Executive Director

BACKGROUND
The Organization
Camp Judaea (“CJ”) is a vibrant nonprofit Jewish overnight summer camp located on 158 acres in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near Hendersonville, North Carolina. Since 1961, Camp Judaea has been building community, fostering Jewish identity, and creating transformative experiences for campers and staff alike. The camp’s winter administrative offices are based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Camp Judaea is a leading Jewish camp in the Southeast, where Jewish identity and community are at the heart of everything we do. Camp Judaea’s programs foster a deep connection to Jewish values, with a special emphasis on the importance and significance of Israel as part of our campers’ journey. Through enriching experiences, campers build lifelong friendships, grow as leaders, and develop a strong sense of belonging to both their Jewish heritage and the broader global community. Camp Judaea is pluralistic in character, welcoming Jewish families across denominations and backgrounds. For more information, visit .

Camp Judaea’s Mission
Camp Judaea’s mission is to provide a safe, fun, nurturing community where children, teens, and young adults grow as individuals, build lifelong friendships, develop leadership skills, and establish enduring connections with Judaism, Israel, and the natural environment.

Camp Judaea’s core values — community, leadership, joyful Judaism, and a love and connection with Israel — have guided camp life since the organization’s founding. Camp Judaea operates under the governance of a volunteer Board of Directors and is currently in an exciting period of strength.

Recent milestones include: twelve new cabins constructed, completed and paid for within the last three years; a recently completed Facilities Master Plan; a newly established development infrastructure; and a comprehensive multi-year strategic plan adopted by the Board. Camp Judaea seek a skilled and visionary leader to carry this momentum forward.

The Position
Camp Judaea seeks an engaged, experienced professional with an entrepreneurial spirit and strong financial acumen for the role of Executive Director. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for driving the mission, overall direction and performance of the organization in partnership with the Board. The ED provides the leadership, vision, and management to ensure strong program development, marketing, community engagement, and effective operations to ensure the organization’s short- and long-term financial health. The Executive Director will play a key role in building out the organization’s senior leadership team, including recruiting a Camp Director in the first 6-12 months. The ED oversees a year-round team of 8, 6 direct reports, including the Camp Director, and a summer staff of approximately 240.

Camp Judaea is seeking a leader who is poised to take the organization’s vision to the next level. This is an incredible opportunity for an experienced professional to join a lively and thriving Jewish organization with an engaged community that stretches from the Southeast and beyond and has meaningful impact on individuals and the Jewish community as a whole.

ROLE OVERVIEW
Immediate Priorities

Vision and Strategy
Drive alignment and execution of strategic direction

• Partner with the Board of Directors to leverage the existing strategic plan, master plan, and feasibility study and translate the vision into execution across program, operations, and growth initiatives.

Financial Sustainability
Improve financial management and business operations

• Make strategic financial decisions (budgeting, investments, endowment oversight); oversee budgets, audits, and timely financial reporting.

Development and Stewardship
Strengthen and expand development (fundraising) infrastructure

• Scale fundraising beyond current capacity; Lead large-scale donor cultivation (e.g., foundation meetings, vision-to-implementation pitches).
• Increase sophistication of development operations (pipeline, strategy, stewardship).

Management and Talent Development
Supervise, engage, and develop the year-round team

• Be responsible for the Camp Director and the year round team
• Encourage and empower staff to ensure professional excellence and high-quality standards; promote teamwork and collaboration.
• Develop stronger systems for recruiting year-round staff and summer staff; address retention challenges and strengthen the talent pipeline.

Operational Excellence
Coordinate facilities planning and capital execution

• Integrate the new master plan and feasibility study into actionable execution.
• Manage the physical plant as a strategic asset (not just maintenance); manage relationship with the county for sewer and facilities enhancements, supervise the year-round maintenance team

