Holston Presbytery Camp and Retreat Center, Inc. is a year-round camp and retreat center located in Banner Elk, NC. Organized as a North Carolina nonprofit corporation with tax-exempt status, Holston has been in continuous operation since 1955 as a ministry of Holston Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In 2021 by mutual agreement Holston Presbytery and Holston Center transitioned their relationship to a covenant relationship and the Board of Directors of Holston Center assumed full responsibility for the management and operation of the camp and retreat center. Now the direct employer of the Executive Director, Holston Center states in its Bylaws as to the Executive Director: “The Executive Director shall serve as the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall be responsible to the Board for the administration of the business affairs and assets of the Corporation and for the employment and supervision of all other employees of the Corporation. The Executive Director shall not be a member of the Board but shall attend all meetings thereof and shall have the privilege of the floor, without vote.”
Employment Status: Exempt, full-time. Includes housing and benefits.
Accountability: The Executive Director is employed by and accountable to the Board of Directors of Holston Presbytery Camp and Retreat Center, Inc. The Executive Director shall perform his/her work within the policies, procedures, goals, objectives, and bylaws of the Center and applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations of civil authority.
Duties and Responsibilities: The Executive Director bears the responsibilities and performs the duties customarily attributed to the chief executive officer of a nonprofit corporation, together with such additional responsibilities and duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors. By way of illustration, the duties and responsibilities may be described as follows:
- Vision, Mission, and Values. In concert with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director participates in identifying, describing, and implementing the organization’s statement of its vision, mission, and values; provides direction and oversight of their incorporation into the programs and activities of the organization; and preserves the history and continuity of the organization in its identified vision and mission roles.
- Management. The Executive Director has primary responsibility for the management of the organization and its assets and facilities, which customarily includes:
- Managing the operation, budget, personnel, maintenance, property, and programs of the organization;
- Determining the needs for permanent staff and seeing to their hiring, training, and performance;
- Overseeing the management of all seasonal, part-time, full-time, and volunteer staff;
- Overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of the camp facilities, buildings, grounds, and related assets and planning for their periodic repair, replacement, or acquisition;
- Supporting the Board of Directors in developing contacts who may have skills, experience, or community engagements who may be beneficially recruited as members of the Board or its committees;
- Attending Board meetings and committee meetings as requested or needed;
- Providing written and oral reports to the Board related to management as requested or needed.
- Financial Oversight and Risk Management. The Executive Director has primary responsibility for the financial management of the organization, which customarily includes:
- Recruiting, hiring, and overseeing part-time, full-time, or outside financial staff to maintain the financial affairs, books, records, and reports of the organization;
- In concert with the treasurer, assistant treasurer, and finance committee chairman, leading the budgeting process and operating the organization to be compliant with budgets so developed;
- Providing leadership and directing support to plans for fundraising, capital campaigns, and mission partnership development;
- Establishing systems for monitoring research and applications for grants, for ensuring compliance with grant terms, for keeping grant donors timely informed about the use or status of approved grants, and for tracking deadlines for timely filing new or renewal applications;
- Establishing systems for donor recognition and meeting with key significant donors and donor prospects regularly;
- Ensuring adequate training for staff engaged or assigned financial management duties and communicating regularly with such staff to maintain mutual understandings of the expectations of senior management and staff;
- Providing periodic written and oral reports on financial matters to the Board, the treasurer, and the chair of the finance committee as requested or needed.
- Ensure that the camp complies where possible with American Camp Association (ACA) safety standards, and incorporate best practices in its operations
- Program. The Executive Director has primary responsibility for the management of the programs of the organization, which customarily includes:
- Leading the scheduling, staffing, and thematic content of the overnight and day camp summer programs, including selecting, hiring and training of a summer camp director and summer camp counselors; developing a summer camp theme and program components; inspecting all facilities, vehicles, equipment, gear, and other assets to be used by or with summer campers, and arranging for their repair, replacement, refurbishment, as needed;
- Developing or refreshing program offerings for camp, conference, and retreat groups to encourage wider or more frequent use of the camp facilities.
5. Communications. The Executive Director is the face of the organization to the outside world and is uniquely positioned to represent the organization to the universe of its campers, parents, churches, local community, and donors. He or she thus has primary responsibility for the outreach, development, and communications of the organization, which customarily include:
- Leading, promoting, advertising, marketing, and building participation and support for all of the organization’s programs and events, through its website, social media presence, brochures, posters, materials, and presentations to groups; speaking to groups or providing pulpit support; participating and engaging with local civic and community organizations; and developing relationships with local civic and governmental officials;
- Leading, maintaining, and nurturing partnerships with churches in Holston Presbytery and in other presbyteries in western North Carolina and southwestern Virginia, with churches of other denominations, and with community groups in those areas;
- Attending professional meetings and conferences to enhance or refine personal skills and to establish and nurture relationships among other camps and camp professionals;
- Engaging members of the Board of Directors as resources for the development of personal relationships among potential donors or planned benefactors in communities where the directors may reside.
Education, Experience, and Personal Attributes
- Faithful and demonstrable commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Desire to serve Christ through Christian Camping ministry.
- Bachelor’s degree, with concentration in Finance, Accounting, Management, or Outdoors Recreational Management or similar field of study preferred
- 10 years of work in a related field, with three of those being in a non-profit leadership/management role in a camp or retreat setting is preferred
- 5 or more years of management should have been in direct management or supervision of subordinates demonstrating competence in levels of increasing responsibility
- Ability to perform occasional physical labor – lift and carry up to 50 lbs, walk over uneven terrain for short distances, stand for periods of time (Sunday afternoon registrations, serving meals, washing dishes). Capacity to learn how to operate power equipment safely and effectively.
Salary Range/Compensation Package: $50,000-70,000 plus housing, benefits
Application Instructions: Contact Jim Amstutz at jdamstutz413@gmail.com
Application Deadline: July 31, 2025.
Website: Holston Center | Home | Summer Camp | Retreat Center