Vice President of Programs & Partnerships

Job Title

Vice President of Programs & Partnerships

President & CEO

Exempt;
Full-time (40 hours/week)

Hybrid, with regular office hours at our Excelsior location

With nature as our catalyst, Camp Fire Minnesota energizes youth to discover their spark so their futures glow brighter. Youth spend 90% of their time indoors – and that was before COVID-19. Camp Fire Minnesota addresses this challenge by delivering culturally relevant, nature-based programs onsite at our camp property in Excelsior and throughout the community to thousands of youth from all backgrounds each year.

We help youth "light their spark within" through summer and school break camps, environmental education & STEM classes for schools (in-person and virtual), and community-based out-of-school time nature programs.

Camp Fire Minnesota envisions a future where every youth has access to nature-based experiences and learning. Looking ahead, our organization’s  Strategic Plan focuses on advancing our mission through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Central to our strategy is the active engagement of both youth and adults in co-designing impactful experiences that center youth voices, giving them more power in decision-making processes.

The plan includes three strategic goals: expanding community-building efforts to involve a broader range of partners; infusing nature learning into all programs to promote environmental sustainability; and transparently sharing our organization’s journey, emphasizing our inclusive approach centered around youth experience and ideas.

Camp Fire believes in the dignity and the intrinsic worth of every human being. We welcome, affirm, and support young people and adults of all abilities and disabilities, experiences, races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, religion and non-religion, citizenship and immigration status, and any other category people use to define themselves or others. We strive to create safe and inclusive environments that celebrate diversity and foster positive relationships.

All are welcome at Camp Fire.

The Vice President of Programs & Partnerships is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing Camp Fire Minnesota’s community partner programs, including Environmental Education Field Trips and After school Explorers. This position leads the strategic development and execution of year-round programs that connect young people to nature and learning through hands-on STEM and Outdoor Education lessons aligned with Minnesota State Education Standards.

In collaboration with over 70 partner organizations, the Vice President of Programs & Partnerships will build and strengthen relationships to expand equitable access to nature-based experiences while integrating trauma-informed practices. In 2025, 93% of youth participated at no cost through these programs, a commitment this role will continue to advance. Working closely with the Vice President of Operations, this leader will ensure that school break and summer camp opportunities remain accessible for the young people served through these initiatives.

As the primary program leader, this position will oversee program outcomes and evaluation, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and continuous improvement. The Vice President of Programs & Partnerships will lead reporting for state grants and collaborate with the Vice President of Development & Communications to craft compelling grant narratives, support reporting for other institutional funders, and help share the impact of Camp Fire Minnesota’s mission-driven work.

Additional responsibilities include oversight of organizational evaluation, youth leadership opportunities (including supporting our youth Board members and our middle school leadership program) and key partnerships, all with the goal of ensuring that youth from all backgrounds can access the power of nature through Camp Fire Minnesota year-round.

• Provide strategic oversight in support of Director of School Programs of all…