure program safety and safety of staff, volunteers, and visitors. Communicate emergency procedures to all.
- Ensure proper documentation of all issues and incidents related to program participation.
- Develop and follow a system to train, review and document skills mastery of program staff.
- Understand and assist with American Camp Association accreditation and compliance requirements/regulations of the county and state.
- Plan and execute seasonal staff training to ensure staff understanding of camp mission and safety policies and practices.
2. Oversee the financial management of programming to allow for adequate annual funding and to meet long-term goals.
- Develop and monitor budget for program areas, camper/staff recruitment and seasonal staff in coordination with Camp Director.
- Responsible for implementation of grant programs and submitting data for grant reports.
3. Work in partnership with the Camp Director to implement a marketing plan to increase camper attendance and camp usage.
- Build reciprocal relationships with communities, schools, volunteers, and organizations to support program goals.
- Provide opportunities to engage and support the families of camp participants.
4. Implement human resource management practices to recruit and retain seasonal and year-round staff.
- Recruit and interview staff based on camper enrollment and program management requirements.
- Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate seasonal staff.
- Monitor work assigned to staff and volunteers, providing ongoing feedback and regular appraisal.
5. Oversee daily programming within summer resident camp and seasonal groups.
- Design and ensure delivery of programs and activities appropriate to the population.
- Promote and support camper-initiated and camper-led activities. Foster an environment that offers choices, incorporates team building and promotes a sense of belonging and group identity for members.
- Responsible for development and oversight of high and low challenge ropes courses, including ensuring current certification, ensure annual inspection of elements, staff training and equipment monitoring.
- Oversee the camp archery program including staff training, skill mastery for instructors and maintaining National Archery in the Schools Program certification.
- Oversee camp waterfront programs and lifeguards, including skills verification and in-service training.
- Responsible for managing year-round rental group operations, including staffing, program, and workflow.
6. Other job responsibilities.
- Attend year round and seasonal staff meetings.
- Maintain clear and positive written and verbal communication with staff, customers, and vendors.
- Serve on board committees and task forces as designated.
- Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in nonprofit management, recreation management or relevant field desired, significant experience could be substituted.
- 2-4 years’ experience in a camp environment, overnight camp experience preferred.
- Strong program management skills with a proven track record of effectively driving process improvement, innovation, and leading teams.
- Possess excellent written and oral communication skills, with outstanding interpersonal communication skills.
- Able to create program designs and to train staff on those designs verbally and through written manuals.
- Must be a self-starter, comfortable with ambiguity, proactive in approach and possess problem solving and analytical skills to successfully manage issues.
- Ability to handle multiple projects, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
- A strong commitment to the mission of Happy Hollow and passion to serve diverse youth and adults in the camp environment.
- Ability to get certified in lifeguarding, high ropes facilitation, archery and/or any other program areas as needed.
Location: This role is a hybrid position. The Camp Manager lives at Happy Hollow Children’s Camp (3049 Happy Hollow Road, Nashville, IN) during the summer camp season, when groups are at camp and works from camp a minimum of 3 days per week during the off season. Individual will work at the Indianapolis office located in the English Foundation Building (615 N Alabama Street, Suite 134, Indianapolis, IN) at minimum 1 day per week during the off season. There is also the ability to work remotely during the off season, as agreed upon with supervisor. Individual may also travel occasionally for camper recruitment events, staff recruitment or other business.
How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Abby Bartley, Camp Director, via email at [email protected] with the subject line “Camp Manager Application – [Your Name].” Applications will be accepted through June 26, 2026, with a potential start date of August 10, 2026. Happy Hollow Children’s Camp is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $42,000.00 - $53,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
Experience:
- Camping: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
