Director of Auxiliary Programs

Location: Braintree, Massachusetts | Type: Full Time | Salary: $115,000-135,000

About the Role

Thayer Academy is seeking an experienced Director of Auxiliary Programs to lead and strategically grow a diverse portfolio of mission-aligned programs, including Camp Thayer, the Thayer Academy Collaborative, Summer Sports Camps, the Summer Academic Enrichment Program, the school store, and facility rentals. Reporting to the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, this newly established leadership role offers an outstanding opportunity for an entrepreneurial and collaborative leader to leverage Thayer's exceptional people, programs, and campus resources while expanding the school's impact and generating meaningful non-tuition revenue.

Engagement and Belonging at Thayer

Since it first opened its doors in 1877, Thayer Academy has fostered a co-educational environment that affords equal access to students from a broad range of socio-economic circumstances, so they may pursue and develop their talents, interests, and passions. Thayer remains committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and inspiring environment for every student in our community. We value the commonalities that unite us and celebrate the diversity that makes this community stronger and more vibrant — a diversity that embraces, but is not limited to: race, religion, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, learning style, physical ability, family makeup, and socioeconomic status.

Thayer Campus Facilities

• 34-acre campus
• 11 science labs
• 2 robotics labs
• 2 theaters
• 7 art studios
• 54 classrooms
• 2 libraries
• 2 collaborative design labs
• 3 gymnasiums
• 11 athletic fields
• 1 ice rink
• Indoor and outdoor tennis courts
• Turf fields
• Track and outdoor swimming pools

Thayer Auxiliary Programs

• Camp Thayer: A co-ed day camp running for 8 weeks each summer with a wide variety of daily schedule options for children ages 3.9 to 14. Programs include:
  • Lower Camp
  • General Camp
  • Theater
  • Specialty Camps
  • CIT Program
• Thayer Academy Collaborative: Provides expanded learning opportunities to students from underrepresented groups with academic potential and curiosity, leveraging the Academy’s resources to avert summer learning loss.
• Thayer Summer Sports Clinics: A range of summer sports clinics for students in grades 5 through 12, led by Thayer head coaches. Sports include basketball, field hockey, football, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and strength and conditioning.
• Summer Academic Enrichment Program: Week-long, faculty-led courses for students entering grades 3–12, blending hands-on learning with real-world exploration. Topics include entrepreneurship, filmmaking, podcasting, global studies, financial literacy, and creative writing.
• Facility Rentals: Year-round rentals of Thayer facilities managed by the Director of Auxiliary Programs.
• School Store: Provides branded merchandise to the Thayer community, managed by the Director of Auxiliary Programs.

Responsibilities

Strategic Program Development

• Build vibrant programs that achieve desired admissions goals, annual and long-term net revenue targets, and support the school’s mission and program.
• Assess, enhance, and expand summer and auxiliary program offerings aligned with Thayer’s mission to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs of current and prospective participants.
• Collaborate with school leadership, administration, and faculty to ensure all summer and auxiliary programs align with the school’s mission and educational philosophy.
• Annually seek and analyze input from campers/students, families, and staff regarding the quality of their program experience.
• Explore opportunities for leveraging the intellectual and physical assets of the school.
• Identify partnerships that may enhance program potential.

Program Management

• Ensure all summer and auxiliary program participants have a safe and positive experience.
• Oversee ongoing curriculum development for all summer programs in coordination with program directors.
• Ensure all programs are of the highest quality and provide an appropriately safe, caring, and enriching environment for all participants.
• Champion an exceptional customer experience from inquiry through registration, participation, and follow-up.
• Establish routines, provide positive guidance, and enforce policies and procedures, including disciplinary policies, in accordance with Thayer’s stated values.
• Provide ongoing supervision and support of all faculty and staff of the summer and auxiliary programs.
• Develop and oversee all safety and health protocols in coordination with the school risk management plan.
• Manage all rentals of school facilities in coordination with the school calendar and facility availability.

