Camp Harvest - 2027 Program Director

Thank you for your interest in serving as the Program Director at Camp Harvest!

The Program Director leads the Camp Harvest summer program team and serves as the primary bridge between Camp Harvest leadership, summer staff, and visiting church groups. This person is responsible for hiring and developing summer staff, ensuring a safe and compliant camp environment, coordinating programming with church groups, and creating a summer culture that is fun, clean, safe, and sacred.

This is a highly relational leadership role for someone who can lead people well, communicate clearly, uphold important standards, and bring energy and joy to the camp environment. The Program Director must be able to hold a line when safety, policy, or expectations require it, while still creating a culture that is fun, encouraging, and distinctly Camp Harvest.

The following responsibilities are central to leading a successful summer at Camp Harvest:

Lead & Develop the Summer Staff Team

The Program Director oversees the summer staff experience from hiring through the end of the summer season.

Responsibilities include:

• Recruit, interview, hire, and onboard summer staff in partnership with Camp Harvest leadership.


• Develop and lead thorough pre-summer training that prepares staff to serve safely, effectively, and in alignment with Camp Harvest's mission and expectations.


• Clearly communicate Camp Harvest policies, procedures, expectations, and best practices to the summer team.


• Provide ongoing coaching, encouragement, correction, and discipleship throughout the summer.


• Establish a healthy team culture characterized by enthusiasm, humility, accountability, excellence, and servant leadership.


• Supervise summer staff throughout the season and ensure responsibilities are being carried out consistently and well.


• Address performance, relational, or conduct concerns promptly and appropriately.


• Help staff understand not only what they are expected to do, but why we do it.


• Lead by example in attitude, work ethic, communication, safety, and spiritual maturity.
  

Safety, Compliance & Risk Management

The Program Director serves as a key guardian of Camp Harvest's safety and compliance standards.

This person is responsible for becoming thoroughly familiar with and consistently implementing:

• Applicable Michigan laws, regulations, and requirements for youth camps.


• Requirements and recommendations from Camp Harvest's insurance provider.


• Camp Harvest policies, procedures, emergency protocols, and internal safety standards.


• Role-specific safety requirements for Camp Harvest activities and program areas.


• Staff training and documentation requirements.

The Program Director will communicate these expectations clearly to summer staff and provide ongoing supervision to ensure that standards are followed throughout the summer.

Training alone is not enough- the Program Director must continually observe, coach, correct, and reinforce safe practices throughout the season. 

The Program Director should be someone who is comfortable saying "no" when necessary, even when it is inconvenient or unpopular, while communicating the reason behind the decision with clarity, grace, and confidence.

Church Group Coordination

Camp Harvest's model is built around partnering with local churches. The Program Director serves as the primary bridge between the visiting church group and the Camp Harvest summer staff team.

Before each group arrives, the Program Director will:

• Communicate with church leadership to understand their goals, needs, and expectations for their week at camp.


• Ensure church volunteers understand Camp Harvest's policies, procedures, safety expectations, and role within the Camp Harvest program.


• Confirm that required volunteer screening, background checks, training, and other documentation are completed.


• Work with church leaders to build a programming schedule that reflects both Camp Harvest's best practices and the specific goals and desires of the church group.


• Ensure that all parties understand responsibilities, expectations, schedules, and important logistical details before arrival.

During the week of camp, the Program Director will:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the church group's leaders.


• Communicate the daily schedule and expectations clearly to both church volunteers and summer staff.


• Keep the Camp Harvest team and church leadership on the same page as schedules or circumstances change.


• Troubleshoot problems and make adjustments as needed.


• Help church leaders and summer staff work together effectively.


• Ensure the programming experience remains safe, organized, engaging, and aligned with Camp Harvest's mission.

Program Leadership

The Program Director is responsible for making sure the Camp Harvest program operates at a high level throughout the summer. This includes:

• Coordinating daily programming and activities.


• Ensuring program areas are properly staffed, prepared, and maintained.


• Overseeing setup and teardown of program spaces.


• Making sure schedules are communicated and executed effectively.


• Anticipating problems before they become problems.


• Responding calmly and effectively when unexpected situations arise.


