Position: Head Counselor
Reports to: Camp Director
Classification: Non-Exempt
WC Class:
General Description:
Head counselors are responsible for overall coordination of male and female campers and program counselors in camp living quarters. They will assure proper camper counselor ratios in cabins and program areas. Head counselors assign cabin, bathroom, and laundry clean-up in lower camp. They are responsible for the provision of the camp experience to all campers within these areas: daily recreational activities, creating educational experiences, and promoting independence. They will provide assistance at mealtimes, between and during classes, at special activities and through the evening.
Qualifications:
- College graduate preferred: with a degree in education, recreation or relevant field
- Teaching experience preferred
- Experience working with children/adults who are blind/visually impaired or disabled preferred
- Experience supervising others
- Current First Aid and CPR certifications
- Knowledge of Braille and/or sign language preferred
- Knowledge of the rehabilitation process for persons who are disabled preferred
Examples of Duties:
- Coordinate with the camp director and assistant director to assign camper living quarters
- Coordinate with the camp director and assistant director to assign staff to cabins
- Must create a schedule for evening cabin and area supervision
- Create a nights off schedule for counselors and program area leaders
- Take responsibility for cleanliness, safety and overall wellbeing of campers and staff
- Maintain supplies, cleanliness and safety in all sleeping/residential areas (lower cabins, lakeside cabins and the lodge)
- Responsible for all cabin inspection
- Act as camp counselor (see counselor job description) when necessary
- Responsible for ensuring camper: counselor ratio in program areas throughout the day and evening and during all program activity time
- Orient campers, counselors, area leaders and volunteers to the residential areas at the beginning of each session, addressing rules such as:
- Laundry facility use
- Smoking
- Use of phones etc.
- Participate in camp orientation and educational in-services at camp
- Attend and participate in weekly staff meetings
- Teach and assist in classes when needed
- Assist in all aspects of camp
- Other duties as assigned
Physical Aspect:
- Must be willing to live on camp premises
- Must be able to lift 70 pounds
- Ability to enforce safety and emergency procedures
- Ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards related to the activity
- Physical ability to respond appropriately to situation requiring first aid
- Must be able to assist campers in an emergency (fire, evacuation, illness or injury)
- Possess the endurance required to maintain constant supervision of campers
Agency Expectations of Employees:
As employees, we should:
- Read, understand and adhere to all agency policies and procedures
- Conduct ourselves in a professional manner on and off the job, knowing that we are representatives of LightHouse
- Perform all job responsibilities
- Maintain a positive and respectful attitude toward everyone
- Communicate regularly and appropriately with our supervisors and colleagues within our own departments
- Able to effectively communicate orally and in writing
- Demonstrate efficient time management and the ability to prioritize our assignments
- Consistently report to work on time and be ready to begin performing our assigned duties and responsibilities
- Work productively
- Continue to learn and communicate a blindness-positive philosophy based on current best practices in the field
- Maintain the confidentiality of campers and staff relating to issues such as health, behaviors, and other situations that may arise
- Be culturally sensitive
Working Conditions:
LightHouse provides equal opportunity to all, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, or sexual orientation.
All employees at LightHouse are hired for an indefinite and unspecified duration and consequently, no employee is guaranteed employment for a specified length of time. Employment is at the mutual consent of the employee and LightHouse. Accordingly, either the employee or LightHouse can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause (“employment at will”).
To apply for this position:
Please submit a cover letter and résumé as Word attachments (no .PDFs please), to mburton@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints, we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest; thanks for your understanding.
