Overview:

The Head Counselor works with Education staff to manage, maintain, and run the general operations of the Garden’s Day Camp program. Head Counselors should be experienced with good practices in group management and nature education and able to communicate effectively with their team. This is a full-time (up to 40 hours), temporary position, and reports to the Youth and Family Programs Manager.

Essential Duties:

• Coordinate counselor team alongside the Youth and Family Programs Manager, including facilitating team meetings, coordinating work schedules and serving as their lead contact for camp activities, issues and concerns
• Coordinate teen Counselor-in-Training volunteers (CIT’s), including facilitating check-ins, coordinating work schedules and serving as their lead contact
• Provide support for counselors such as setting up equipment, providing breaks and assisting with facilitating programs
• Interface with all campers and counselors daily
• Manage campers by addressing behavioral incidents, supervising campers resting in health center and coordinating day-to-day needs such as early pick-up
• Co-lead counselor and counselor-in-training training alongside Youth and Family Programs Manager
• Familiar with summer camp programs in order to provide support and guidance to staff and volunteers, as well as be able to communicate efficiently with guardians and visitors
• Lead and supervise groups of campers (ages 5-10) in various camp activities as necessary
• Ensure counselors and campers are following Garden safety, behavioral and health policies
• Help facilitate camper drop-off and pick-up
• Manage group needs and safety, such as restocking first aid supplies, refilling water stations, and providing first aid if necessary
• In the event of an emergency, manage camper safety alongside the Youth and Family Programs Manager by keeping account of participants, contacting guardians and implementing emergency protocols, including Garden evacuation
• Assist with supervising camp lunch, including shuttling lunches down to lunch area
• Prep materials and clean equipment and spaces as needed
• Serve as a line of communication between parents, counselors and campers including discussing behavioral issues, camp schedules, logistics, and policies as needed
•  Communicate with the Youth and Family Programs Manager about day-to-day camp operations and happenings
• Assist with clean up, breakdown and inventorying of equipment and materials at the end of the camp season
• Answer general questions about the Garden and its Education Programs to the public

Work Schedule:

• Must be available to work Monday through Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm from June 12 through August 18.
• Must be available for training 9am-5:30pm, May 30 through June 1
• Must be available to attend Counselor-in-Training (CIT) training on June 3 and 4
• Must be available to attend Counselor training from 9am-5:30pm, June 6-9
• Available to assist with post-camp clean up from 9am-2pm on August 21

Knowledge and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal communication and leadership skills with both children and adults
• Knowledge of ecology, botany, and/or natural history of California preferred
• Working understanding of outdoor etiquette and basic Leave No Trace principals
• Spanish fluency preferred
• Excellent time management skills
• Flexibility and ability to respond appropriately to diverse group situations

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum 1 year of summer camp experience required
• Experience coordinating staff in a camp/child care setting preferred
• First Aid/CPR certified or able to obtain prior to start date
• Mandated reporter certified or able to obtain prior to start date
• Experience working with children ages 5 to 10
• Completed or pursuing a degree in education or relevant science field preferred
• Experience in a botanic garden, environmental education, and/or a museum setting preferred
• Experience with informal education activities in a natural setting preferred

Physical Functions:

• Must be capable of occasional strenuous physical work including:
• Standing/walking for extended periods of time
• Lifting and carrying 50 lbs., bending, squatting and walking stairs and Garden trails
• Tolerance of an outdoor work environment including exposure to outdoor environmental conditions, including extreme temperature fluctuations, rain, dust, allergens, poison oak, insects, small wild animals, and sun exposure
• Must be comfortable following Garden’s nonpharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19 at all times when on grounds, including being vaccinated against COVID-19.