Recreation Lead – Camps and Programs

SIRC; Toronto; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A community recreation organization in Ontario is seeking a motivated Recreation Lead to oversee camps and programs. This role involves planning and executing inclusive summer camps, coordinating activities year-round, and managing staff. The ideal candidate should have leadership skills and experience in recreational programming, along with necessary aquatic certifications. This position offers a full-time contract with competitive hourly pay.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years working in recreation and/or camp programming.
• Minimum of 1 year in a supervisory role.
• Current aquatic certifications required.

Responsibilities

• Plan, administer, and execute adapted camps.
• Supervise seasonal staff and ensure program delivery.
• Support participant care and engagement strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organization

Customer service

Decision-making

Education

Post-secondary education in Recreation/Leisure, Sports Administration, or Physical Education

Tools

CPR Certification

Lifeguard Certification

Job description

Position Title: Recreation Lead – Camps and Programs
Reports to: Coordinator, Camps & Adult Day Program
Coordinator, Community Based Programs
Job Type: Full-Time, 1 Year-Contract
Hours: 35 hours per week
Location: Variety Village- Scarborough, ON

Rate: $23.00 – $27.00 per hour, based on experience and qualifications

Who we are:

Located in southwestern Scarborough, Ontario, Variety Village is an inclusive, adaptive, and family friendly facility serving more than 30,000 individuals each year. Variety Village has had, and continues to have, a profound impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Through adaptive sport and recreation programming, outreach and education, Variety promotes inclusion and healthy living through adapted physical activity.

Job Summary

Variety Village is seeking a motivated and experienced professional for a full-time contract position that merges the responsibilities of Camp Site Director and Recreation Lead. This dual-role position plays a key leadership function in both the delivery of inclusive summer camps and year-round recreation programs for individuals of all abilities.

Reporting to the Coordinator, Camps & Day Programs, the Camp Site Director is responsible for the planning, administration, and execution of Variety’s adapted camps. This includes overseeing logistics, coordinating day-to-day operations, and recruiting, training, and supervising a team of seasonal staff. The Camp Site Director ensures that camp programming is safe, inclusive, engaging, and aligned with Variety’s values.

As Recreation Lead, the second part of this role reports to the Coordinator, Community Based Programs and supports the development and delivery of integrated aquatics, sport, and life skills programming. The Recreation Lead provides on-the-ground leadership, supports participant care, engagement strategies, and offers coaching and mentorship to part-time staff. Additional responsibilities include assisting with administrative tasks, equipment maintenance, and staff development through training and evaluation.

An ideal candidate is a strong communicator and team leader with excellent organizational skills, current aquatic certifications, and experience in inclusive recreational programming.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Administration and Leadership

• Daily administrative tasks, including but not limited to emails, voicemails, following up with guardians regarding registration & cancellations/refunds, sending guardians receipts as requested.
• Assisting on-site with registration day and following up with program and camp participants.
• Leading the Camp Staff Teams and supporting the Programs Team by providing coaching, feedback and oversight of program delivery.
• Acting as the 1:1 Support Supervisor for Programs and Seasonal Camps as well as supporting the Camp 1:1 Support Supervisor through the pre-camp process. Tasks include but are not limited to participant support scheduling, conducting intakes and taking registrations.
• Tracking staff certifications and providing them to the Facility Coordinator to ensure certifications are valid and documented.
• Attending virtual and in-person community events with Coordinators to promote Variety programming in the community.
• Acting Coordinator during the Coordinator’s absence, ensuring effective communication and providing updates as needed to the Coordinator while they are offsite.
• Reviewing incident reports as they come in, ensuring that they are completed properly and filed accordingly, informing Coordinators and following up with participants and guardians as necessary.
• Supporting the Coordinators with staff scheduling for Community Based Programs and Seasonal Camps and leading the scheduling process for Summer Camps. Assisting with finding staff coverage as necessary.
• Making edits to schedule for coverage amongst part-time staff on scheduling software if coordinator is offsite or absent.
• Ensuring attendance for all camps and programs is being recorded each day, following up with guardians of absent participants.
• Serving as liaison for Volunteer Coordinator and helping distribute volunteers & placement students in camps and programs.

Staff Recruitment, Training & Evaluation

• Aiding in the development and implementation of group interviews for camp and programs.
• Taking lead role in camp hiring process, liaising with HR to complete individual interviews and onboarding process.
• Working with Camp and Programs Leadership Teams to develop orientation and inservice training seasonally.
• Overseeing camp staff reviews with camp supervisor team, aiding with individual feedback as needed.

Program Development & Delivery

• Facilitating inclusive and active programming that promotes well-being.
• Maintaining a safe, stimulating environments for all participants.
• Promoting active living and engagement opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
• Understanding and executing emergency protocols, procedures, and safety policies.
• Acting as lead or support staff when delivering programs.
• Working with Coordinators to develop curriculum and resources for programs.
• Conducting program evaluations, identify areas for improvement and work with Coordinators to implement improvement plans.
• Helping with behavioural, medical, and/or communication situations, leading staff team during major situations where a Coordinator is not present.
• Supporting participant care needs including but not limited to feeding, changing, transferring and toileting.
• Utilizing communication and inclusive participation strategies to support participant involvement in programming.
• Using preventative and intervention strategies to support participant behaviours throughout programs.
• Performing other duties as assigned to support the overall success of the camps and programs.
• Post-secondary education in Recreation/Leisure, Sports Administration, or Physical Education is a strong asset.
• Current and valid certifications required:
  • Standard First Aid with CPR-C & AED
  • National Lifeguard – Pool, Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor, Airway Management, Lifesaving and First Aid Instructors qualifications, High Five, and/or Crisis Prevention & Intervention training a strong asset.
• Minimum of 3 years working in recreation and/or camp programming.
• Minimum of 1 year working in a supervisory role.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Strong customer service and public engagement skills.
• Dependable, reliable, and punctual.
• Ability to adapt programming to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and follow direction effectively.

Interested applicants should submit their covering letter including salary expectations and resume to the email below by August 11, 2025. Please note that selected applicants will be required to participate in a multi-step interview process. A criminal check will also be required.

Variety is committed to building an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity, values differences, and supports the full participation of all employees. We welcome applications from those who are passionate about contributing to a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and included. We welcome applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, 2S & LGBTQIA+ persons, and anyone who can add to the diversity of our team. We offer accommodation to applicants with disabilities throughout our hiring process, upon request.

We thank all applicants in advance and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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