Summer Camp Director

at  MARKHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Applications are now being received for a position in the Marketing and Community Development Department with the Markham Public Library. This position will rotate among all Markham Public Library branches that are facilitating summer camps.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be enrolled in a post-secondary program at an accredited institution.
• Minimum 3 years’ related experience in a camp or other recreational setting. Experience working with children required.
• Current First Aid and High Five certifications required.
• Demonstrated experience with a variety of digital media and maker technologies.
• Successful candidates must have a valid Vulnerable Sector Screening prepared within the last six months.
• Reliable access to transportation to each MPL branch is a must.

DEMONSTRATED SKILLS

• Demonstrated leadership capacity. Proven ability to motivate and coach others. Ability to foster teamwork and accountability.
• The ideal candidate is positive, enthusiastic and passionate about the learning experiences of children. They are highly motivated, proactive, energetic and comfortable in a wide range of situations where interaction with customers and members of the public is required.
• Strong organizational ability. Must be able to work independently and take initiative. Ability to make decisions and exercise good judgment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse clientele base, including parents, children, staff, volunteers and other camp stakeholders. Communicates proactively with MPL staff to ensure camp priorities are well understood. Communicates with camp staff and volunteers located at different branches across the City.
• Exceptional customer service skills. Ability to work with a wide variety of ages and demographic groups.
• Ability to work weekends and evenings as required.

Coordinates Camp Programs
1. Assists with overseeing all MPL camps. Is responsible for ensuring that all applicable MPL and other relevant regulatory guidelines and policies are followed to ensure that participants are provided with a fun, safe and enriching experience.
2. Coordinates camp logistics, including scheduling for counsellors, coordinating supplies and communicating with branch staff about camp logistics. Provides on-site supervision at each branch on a rotational basis.
3. Completes all relevant reporting for the camps.
4. Identifies metrics associated with camps, including inputs, outputs and outcomes. Identifies appropriate measures to determine program success.
Supervises Camp Staff
5. Supervises the work of the Camp Supervisors and Counsellors and monitors overall performance of the camps to ensure excellence for campers and their parents. Ensures the Counsellors receive appropriate support while running MPL’s camps and assists as necessary with issues related to curricula, participants, parents or staff. Outlines learning outcomes.
6. Assists with facilitating training sessions for all Camp Counsellors and Supervisors and with their overall onboarding and ongoing support throughout the season. Coordinates onboarding with branch leadership teams. In collaboration with the Outreach Coordinator, oversees training of volunteers.
7. Trains volunteers to assist in the camps by providing support to camp staff, preparing craft materials, and helping participants with camp activities.
8. Coaches camp staff on effective facilitation and programming, and motivates and inspires them to be fully engaged in delivering the camp curricula.
9. Ensures that camp staff have a valuable and enriching work experience through mentoring and skills development.
10. Models effective leadership for Camp staff. Works with them to create a strong team of responsible camp leaders and to create an inclusive environment for all staff, volunteers and participants.
11. Integrates best practices into the training and staff manuals for MPL camps. This includes High Five training and use of any appropriate administrative policies for the camps. Ensures that all certifications and training are completed prior to first day of camps, and make-up training is available as needed.
Camp Curricula Development
12. Prepares camp activities according to MPL’s quality standards, ensuring that they are enriching, developmentally appropriate and socially inclusive. Prepares staff manuals for camp staff that includes all curricula, activities, and administrative documents.
13. Approves camp activities developed by the Supervisors.
14. Evaluates summer camps to determine if curricula achieves learning outcomes. Recommends curricula changes as necessary.
15. Ensures that surveys and feedback from parents and campers are captured to help support program success.
16. Prepares camp supplies and materials. Responsible for coordinating resources required for the camp. Coordinates purchases of supplies with Manager, Programs and manages reservations for equipment as required.
Customer Service
17. Responds to inquiries and feedback from parents of camp participants promptly and effectively. Assists camp staff in resolving issues related to participants that require intervention. Works with parents to ensure that the camp experience is positive for all participants.
18. Keeps the Manager, Library Programs informed of any potential concerns pertaining to customers or other stakeholders on an ongoing basis. Ensures that escalated issues are directed to the Manager for resolution.
19. Liaises with MPL staff to ensure the camps run well and that staff are informed of any incidents impacting customer service. Provides feedback on opportunities to improve the camp experience.
20. For the purposes of continuous improvement, evaluates the summer camps including the performance of the Supervisors. Provides constructive feedback to volunteers and camp staff. Also provides feedback to management on potential areas for improving the camp experience.
21. Assists with delivering summer camps as required.
Other Responsibilities
22. Undertakes scheduling activities, including coordination of schedules, acting as point of contact for staff absences and redeployment of staff between locations when necessary.
23. Completes administrative tasks supporting the camps, including ordering and purchase of supplies and management of reservations for required equipment. Ensures completion of all reporting and reviewing of all incident reports submitted by camp staff. Provides this information to the Manager for further review.
24. Performs other duties as required.