Program Manager chez Summer Discovery

Program Manager Job Description

About Us:

Our mission at Summer Discovery is to provide best-in-class, immersive summer college enrichment experiences that perfectly balance courses curated by top tier universities in diverse fields of study, with opportunities for students to have fun, travel and explore new places with new friends. We support students in their mission to deepen their knowledge of their academic passion and foster college-ready confidence through hands-on learning experiences in their preferred field of study. 

We are the industry trailblazers, applying nearly sixty years of learning, refinement and relationship building into what we do each day.  Simply put, our team is obsessed with summer and determined to help our students excel, building lifelong skills, embracing intellectual curiosity, innovation, and a love of learning. 

Position Overview:

The Program Manager serves as the primary program leader for one summer program (with rare exceptions managing two related programs), ensuring exceptional experiences that exceed expectations of students, families, and university partners. This role requires 7-12 weeks of on-site campus residency during the summer season, where you'll lead all aspects of program operations while embodying Summer Discovery's vibrant spirit and commitment to excellence.

Depending on your campus assignment, you'll work within either our branded program model (which we own and operate end-to-end) or our managed program model (where we provide operational excellence for institutional partners), adapting your approach to deliver consistently outstanding results.

This role is hybrid and will work out of our NY City Office 4 days per week and will require occasional travel to training, meetings, recruiting activities during the year. This role will also involve 7+ consecutive weeks on a campus in a summer position between June-August.

Essential Responsibilities

On-Site Program Leadership: 

• Create an exceptional summer environment by serving as the primary campus leader during the summer season
• Live on-site for 7-12 weeks depending on your program assignment
• Lead daily operations and troubleshoot challenges in real-time
• Ensure every aspect of the program reflects Summer Discovery's high standards
• Cultivate a dynamic, engaging campus atmosphere that balances academic rigor with the joy and excitement of Summer Discovery

Campus Operations Management: 

• Oversee comprehensive pre-season preparation and summer execution for your assigned program
• Manage budgets and coordinate staffing needs based on enrollment
• Create dynamic programming calendars
• Ensure all logistics meet program standards and university partner requirements
• Maintain strict adherence to all policies, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Monitor program activities closely and make real-time adjustments to ensure smooth operations

Program Growth & Stakeholder Engagement: 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all program stakeholders, with your approach determined by your specific program assignment:
• • For Branded Programs: Direct engagement with families, students, school counselors, agents, and partner organizations throughout the enrollment and program lifecycle, including active participation in field sales efforts and recruitment activities to drive enrollment growth and program expansion
  • For Managed Programs: Primary coordination with institutional client partners while supporting their student experience goals and identifying opportunities for program growth and partnership expansion
  • For All Programs: Maintain strong relationships with university partners, internal teams, and seasonal staff

Academic Program Execution & Coordination: 

• Execute flawless delivery of academic programming through extensive coordination and logistics management
• For branded programs: serve as the academic leader and subject matter expert, maintaining comprehensive knowledge of all course offerings, faculty expertise, curriculum components, and learning objectives while implementing Summer Discovery's curriculum plans
• Conduct training with sales and marketing teams and develop resources to ensure marketing and sales messaging aligns with course content
• Collaborate with marketing to monitor course webpages for accuracy and update with current information as needed
• For managed programs: focus on comprehensive product knowledge and operational excellence to execute university partner academic requirements while ensuring alignment with institutional goals
• Serve as primary contact with campus partner through sales cycle to monitor course performance and lead decisions to cancel or continue courses
• Coordinate with sales team to support client services outreach regarding canceled courses or other changes to preserve enrollments
• Monitor course enrollments and communicate closely with sales team to ensure overall enrollments do not exceed course capacities
• Coordinate classroom and lab space allocation according to course-specific requirements
• Manage field trip and guest speaker scheduling, transportation, logistics, and budget
• Oversee specialized equipment procurement and setup
• Facilitate faculty and instructor coordination and training to effectively implement the Summer Discovery Academic Model
• Ensure seamless integration of all academic components with the broader campus experience
• Lead content capture initiatives throughout the program to document student experiences, capture testimonials, and develop materials for future program enhancement and marketing efforts

Summer Operations Management: 

• Take complete operational ownership of your program during the active summer season
• Manage all aspects of daily operations, student welfare, and campus logistics
• Oversee student behavioral management and disciplinary procedures
• Coordinate crisis response and emergency protocols
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of all incidents with timely parent communication
• Manage relationships with campus medical staff, counselors, and support services to ensure student wellbeing
• Address real-time operational challenges, from facility issues to schedule conflicts, while maintaining program quality and student satisfaction
• Coordinate with university partners on campus-specific requirements and protocols
• Ensure compliance with all safety regulations
• Conduct regular program assessments and implement immediate improvements when needed
• Maintain detailed operational records and provide regular updates to Regional Directors on program performance, challenges, and successes

Team Leadership & Staff Management: 

• Lead the complete staff lifecycle from recruitment through post-program activities for seasonal campus staff
• Recruit qualified candidates and manage contracting and onboarding processes
• Provide comprehensive training and supervise daily operations to ensure high-performance standards
• Deliver ongoing guidance, feedback, and support throughout the program to maintain excellent service delivery
• Oversee post-hire activities and program wrap-up responsibilities
• Lead by example in creating a positive, engaging work environment that attracts and retains top talent

Key Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Education, Hospitality Management, or related field
• 3-5 years operations management experience, preferably in educational or multi-site environments
• Proven leadership and team management experience with strong staff development skills
• Exceptional communication abilities with diverse stakeholder groups
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with ability to manage multiple priorities
• Travel required throughout the year to partner meetings, staff recruitment fairs, and company meetings
• Ability and willingness to relocate temporarily for 7-12 weeks during summer season
• Availability for hybrid work schedule in New York City office 4 days per week during non-summer periods

Preferred: 

• Experience managing residential, campus-based, or intensive program environments
• Background in both direct-consumer services and institutional partnership management
• Sales and client services experience with track record of driving satisfaction and growth
• Summer program or educational enrichment experience
• Experience with budget management and P&L responsibility

What We Offer

• Competitive full-time compensation package

• Opportunity to shape transformative summer experiences for students
• Leadership role with significant autonomy and impact
• Seasonal housing and meal arrangements during on-site periods
• Professional development in operations management and educational programming
• Collaborative team environment with nearly 60 years of industry expertise

Salary Range: 

Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory employment background check.

Summer Discovery embraces diversity and equal opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.