Assistant Director of Special Needs, Camp Grossman Summer Day Camp

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Do you like to have fun? Do you have a sense of humor, patience, empathy, and compassion? Are you flexible and adaptable? Would you like to help children with special needs develop a love of summer camp? As an Assistant Director of Special Needs, you will work in collaboration to create enriching, supportive, and memorable experiences for children enrolled in the Pathways program. Pathways is our inclusion program at Camp Grossman that enables children with a broad range of developmental and/or cognitive disabilities and/or mental health challenges to successfully access Camp Grossman with varying levels of support.

Working within a team of Assistant Directors of Special Needs, this position directly assists the director and provides support services to our campers with disabilities to ensure access to our camp program, including lakefront swimming, fishing, boating, arts, drama, sports, games, and more. The position is full-time and on-site at camp during the summer season. 

JCC Greater Boston is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or backgrounds. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston's core values – Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation, which resonate with many who do not identify as Jewish.

Schedule

Orientation takes place the week of June 17th and ends with Visiting Day (a pre-camp visit for all campers and families to meet staff) on Sunday, June 23. The regular camp season begins June 24 and ends August 16 (with the option to work the following “9th Week” for additional pay). The regular camp day runs from 8:15 AM - 4:15 PM, Monday through Friday, with 3 staff meetings on various Monday afternoons and evenings. The Pathways (Special Needs) Director will also work a number of additional family nights and late nights throughout the summer.

Responsibilities 

• Working closely with supervisor(s) to successfully meet the program’s objectives.
• Assisting the Director in providing training to all camp staff so they may work effectively with all campers with various needs, including Pathway campers with special needs.
• Providing clear, supportive, and effective communication to parents to ensure the special needs of the Pathways campers are met; ensuring information is conveyed to and received from parents as needed.
• Modeling professional behavior and patience in all interactions with campers, parents, and staff
• Providing effective support to Pathways campers with disabilities/special needs so that they may participate in all activities throughout the day; providing services to meet the camper's unique individual needs.
• Troubleshooting and providing extra support to campers and staff working with them
• Ensuring the safety and well-being of campers
• Working in partnership with peers and Camp Leadership, Facilitating an environment that is fun/joyful for the campers and staff, meeting the special needs of the Pathways campers
• Assisting the Director to supervise a large team of approximately 20 program counselors, as needed and as assigned.

Requirements

Education and Experience:

Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology or (Special) Education or a related field and 1-2 years of professional experience working with young children.  Experience supervising a small team of staff and experience working with children with special needs is preferred.

 An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC’s discretion to meet minimum criteria.

 Skills and Abilities:

• Models maturity, reliability, flexibility, and patience
• Strong leadership skills
• Strong organizational skills, including teamwork, relationship-building skills, the ability to multitask, the ability to manage situations calmly, effectively and diplomatically
• Ability and commitment to build strong relationships with campers, co-workers, and camp leadership
• Committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of campers
• Positive, proactive, and kind approach while concentrating on providing children with a pleasant and safe camp experience

Physical Requirements:  Requires being present and on-site during the season to provide in-person services. Able to work well in a busy, dynamic, and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities. Able to lift and carry objects weighing 30-40 pounds (boxes of supplies, children’s backpacks, etc.). Able to sit and kneel; getting down at eye level with children regularly.

ADA Statement: Individuals must possess these criteria for knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that the individual can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation and using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Organization Information

Since opening its doors in 1983, JCC Greater Boston has been committed to its mission of creating a vibrant, inclusive, and diverse community by nurturing meaningful and lasting relationships. Through our network of early learning centers, day camps, regional teen and family programs, health and wellness offerings, and adult arts and ideas classes, JCC Greater Boston provides highly valued connections, learning, and experiences for the Jewish community and friends.

JCC Greater Boston staff enjoy working in an innovative, friendly, and welcoming environment where their talents and contributions are appreciated. In our recent employee survey, staff gave a rating of close to 90% positive for their experiences in direct management and organizational alignment. If you are interested in upgrading your working experience and/or having a better work-life balance, we encourage you to explore becoming part of the JCC team!

The JCC is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston's core values: Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation, which we hope resonate with all.

To learn more about what makes JCC Greater Boston a wonderful place to work, please visit our careers page at https://www.bostonjcc.org/careers/

JCC Greater Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich a diverse environment, we actively encourage applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.

Benefits

In addition to a rewarding position where you care for a community, the JCC Greater Boston provides competitive benefits, including:

• A competitive salary
• A fun, active work culture and community
• Complimentary summer access to the JCC Greater Boston facility in Newton – offering indoor swimming and workout facilities
• Parents working full time may have their child attend camp for free for the weeks they are working
• Outstanding working environment, including convenient, free parking
• Free camp bus service from over 20 communities in the Greater Boston area, making it possible for staff to receive transportation from their home communities

Benefits are subject to review and change by the Organization.