Since its establishment in 1887, the YMCA of the East Valley has stood as a beacon of community support and resilience. Overnight Camping has a long history with the association dating back to 1890 when the Redlands YMCA held its first camp experience on Catalina Island. Camp Edwards was established in 1934 and has been located at its current location since 1938. Camp Edwards is nestled within the San Bernardino National Forest, a region known for its mountainous terrain, dense forests, and diverse wildlife. The camp’s 5.4-acre parcel is surrounded by towering pines and scenic vistas, offering a tranquil setting with fresh mountain air and a rich sense of history dating back to its establishment in 1934.
Scenic LocationThe camp holds a long-term lease with the US Forest Service through 2038 and is situated adjacent to several other youth camps. Much of the surrounding property consists of accessible Forest Service land, and Jenks Lake is located within walking distance, offering opportunities for canoeing and fishing for campers. Accommodations include 11 box cabins with access to central restrooms, an ADA-compliant cabin with its own restroom, and 7 guest rooms with private restrooms, providing a total capacity of 144 camper beds.In addition to lodging facilities, the camp features a dining hall, two seasonal staff houses, three central restrooms, an outdoor pool, and a maintenance shop. Program amenities consist of a climbing tower, high ropes course, archery range, low ropes course, sand volleyball court, mountain bike center, and open field areas. The lake, approximately one mile away, serves as a venue for fishing, day hikes, and canoeing activities.
The YMCA of The East Valley is a $30M organization with 800+ employees. The service area encompasses most of San Bernardino County, the fifth-most populous county in California and 14h most populous in the United States.
The association is comprised of six distinct operating units (Redlands, Highland, San Bernardino, Licensed Childcare Services, Camp Edwards, and Legal Aid Clinic), with operations consisting of health and wellness, state funded preschool, 5 swimming pools, an overnight camp (Camp Edwards), youth sports, aquatics programming with a focus on Safety Around Water (SAW), day camp, ASES/ELOP state funded and licensed fee based childcare, the Great Y Circus®, a legal aid clinic, and recreation and teen programs.
YMCA of the East Valley has three traditional YMCA branches (Redlands, Highland and San Bernardino Family YMCAs) offering membership and program throughout the service area. In the Angelous Oaks area, the association features YMCA Camp Edwards, a full-service summer overnight camp.
Program Development: Designs and implements engaging overnight camp programs and experiences that align with YMCA of the East Valley strategic plan. Ensures activities foster camper growth, community-building, and positive youth development in an overnight camp setting.
Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in a related field required; master’s degree preferred. The YMCA Organizational Leader certificate is required within three years from date of hire. Current YMCA leadership certification strongly preferred (Team Leader or Multi-Team Leader).
Experience & Background: 5+ years of progressive overnight camp people and program leadership experience in the YMCA or another non-profit. This position is ideal for a motivated camp professional eager to build a program and culture that addresses the needs of local communities. Candidates with strong experience developing and expanding programs would find this opportunity especially rewarding. A solid facility management background, familiarity with guiding projects through federal approval process and managing programs with little supervision and oversight are also important.
Required to live at camp location all summer and travel to camp most weekends to lead weekend programs. Once housing is available Executive is expected to move on site full-time year-round.
The Executive Director of YMCA Camp Edwards, who reports to the Chief Operating Officer, oversees every aspect of the Camp branch's operations. This includes program development, facility management, staff leadership, and community outreach. A key priority is re-engaging camp alumni and building a dynamic advisory board to support the camp’s unique needs and long-term success. This role is essential for fostering a strong camp community, ensuring high-quality experiences for campers, and advancing the mission of the YMCA of the East Valley.
Leadership and Development: Recruit, hire and manage a seasonal team of up to 40 program staff, 5 food service staff and 1 maintenance staff member. Camp also shares a full-time maintenance technician with the YMCA pre-school in Redland.
Fiscal Management: Creates, manages, and monitors the camp’s operational budget to achieve or surpass financial targets. Ensures effective stewardship of resources in all overnight camp operations, including program delivery, facilities and staff support.
Financial Development: Directs fundraising efforts for Camp Edwards, including launching annual campaign and engaging key volunteers and leaders to secure resources that support camp programs and facility improvements.
Facility Quality & Safety: Drives facility enhancement, understands and is knowledgeable of unique camp needs including fresh water supply, water storage, generators, septic and propane services. Prepared for and able to responds to emergencies including floods and wildfire.
Board and Volunteer Development: Leads efforts to re-establish and grow a local Camp Edwards advisory board. Directs volunteer engagement to support camp operations, cultivating a vibrant and supportive community around the camp.
Planning: Implements the YMCA of the East Valley’s strategic plan at Camp Edwards by developing and executing an annual tactical camp operating plan. Leads marketing and communications to drive camper enrollment for summer and year-round overnight camp programs.
Partnerships & Community Outreach: Acts as the primary spokesperson and advocate for Camp Edwards, building strong relationships with local organizations, government agencies, and community partners. Promotes the value of overnight camp and represents the interests of Camp Edwards within the wider community.
Association: Serves as an integral member of the YMCA Executive Leadership Team, advancing the mission of the YMCA of the East Valley. Actively supports association-wide initiatives, especially those related to youth protection and development within the overnight camp context.