Financial Management

• Ensure that the Auxiliary Programs’ financial performance meets or exceeds budgeted expectations.
• Prepare annual budget covering all aspects of program expenses and revenues to ensure profitability.
• Monitor revenues and expenses in accordance with budgetary restrictions for bottom-line performance across all programs.
• Continually strive to generate and grow net revenue in support of the school.
• Work with individual coaches and teachers to ensure profitability of their programs.
• Develop annual pricing strategies based on market analysis, program demand, and financial objectives.
• Establish appropriate compensation for all auxiliary program employees in coordination with the Chief Financial and Operations Officer.
• Establish and manage contracts with all third-party partners and vendors.

Marketing and Communications

• Effectively promote the programs to achieve enrollment and revenue targets.
• In coordination with the Marketing department, develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for all auxiliary programs.
• Ensure that auxiliary programs have an effective and accurate web presence including the website and social media.
• Plan and coordinate the publishing and advertising of marketing documents, both digital and print.
• Manage all public relations and marketing initiatives including open houses, mailers, brochures, camp fairs, and ad placement to promote and communicate the programs to prospective and enrolled participants.
• Write and distribute regular communications among summer and auxiliary program constituencies that effectively provide updated information and a sense of community.
• Cultivate relationships with community organizations, youth organizations, nonprofits, educational partners, and local businesses to expand programming, increase campus utilization, and create new revenue opportunities.

Administration and Operations

• Ensure that the administration of auxiliary programs is efficient and effective.
• Coordinate and organize registration processes for summer and auxiliary programs (rosters, processing of forms, confirmation letters, parent communication, etc.).
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive summer and auxiliary program database.
• Prepare reports for and communicate with school leadership to ensure awareness of summer and auxiliary program performance.
• Ensure that summer and auxiliary programs are in compliance with all applicable regulations of licensing and governing entities.

Human Resources

• Hire and manage to build a qualified, effective, and customer-focused team.
• Manage all year-round auxiliary program employees including summer program directors and school store manager.
• Work collaboratively with the Assistant Director of Auxiliary Programs to recruit, hire, and train all summer and auxiliary program seasonal and part-time employees.
• Ensure that all necessary and required employment forms, including background checks, are completed and on file.
• Oversee the annual performance evaluation process of all auxiliary programs coaches, teachers, and staff.
• Coordinate and communicate payroll as needed with the Business Office.

Other Duties

• Participate in special assignments and projects as needed to improve school operations (e.g., special projects, buildings and grounds, safety, accreditation, committees, etc.).
• Maintain a commitment to student and employee diversity.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Financial and Operations Officer and the Head of School.

Qualifications

Education and Professional Background

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Education, Business, Recreation Management, Nonprofit Management, or a related field preferred.
• Significant leadership experience overseeing auxiliary programs, summer programs, youth-serving organizations, recreation enterprises, or other mission-driven business operations.
• Independent school experience is valued but not required.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-faceted programs with responsibility for strategic planning, operations, financial performance, and organizational growth.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, coach, and evaluate both year-round and seasonal staff while building collaborative, high-performing teams.

Strategic, Financial, and Operational Leadership

• Strong business acumen with experience developing and managing multi-program budgets, establishing financial goals, monitoring performance, and driving sustainable net revenue growth.
• Demonstrated ability to identify new program opportunities, assess market demand, develop business cases, and successfully launch mission-aligned initiatives.
• Comfortable partnering with senior school leadership and the Business Office on budgeting, pricing, forecasting, contracts, risk management, and long-range planning.

Program Development and Innovation

• Visionary and entrepreneurial leader with a proven track record of designing, launching, and growing innovative programs that strengthen both organizational mission and financial sustainability.
• Ability to thoughtfully leverage institutional assets, including people, facilities, and community partnerships, to expand impact and create new opportunities for engagement and revenue.
• Committed to continuous improvement through data analysis, participant feedback, market research, and thoughtful program evaluation.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology, automation, and emerging tools to improve operational efficiency, customer engagement, and decision-making.

Leadership and Relationship Building

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and credibility with students, families, faculty, staff, alumni, community partners, and school leadership.
• Collaborative, relationship-oriented leader who thrives in a cross-functional environment and works effectively across academic, operational, admissions, athletics, and business office teams.
• Skilled at balancing