Summer Program Director (Camps)

THE CITY:
The City of Newton is a wonderful place to live and work. Newton has safe and attractive neighborhoods, an excellent public school system, an active community life, multiple transportation systems, proximity to Boston and a well-managed and financially strong City government. The City of Newton has a population of approximately 88,900, with 32,600 housing units and occupies a land area of 18.3 square miles. Newton is principally suburban-residential in character. Unlike many other communities that are established around a single Main Street or downtown, Newton is comprised of thirteen distinctive villages. Newton has a diversified economic base with approximately 4,700 establishments employing approximately 79,500 people. Newton is special in many ways. It is home to a variety of private secondary and post-secondary schools including a portion of Boston College, Lasell University, William James College, Hebrew College, and the UMass Amherst – Mount Ida Campus. The longest stretch of the Boston Marathon runs through the City, including the well-known Heartbreak Hill. Newton-Wellesley Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham health care system, serves as an important partner to the City. In September 2018, Newton was again ranked #1 in Massachusetts as the best place to live and #12 in the U.S.
OUR GOVERNMENT:
Newton has what is known as a “strong Mayor” form of government with the Mayor having the executive and administrative powers of the City. The legislative branch is comprised of 24 City Councilors. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller was sworn in on January 1, 2018 after serving on the City Council. She ran on a platform of providing Newton’s children with a top-notch education in an inclusive environment where empty nesters, seniors, young families, and people of diverse incomes can live together in vibrant villages and neighborhoods. Mayor Fuller is committed to keeping Newton safe, improving the city’s infrastructure, addressing climate change, providing excellent and responsive city services, and fostering art, culture and community life. The first female Mayor of Newton, she is a tireless advocate for all the city’s residents and is committed to making sure the city is welcoming, inclusive and diverse. The City of Newton was evaluated by Moody’s Investors Services in February 2020 and assigned its highest rating of AAA. Newton was thus well-positioned to weather the pandemic and economic downturn.
AS AN EMPLOYER:

The City of Newton believes that its employees are its greatest asset. To that end, we are committed to supporting our employees by providing competitive wages and growth, a comprehensive benefits package which includes a defined municipal pension plan, quality health and dental insurance plans, generous paid leave benefits, paid holidays, and access to supplemental benefits such as deferred compensation, short term disability plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee benefits. We also provide access to an Employee Assistance Program and access to employee training and professional development opportunities. We continuously work to review and expand upon our benefit offerings. We encourage you to visit our Human Resources Department website to learn more about our organization and benefits which are available to our employees. And as always, you are encouraged to reach out to our dynamic HR Team by emailing hr@newtonma.gov.

Human Resources Diversity Statement

We recognize our workforce is a source of strength that is vital to our ability to effectively serve the City of Newton’s diverse community. We will:

• Actively recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
• Proactively address discrimination through education and in partnership with other departments and leaders.
• Serve as a role model to celebrate and nurture diversity.
• Foster inclusion by staying curious and clarifying assumptions.
• Evaluate and develop policies and practices that reflect the diverse nature of our workforce.
• Build and strengthen accountability at all levels to support diversity efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Read and understand the Seasonal Employee Manual, the Policies and Procedures Manual and the Parent Handbook for your camp
• Report for work at least 30 minutes before the campers arrive
• Update program budget and order supplies and equipment when needed
• Keep records and necessary paperwork for all campers and staff both at camp and on field trips
• Assist Assistant Directors in planning, organizing, and scheduling the staff for lunch, breaks, swimming, and extended day
• Review the daily schedule with all staff members
• Assist in the supervision of the Assistant Directors, Specialists, Sr. Counselors, Counselors, and CITs
• Prepare any necessary letters to parents or make phone calls as necessary
• Update camper finances daily
• Plan and help facilitate daily/weekly staff meetings
• Assist with group coverage when needed
• Assist with organizing field trips and special events
• Participate in all activities and motivate staff through example
• Be involved in pre-camp planning and assist with staff orientation
• Implement weekly fire drills and head lice checks
• Have knowledge of the physical layout of the camp and swim facility
• Encourage and maintain open and positive communication with parents, campers, and staff
• Assist in the discipline of campers and or staff as appropriate
• Make the Recreation Manager aware of all problems or incidences at camp
• Understanding of and respect for children with a variety of abilities
• Be aware of allergies and special comments of all staff members
• Work closely with the Inclusion Facilitator and Inclusion Aides to assure the appropriate adaptation of activities for ALL campers
• Assist inclusion Facilitator, Inclusion Aides and all staff in the care, discipline, feeding and personal hygiene of ALL campers
• Work at Extended Day when scheduled
• May be asked to perform other duties as necessary

Qualifications:

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• High School Diploma required; Bachelors Degree in Recreation, Education, or related field preferred
• Experience in camp programming and administration or at least 2 seasons of previous experience in an administrative role at a recreational camp
• Possess proven skills in planning, scheduling, organizing, and evaluation
• Exhibit strong written and oral communication skills
• Current First Aid and CPR Certification

This is a non-benefited position