Position Title: Summer Camp Head Counselor
Reports To: Camp Director, Assistant Camp Director
Work Location: In person, Scarborough, Maine
Job Type: Full Time, Seasonal, 37-40 hours per week
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, day shift
Job Summary
Do you love working with kids? Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth? Do you want to work outdoors all summer-long? Do you want to develop your leadership skills and gain valuable training and experience in the field of outdoor education? This may be the perfect job for you! At Camp Ketcha we hire over 100 Summer Camp staff to lead our students and our programs in our dynamic day camp set on 107 acres of fields, woods, marsh and wetlands in Scarborough, Maine. The Camp Ketcha Head Counselor works directly with other administrative and logistical staff members to ensure the proper operation of camp including supervising counselors, assisting with programming, problem solving and camper issues. The Head Counselor also has oversight responsibility for counselors assigned. Head Counselors must be able to complete First Aid, CPR, AED training and certification before starting work and be 21 years of age or older.
Responsibilities
- Provide assigned staff members with assistance and guidance with programming, activities, professional development, and issues and concerns with children
- Monitor camp grounds and activities to ensure safety
- Addresses individual camper concerns and issues in conjunction with counselors. Advises leadership if concerns are repetitive, disrupt group activities, or warrant contact with camper’s guardian(s).
- Walks the grounds daily to monitor the general flow and success of counselor activity
- Covering counselor groups if a sub cannot be found
- Assists the Camp Director and Program Director in implementing and enforcing policies and procedures.
- Maintains a professional demeanor and appearance at all times when on Camp Ketcha grounds, while conducting Camp Ketcha business, and when representing Camp Ketcha.
- Transports campers to and from activities when needed
- Meets with assigned staff members daily to provide feedback on performance, coordinate lesson plans, activities, special events and to problem-solve.
- Ensures the daily tasks in a timely manner opening circle, bus dismissal, pizza lunch day, closing circle and parent communication.
- Supervises assigned counselors by providing periodic and final performance evaluations.
- Reports safety concerns immediately to the Camp Director or Program Director.
- Handles major discipline related issues that arise.
- Contacts camper’s parents if warranted for behavior or health reasons and brings information to the immediate attention of the Camp Director or Asst. Camp Director.
- Demonstrate sound judgement and establish a nurturing atmosphere in which campers feel safe, engaged, and included
- Communicate with all campers and staff in a positive and respectful manner
- Summer camp is a collaborative and fast paced environment that requires flexibility and the ability to lend a hand wherever needed. Other duties as assigned may include, but is not limited to, daily cleaning tasks or working with various age groups, positions, camps, or programs including our childcare programming. All summer staff will be expected to demonstrate flexibility to ensure our summer programming runs as smoothly as possible.
Required Job Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED Certificate
- Experience working with children and youth
- Valid Class C driver’s license, approved Driving Record through our insurance provider
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to coordinate multiple tasks in an organized way
- High Degree of flexibility and dependability
- Commitment to Ketcha Outdoors’ mission, vision, and values
- Detail oriented, ability to work independently, multi-task, and enjoys interfacing with other staff at all levels
- Ability to ensure safety for yourself and all program participants
- High degree of personal integrity and professional conduct
- High degree of flexibility and dependability
- Mandated Reporter Training (to be updated every 3 years)
- CPR/First Aid Certificate (to be updated every 2 years)
- Comfort in front of large groups of people
- Focus on risk management and safety
Preferred Job Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, recreation or related field or equivalent experience
- Tenured camp staff from Ketcha or other like camp program.
- Basic computer literacy skills including word processing and emailing
Essential Job Functions
- This position belongs to a class of employees referred to as Essential Personnel. Essential personnel are those needed on site to meet the needs of our camper and general camp operations. Essential personnel must report to work during their regularly scheduled hours, unless directed otherwise by a supervisor.
General Work Environment and Physical Demands
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This position requires the employee to be able to pass a Complete Background Check including the National Sex Offender Registry and work outdoors for long periods of time and in light rain, heat or cold. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; run; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This position is subject to a number of inherent risks associated with farm activities. There is a potential exposure to dander of animals.
At Ketcha Outdoors, not only do we embrace and celebrate the diversity of our families and participants, but we also strive for the same in our employees. At Ketcha Outdoors, we are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, or other class protected by applicable law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to do the job. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The duties and responsibilities in this job description may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. Further, this document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, or the expectation of continued employment. Ketcha Outdoors is and will maintain an “at-will” employment relationship with all employees. The employment relationship may be terminated at any time by either party for any reason, or for no reason, with or without cause and with or without notice.