Director of Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies

The Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies at Cooper’s Cove, which is also known as ‘The Cove’ or BCWS, is the mountain campus – and an essential part of the educational program – of Burgundy Farm Country Day School. BCWS is both a wildlife preserve and a teaching facility; it also is a nationally prominent summer nature camp that has been an incubator for future scientists and environmentalists. The BCWS Director oversees the entire program, staffing, facility, and finances of the Cove. 

Be a Lead Educator

• Teaching children, ages 6-15, in all branches of the sciences, in the outdoors, with an emphasis on environmental science 
• Curriculum development (during school year in collaboration with school teachers at each grade level)
• Hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating staff and counselors
• Communicating the ethos and programming of the program.
• Planning and managing budgets 
• Marketing the camp 
• Managing donor relationships and land conservation and facility efforts
• Maintenance, assisting the Caretaker as needed and performing ongoing risk management and assessments to facilitate maintenance
• Modeling conservation and ecology
• Modeling concern for equity and inclusion

Qualifications:

• Experience teaching children, ages 6-15, preferably in the outdoors, but with classroom experience a bonus
• Experience hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating camp or nature center staff who work with children
• Experience managing significant budgets 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• CPR, WFA certifications
• Experience with camp or school accreditation processes

Other Desirable Experience and Skills:

• Marketing of nature and/or summer programs
• Experience in managing parents/helping teachers manage parents
• Working botanical knowledge, interest in native vs invasive species
• Canopy and bus driver certifications
• Familiarity with safe food handling and preparation
• Gardening skills
• Familiarity with Google Suite: Google docs, mail, and calendar

Working Months

Work to maintain the program and facility spans 12 months. Programs, including an ‘Adult Weekend,’ run from late April through early November. March is a preparation month, and November is a facility closing month. Whereas program months are very intensive, most of December, January and February are more flexible, include down time, and can be spent partly to mostly off-site, but hiring, maintenance, marketing, accreditation preparation, planning and other work happen in these months. 

Vacation time and personal time is taken mostly in winter. Leave during programming months is sparse and scheduled in collaboration with the Assistant Director and Caretaker.

How to apply:

How to Apply: Please email to hiring@burgundyfarm.org a current resume with a cover letter that summarizes your interest and relevant experience and skills.