• Maintaining a high standard of excellence while remaining flexible when circumstances require it.


• Working closely with Camp Harvest Directors to evaluate and improve the summer program.

The Program Director should be able to see both the big picture and the details—understanding the overall goals of a week at camp while also noticing when a staff member is in the wrong location, a program area is not properly prepared, or a safety expectation is being missed.

Fun, Clean, Safe & Sacred

Everything we do at Camp Harvest is designed to create a space where students can encounter Jesus without unnecessary barriers.
The Program Director is responsible for helping the summer staff team live out four core values:

• Fun- Camp should be energetic, exciting, and welcoming. The Program Director sets the tone for the summer staff team and helps create an environment where students experience joy, adventure, and enthusiasm.
  


• Clean- Well-maintained spaces communicate care and hospitality. The Program Director ensures staff understand and consistently maintain Camp Harvest's standards for cleanliness, organization, setup, and teardown.
  


• Safe- Safety is always a top priority. The Program Director must be vigilant, proactive, and willing to address unsafe behavior or conditions immediately.
  


• Sacred- Camp Harvest exists to participate in the work God is doing in the lives of students and leaders. The Program Director should lead a team that understands that their work is ministry, not simply a summer job.

What We're Looking For

The ideal Program Director is:

• A committed follower of Jesus with a growing and active faith.


• A mature leader who can lead both confidently and humbly.


• Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities.


• An excellent communicator who can communicate expectations clearly and consistently.


• Comfortable giving both encouragement and correction.


• Relational and approachable while still willing to hold people accountable.


• Detail-oriented without losing sight of the bigger picture.


• Calm and decisive when unexpected situations arise.


• Able to create a fun and energetic culture while maintaining high standards.


• Passionate about working with students, churches, and young adults.


• A strong team player who respects authority and works well with Camp Harvest leadership.


• Someone who takes safety, compliance, and risk management seriously.


• A person of integrity who is above reproach in speech, conduct, and personal lifestyle.


• Flexible, action-oriented, and willing to do whatever is needed to make camp successful.

Qualifications

• Must have a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.


• Must be an active, engaged, and accountable member of a local church.


• Must demonstrate strong leadership and interpersonal skills.


• Previous experience leading or supervising young adults is strongly preferred.


• Previous camp, youth ministry, church ministry, or program leadership experience is strongly preferred.


• Must be willing and able to pass a background check.


• Must be physically, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to thrive in a demanding summer camp environment.


• Must be willing to learn and maintain knowledge of applicable Michigan camp regulations, insurance requirements, and Camp Harvest policies.


• Must be available for the full summer season and required pre-season preparation and training.

About Camp Harvest

• Our Camp- Set on 600+ beautiful acres in the Northwoods of Michigan, Camp Harvest hosts youth groups of up to 250 students each week throughout the summer. We are entering our 23rd year of operations, and the legacy of God at work here is strong.
  


• Our Mission- Camp Harvest is a ministry of Cultivate Churches whose mission is to create life-changing experiences through extended trips and intentional relationships rooted in Jesus, focused on worship, teaching, encouragement, adventure, and rest.
  


• Our Model- We believe in the local church. Camp Harvest provides the time, space, adventure, enthusiasm, and logistics for students to have an incredible camp experience within the context of their own church community. We host youth groups rather than individual campers, allowing church leaders to continue discipling their students throughout the week and throughout the year.
  


• Our Team- Character traits and biblical attitudes are essential for every member of the Camp Harvest team. We are looking for people who are spiritually and morally healthy, servant leaders, strong in their relationships with others, passionate about campers, consistently enthusiastic, and committed to doing their work with excellence.
  

Why This Role Matters

The Program Director has a unique opportunity to shape the culture and quality of an entire summer at Camp Harvest.

When this role is done well, summer staff are equipped and cared for, church leaders feel confident and supported, safety standards are consistently upheld, programs run smoothly, and students experience a week where they can have fun, build relationships, encounter God, and grow closer to Jesus.

The goal isn't simply to run a good camp program. It's to create the kind of environment where God can do what only He can do.

Check out our website for some great pictures and information on what it's like to be Camp Staff!