CAMP OPPORTUNITY, INC.
P.O. Box 113
Glen Arm, MD 21057
Camp Opportunity is seeking a visionary, strategic and experienced non-profit leader to serve as the organization’s Executive Director.
ABOUT CAMP OPPORTUNITY OF MARYLAND, INC.:
Camp Opportunity is a non-profit organization founded 37 years ago by a group of dedicated volunteers. Our mission is to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect for children ages 8-11 who have experienced mental, physical, emotional, or sexual trauma. By offering a safe one-week camp program, we empower the children we serve to nurture their sense of dignity in a supportive and caring environment working with professional staff and counselors. The trauma endured by these children has left many of them coping with residual mental and emotional problems. Our camp is an opportunity to intervene at a critical time in the child’s life.
Our campers are referred to us by professionals in the child services community. Teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, and members of faith communities have all identified children who would benefit from being a part of Camp Opportunity. We work with professionals, parents and legal guardians to ensure that the children we serve are those who could most benefit and who we are best prepared to help. What makes our camp unique is that we offer each child a one-on-one experience with their own counselor for the entire week of camp. This approach offers children a valuable opportunity to feel respected and safe by establishing a relationship with a counselor in a setting where they are able to learn trust and acceptance.
Activities and classes at our camps are designed to provide a positive environment for campers to develop coping and resiliency skills, promote problem-solving strategies and build self-esteem. Each child is assigned to his or her personal counselor whose role is to support, guide, and facilitate healing in a caring and nurturing environment. We remain connected to the campers throughout the rest of the year with interim events, both in-person and virtual, that are designed to reinforce the lessons learned and relationships built at camp.
The dream of Camp Opportunity’s founders was to grow the program to serve more children. As a fully volunteer organization, the organization did not have the resources to expand beyond the one-week camp until 2021 when Camp Opportunity received a generous gift to initiate the search for property, hire an executive director and launch the organization’s growth. Camp Opportunity is now poised for tremendous growth, and the realization of our founders’ dreams. Therefore, with the help of our board, the new executive director will be tasked with continuing the on-going property search and launching a capital campaign to generate the remaining funds needed to purchase and/or develop a new and permanent home for Camp Opportunity.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION:
- Conduct responsibilities as outlined in the Camp Opportunity Bylaws (attached).
- Collaborate with Board Chair to set agenda for regular board meetings and annual meeting of the membership.
- Develop an annual fundraising program to fully fund the organization’s operating budget.
- Build a network of community and business partnerships.
- Launch a capital campaign with the goal of raising $5 million over three years to support the purchase and/or development of a permanent campground.
- Oversee year-round fundraising activities (including grant applications, individual donations, online platforms and event sponsorships) in collaboration with volunteers.
- Collaborate with Board Treasurer to oversee organization expenditures.
- Collaborate with the Board Fundraiser Committee for the Annual Fundraiser.
- Collaborate with the Camp Director to establish best practices for Camp Planning Committee.
- Evaluate the Camp Opportunity program; build consensus on areas to grow or improve.
- Build a team: Identifying, nurturing, and managing key staff-members and volunteers.
- Identify resources for camper recruitment
- Nurture partnerships that can sustain and further the mission of Camp Opportunity (e.g. transportation company, child abuse centers, other non-profits).
- Instruct the Camp Opportunity Technology Director on areas to update or provide additional IT solutions.
- Participate in Board Committees to further the goals of the organizations. Standing committees include: Board Development, Finance and Audit, Fundraising, Communications and Marketing, Camp Programming.
- Manage the organizational calendar and ensure that all operational deadlines are met (meetings, registrations, applications, taxes, D&O insurance renewals, etc.).
- Meet with chair and/or co-chair on a regular basis.
- Direct and manage part-time administrative assistant.
- Plan and conduct board meetings.
- Develop updated one-year and five-year plans.
- Shepherd organization through potential acquisition of permanent campground, including on-going property search and coordinating site development activities and vendors.
- Direct marketing and communications efforts with assistance from the board and/or pro bono marketing firm.
REQUIRED ATTRIBUTES OF CANDIDATES:
- Collaborative, strategic, self-motivated, and resourceful.
- Excel at setting priorities and opportunities to expand growth of the camp.
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills are essential for this position.
- Ability to evaluate current processes to implement best practices and plan for future growth.
- Experience with event planning and implementation.
- Proven management and facility experience.
- Ability to scale the current program to meet long-term growth needs for expansion and outreach.
- Be open, confident and articulate professional who enjoys exploring new ideas and thinking creatively.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- 10+ years of progressively responsible executive experience in the nonprofit sector, with a history of a collaborative management style.
- Experience working with the Board of Directors.
- 5-7+ years of fundraising experience which includes fundraising events, capital campaigns and managing a database of prospects including individuals, foundations and corporations.
- Experience recruiting and supporting volunteers.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills.
- Marketing and social media skills are a plus
EDUCATION:
B.S. degree required; more advanced degree a plus.
Benefits:
This work from home position offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and three weeks of paid vacation.
NEXT STEPS:
If you are interested in applying for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to Fran@campopportunity.org
