Assistant Director - Camp Experience

Camp Seneca Lake; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private living quarters

Job summary

Camp Seneca Lake seeks an experienced Assistant Director, Camp Experience to lead year-round and summer camper programs, directing recruitment, training, and daily supervision of seasonal staff. The role partners with health and family teams to ensure camper wellbeing and engaging experiences.

You will manage bunking, behavior, and family communications, while developing protocols for accommodations and staff development. A bachelor’s degree and 7–10 years’ supervisory experience are required.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years in full-time supervisory and program management roles, preferably with children or youth.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
• Strong background in hiring, training, and managing early career professionals.
• Experience in staff supervision, training design, or HR within a camp or youth-serving organization preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead year-round and summer camper experience programs, including supervision of staff.
• Oversee recruitment, orientation, and staff culture initiatives.
• Coordinate with health and family staff on camper wellbeing and communications.
• Develop and implement protocols for camper accommodations and behavioral needs.
• Plan and deliver staff training, orientation, and development activities.

Skills

Leadership

Staff development

Hiring & training

Communication

Problem solving

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Experience supervising and managing staff

Tools

MS Office

CampMinder

Job description

Please Note: This is not an entry-level role, we are looking for an experienced professional (see below under Education and Experience) with 7-10 years of relevant experience. That experience doesn’t necessarily need to be in Jewish overnight camping, though it is helpful! Candidates with experience at the higher end of the range are more likely to be hired at the higher end of the pay scale.

As a member of the CSL management team, the Assistant Director, Camp Experience focuses on delivering a positive and meaningful experience for campers and staff, providing leadership for the hiring, training, engagement, and day-to-day supervision of seasonal staff, and for the oversight of camper wellbeing and behavioral support.

During the summer, this role directly manages the Unit Heads and SIT Team and works closely with the CSL Executive Director, Assistant Director of Programming & Logistics, and Family Experience Manager to run the day-to-day functions of camp. This role also manages the Camper Care Director during the summer.

During the off-season, this role leads staff recruitment and hiring, staff orientation planning, and staff culture initiatives to set up a successful camp season. This role also partners closely with the Family Experience Manager on post-enrollment family communications, and with the Camper Care Director and Health Center Director on camper physical and emotional wellbeing needs. This role does not own camper recruitment, but takes over the management of each camper’s experience once they are enrolled, overseeing bunking, behavioral and culture concerns, special needs, special diet coordination, etc.

This is a full-time, year-round position. Summers are spent at camp in Penn Yan, NY, and private living quarters are provided.

Camper Experience Responsibilities (Year-Round)

• In conjunction with the Camper Care Director and Health Center Director, develop and refine protocols for identifying and accommodating campers with medical, emotional, or behavioral needs prior to arrival
• Consult with parents, mental health professionals, and other appropriate individuals, in conjunction with the Camper Care Director, to determine appropriate accommodations prior to campers’ arrival, communicate to families, and document plans.
• Maintain and continuously improve camper documentation standards and escalation protocols
• Plan and host webinars for enrolled families (e.g., communications, SIT program, Senior Camper webinar, etc.)

Camper Experience Responsibilities (Summer)

• Directly supervise the Unit Heads and the SIT Director, providing coaching, performance management, and day-to-day leadership
• Support and supervise the Camper Care team, performing regular evaluations
• Accountable for camper bunk assignment decisions, as well as staff cabin assignments
• Accountable for reviewing forms and preparing camper files prior to each session, in partnership with the Camper Care Director and Health Center, to assess and anticipate campers’ needs and communicate those needs to Unit Heads and bunk staff
• Serve as the primary point of escalation and decision-making for camper discipline matters
• Work closely with Unit Heads, Directors, and Health Center staff to monitor the physical and emotional wellbeing of campers, including leading daily Health Center Meeting and accountability for ensuring all post-meeting parent communication is done appropriately
• Debrief and provide support and guidance to campers and/or staff after camper crises, disclosures, or stressful/traumatic events (in conjunction with Camper Care team)
• Ensure Unit Heads provide on-going guidance and support to staff responding to camper adjustment issues, separation anxiety, bullying, teasing, homesickness, or other mental health concerns (in conjunction with Camper Care team)
• Provide on-going support to staff in determining the appropriate response to campers’ behavioral, emotional, or mental health needs
• Accountable for creating proper documentation of camper issues and relevant communications with staff, coordinating with the Camper Care Director and Family Experience Manager on parent-facing communication