Role Responsibilities

• Serve as the spokesperson for Camp Judaea, representing the camp in the Southeast region, and in the larger camping and Jewish community.
• Based in the strategic plan, develop, message, and maintain a clear, broad-based vision for the future of Camp Judaea.
• Partner closely with the Board of Directors to shape and advance the camp’s strategic vision, cultivating and retaining engaged board and lay leaders, fostering transparent and collaborative governance, and ensuring timely, high-quality board communications and materials that supported informed decision-making and meaningful discussion.
• Create and sustain effective and trusting relationships with Camp Judaea’ senior management team and staff. Encourage and empower staff to maximize productivity, ensure professional excellence, high-quality standards, and promote teamwork.
• Provide frameworks, expertise and guidance in the oversight and implementation of an ongoing assessment of all areas of program and impact.
• Set and advance a positive, success-oriented culture within the organization. Ensure that Camp Judaea’ vision and values are evident and consistent in every aspect of the organization, including its staff and programs.
• Provide strategic oversight for all Camp Judaea facilities and campus properties, ensuring operational excellence, infrastructure sustainability, and campus safety and security
• Ensure the successful development and implementation of current and future capital projects.
• Develop and communicate a compelling philanthropic vision and case for support that inspires investment in Camp Judaea’s mission, programs, and long-term sustainability.
• Provide strategic leadership for integrated marketing and communications initiatives that enhance brand awareness, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and elevate the visibility of Camp Judaea and its programs.
• Cultivate, steward, and expand relationships with current and prospective donors, fostering a strong culture of philanthropy and sustained donor engagement.
• Design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that diversifies revenue streams through foundation grants, corporate partnerships, planned giving, major gifts, annual giving programs, and capital campaigns.
• Identify and develop innovative partnerships, programs, and revenue-generating opportunities that support organizational growth and financial sustainability.
• Assess the organization’s financial position and collaborate closely with the Board of Directors to develop and implement a strategic roadmap for long-term sustainability, growth, and financial resilience.
• Ensure sound financial stewardship through effective planning, oversight, and asset management practices that protect and strengthen Camp Judaea’s financial resources.
• Establish and oversee a disciplined budgeting process that promotes fiscal accountability while supporting program innovation and mission-driven growth.
• Partner with the Board of Directors to develop, implement, and monitor short- and long-term financial and operational strategies that advance organizational sustainability and strategic objectives.
• Collaborate with the Board of Directors to evaluate Camp Judaea’s assets and liabilities and develop actionable plans to strengthen financial health, mitigate risk, and optimize organizational resources

Additional Qualifications

Demonstrated CEO-level leadership of a complex organization including multi-generational stakeholders

• Believes in Camp Judaea’s mission of fostering a pluralistic community rooted in Jewish values and the transformative power of Jewish summer camp.
• Commitment to quality and service excellence; instills trust and confidence.

Excellent financial acumen (budget, investments, audit, endowment)

• Extensive experience with budgeting and financial oversight.
• Comfort making financial recommendations and decisions at scale.

Proven fundraising capability with the ability to strategically engage funders

• History of major gift solicitation and stewardship, institutional fundraising, and donor strategy.

Experience building and maintaining exceptional organizational culture and teams

• Experience building structure, systems, and performance expectations; ability to hold teams accountable while maintaining strong culture.

Capacity to be both visionary and operationally grounded

• Voices and implements a compelling vision; moves between high-level strategy and day-to-day management fluidly.

Experience partnering effectively with boards and governance structures

• Comfort navigating board dynamics and executive committee processes.

Understanding of Jewish overnight camp culture

• Appreciation for deep cultural roots (many staff are lifelong camp people).

Strong relational leadership and public presence

• Able to represent the organization to donors, foundations, and stakeholders.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Work Environment
This position can be remote, anywhere in the southeast. Candidate must travel multiple times throughout the year for recruitment and community partnership visits. The year round office is located in Atlanta.

Our Commitment to Inclusion
Camp Judaea is committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary
$225,000-$250,000

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical coverage with 100% employer-paid employee-only health insurance; dependent coverage available at employee cost, with reimbursement available for eligible employees who waive coverage.
• Basic life insurance and AD&D coverage.
• Retirement savings through a qualified retirement plan with a 4% employer match after one year of employment
• Paid time off – 20 days of PTO annually.
• Secular and Jewish Holidays observed, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, and Passover
• Complimentary camper tuition for employees’ eligible children, subject to registration requirements and availability.
• Summer housing provided

Compensation

$225,000-250,00

Requirements

Additional Qualifications

Demonstrated CEO-level leadership of a complex organization including multi-generational stakeholders

• Believes in Camp Judaea’s mission of fostering a pluralistic community rooted in Jewish values and the transformative power of Jewish summer camp.
• Commitment to quality and service excellence; instills trust and confidence.

Excellent financial acumen (budget, investments, audit, endowment)

• Extensive experience with budgeting and financial oversight.
• Comfort making financial recommendations and decisions at scale.

Proven fundraising capability with the ability to strategically engage funders

• History of major gift solicitation and stewardship, institutional fundraising, and donor strategy.

Experience building and maintaining exceptional organizational culture and teams

• Experience building structure, systems, and performance expectations; ability to hold teams accountable while maintaining strong culture.

Capacity to be both visionary and operationally grounded

• Voices and implements a compelling vision; moves between high-level strategy and day-to-day management fluidly.

Experience partnering effectively with boards and governance structures

• Comfort navigating board dynamics and executive committee processes.

Understanding of Jewish overnight camp culture

• Appreciation for deep cultural roots (many staff are lifelong camp people).

Strong relational leadership and public presence

• Able to represent the organization to donors, foundations, and stakeholders.