Staff Experience Responsibilities (Year-Round)

• Own the screening, interviewing, hiring, assignment, and supervision of bunk counselors and other seasonal staff, working in partnership with JCC HR and the Assistant Director of Programming and Logistics
• Manage the staffing budget and salary scale, working closely with the Executive Director
• Accountable for managing the process for hiring international staff, including contracts with agencies, interviews, and communications with candidates, and support with questions and travel logistics
• Review, edit, and update the Staff Handbook annually, in coordination with the Executive Director and JCC HR
• Collaborate with JCC HR to ensure accurate payroll information is provided for summer staff
• Convene and lead the Staff Advisory Council on an ongoing basis, ensuring consistent follow-through year-round
• Accountable for owning the planning and execution of General Staff Orientation, in partnership with the Executive Director
• Develop and implement an annual staff communication and engagement plan to maximize staff engagement and retention, including social media posts, newsletters, in-person visits to nearby colleges, and staff focus groups

Staff Experience Responsibilities (Summer)

• Participate in the development and delivery of leadership staff orientation; create and deliver staff development programs throughout the summer
• Lead the preparation and presentation of pre-camp staff meetings and trainings
• Plan and implement staff activities (recreational, educational, mentorship) to enhance staff engagement, growth, and overall staff experience
• Facilitate and communicate staff housing assignments
• Work with the Executive Director and SIT leadership team to develop SIT curriculum, accountable for making sure SIT experience is implemented successfully
• Manage staff schedules (e.g., departure for planned absences) and coordinate days-off
• Ensure adequate staffing for all CSL programs, including Family Camps and rentals (other than Health Center staffing which is managed by the Health Center Director)

General Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the CSL management team, partnering closely with the Family Experience Manager and the Assistant Director of Programming & Logistics
• Participate in the creation and implementation of camp policy as needed
• Participate in annual summer wrap-up with the Executive Director to identify areas of strength and opportunity relating to staff and camper experience

Key Competencies for Success:

• Confidence, leadership, and poise to appropriately manage the responsibility for the health and safety of campers, at all times during the camp season
• Sound judgment and composure in escalated camper behavioral or mental health situations
• Ability to lead, hire, supervise, motivate, and inspire young, energetic, and less experienced staff to help them find their strengths
• Experience designing and delivering staff training, orientation, or professional development programs
• Excellent interpersonal skills for communication and relationship building with the CSL team and JCC colleagues
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including staff, families, and campers
• Well organized and able to prioritize work, problem solve, and meet scheduled deadlines under pressure
• Self-motivated and able to work both independently and as a team member
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule with ability to live at camp during the summer and work evenings and weekends
• Interest in and/or a commitment to learning Jewish history, culture, and traditions in the context of the JCC and Camp Seneca Lake

Education and Experience

• 7-10 years’ experience working in full time supervisory and program management roles, preferably working with children and youth or working in an overnight camp setting
• Strong background and experience in hiring, training, and managing early career professionals, ideally including college age staff in a camp setting
• Experience in parent-facing roles (possibly in a camp or educational setting)
• Experience in social work and/or human resources are nice-to-haves but not required
• Experience in staff supervision, training design, or human resources within a camp or youth-serving organization strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Strong computer skills – MS Office and understands how to use AI to accelerate work output. CampMinder is a plus but not required,

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform within the described work environment.

• Normal office environment during fall, winter, and spring
• Working and living at a summer camp for about 3 months of the year
• Exposure to weather including hot and cold temperatures and rain
• Majority of time spent out-of-doors and exposure to camp buildings, athletic fields, nature trails, woods, insects, wildlife
• Exposure to water (swimming pool and lake)
• Walking on grass, trails, dirt roads

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

The Jewish Community Center of Rochester is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse identities, backgrounds, and perspectives and are committed to building an inclusive culture in which staff, members, and community partners can thrive.

Salary Range: $60,000.00 To $80,000.00 Annually