Unit Leader

Job Title: Unit Leader (7-8th Grade)

Organization: Camp Mountain Chai 

Location: San Bernardino National Forest, Angelus Oaks, California  

Position Type: Seasonal 

Supervised by: Full-time team, Directors 

Supervises: Counselors assigned to the unit, campers in the unit, and indirectly supervises the Assistant Unit Leader. 

About Camp Mountain Chai: 

Camp Mountain Chai is a premier Jewish summer camp nestled in the scenic beauty of the San Bernardino National Forest in Angelus Oaks, California. Our mission is to provide a vibrant, safe, and inclusive community where campers can grow, learn, and create lasting memories while embracing Jewish values and traditions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards in camp management and operation as set forth by the American Camp Association (ACA). 

Position Summary: 

Camp Mountain Chai is seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join our team as Camp Unit Leaders for the Summer 2025 season. As a Unit Leader, you will play a pivotal role in creating a positive, inclusive, and fun camp environment for our campers while ensuring their safety and well-being. You will also supervise and manage a group of counselors. This position is an excellent opportunity for individuals who are passionate about working with children, promoting personal growth, and fostering a strong sense of community. 

Qualifications/Certifications: 

• Minimum age requirement: Graduated from College or equivalent (21+) 

• Strong background and experience in camping, education and/or related fields 

• Desire and ability to work with children and young adults in a camp setting. 

• Be a self-starter and able to work with minimum amount of supervision. 

• Ability to work with a variety of staff members in a calm, always collected manner.  

• Must have leadership skills, ability to motivate, manage, and counsel. 

• Ability and willingness to teach and live by Jewish concepts and values in camp community. 

• Ability to maximize the skills and talents of staff members at camp. 

• Ability to communicate with, relate to, and serve as an example to all campers and staff. 

• Willingness and ability to take full responsibility for the safety and security of campers. 

• Ability to give and receive guidance, constructive feedback, and support. 

• CPR and First Aid Certification (Training can be provided if needed).  

Job Responsibilities: 

1. Camper Supervision and Safety: 

• Directly involved with all campers and staff in the unit. 

• Directly responsible for all unit activities to ensure age-appropriateness and quality. 

• Responsible for the health, safety, and wellness of campers always. 

• Attend and actively participate in camp-wide safety and emergency response training sessions and protocols. 

• Adapt to stressful situations appropriately in a fast-paced, interactive environment.  

 2. Mentoring and Role Modeling for Campers and Staff: 

• Serve as a positive role model for campers and staff by promoting CMC’s mission and values.  

• Serve as the primary and direct supervisor for all counselors in the designated unit. 

• Liaise with the Assistant Unit Head regarding programming for their assigned units. 

• Act as a Jewish role model at camp: identity, community, and leadership. 

• Ability to give/receive guidance, constructive feedback, and support. 

• Ability to ask for help when needed.  

• Ensure Staff are at scheduled locations/programs. 

3. Program Activity Leadership: 

• Manage staff-related tasks within their unit including scheduling unit times, counselor hours off, staff day offs, and nightly Shmira (camper supervision) schedule.  

• Assist in the facilitation and execution of all-camp programs (Chai’dol, CMC Games, Maccabiah, Embassy).  

• Participate regularly and enthusiastically in all Judaic programming, including Shabbat services, Choose Your Own Tefillah and Pe’ulah. 

• Teach, assist, and participate in Chugim (electives) and Shabb’options as assigned by the programming team. 

• Assist in executing unit evening programs each session for campers in their assigned unit. 

4. Group Dynamics: 

• Foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity within campers and staff in the assigned unit. 

• Build a strong and positive relationship with every camper assigned to their unit. 

• Help every camper make friends, become acclimated to camp life, and grow towards his/her/their potential, and become part of the camp community.  

• Resolve conflict and create a supportive, respectful, and positive atmosphere within the unit. 

• Run effective and informative unit tickers on a nightly basis so that staff can feel informed, included, and part of their unit.   

5. Health and Wellness: 

• Provide basic first aid when necessary, following camp health and safety policies. 

• Promote good hygiene practices and encourage staff and campers to stay hydrated, eat nutritious meals, shower, change their clothes regularly, etc.  

• Promote good cabin hygiene (making sure unit cabins stay clean, camper and staff belongings are organized, and there is empty floor space to promote cabin bonding activities). 

• Responsible for the cleanliness and care of living space, including pre-and post-camp inventory of the cabin. 

6. Communication: 

• Maintain open and effective communication with the CMC full-time team, direct supervisor, summer Leadership team, and medical team.  

• Communicate with the Camp Director, Assistant Director, and Director of Camper Care regarding staff and camper performance and challenges. 

• Able and willing to work with a variety of staff members in a calm, always collected manner. 

• Create Camper Cards for staff members in their unit before each session.  

• Conduct first-time parent and camper update calls within the first 72 hours (about 3 days) of camp each session. Unit Leader must also document how the calls went, any concerns, and need to follow up in the CampMinder platform under the “notes” section.  

• Ensure unit staff members (counselors and specialists) to participate in filling out their Cabin Wellness binders daily.  

• Responsible for writing camper and staff evaluations each session. 

• Responsible for writing two blogs each session to update parents on what is going on at camp. The Staff Experience Director will work with you on deciding on the topics.  

• Responsible for creating a camper red flag list after each session for the Camp Director. 

• Responsible for setting up one-on-one supervisor check-ins and meetings on a weekly basis.  

• Communicate effectively with medical staff, RN, and/or Doctor about any potential medical situations or need for assistance.  

• Charge walkie-talkie daily so that the Leadership team always has open two-way communication.  

• Use the CampMinder platform daily to check bulletins, leave notes, and document parent phone calls.  

7. Environmental Stewardship: 

• Instill in campers and staff a respect for nature and the environment. Lead by example in eco-friendly practices (picking up trash around camp, keeping CMC clean, recycling paper and/or soda cans, putting lost items in the lost and found bin).  

• Ensuring that campers and staff do not leave their mark by adding graffiti to camp property. This includes the inside and outside of cabins and all buildings. 

8. Staff and Leadership team Responsibilities at Camp Mountain Chai: 

• Adhere to the goals, mission, and camp rules set by Camp Mountain Chai. 

• Act as a role model in camp for the entire camp community. 

• Participate in the mandatory pre-summer Leadership orientation and staff week.  

• Review confidential camper profiles during staff orientation week.  

• Be a member of the Leadership Team, attending daily meetings and participating in the formulation and implementation of camp policy. 

• Participate regularly and enthusiastically in all camp day-to-day programs and special events. 

• Lead out-of-camp trips as assigned (unit overnights, service trips, camping trips). 

• Provide supervision to campers and cabin groups during mealtimes.  

• Lead regular supervisory meetings (one-on-ones) with counselors. 

• Lead nightly unit staff tickets and weekly all-staff meetings as assigned.  

• Follow CMC’s Shmira Gedolah guidelines and be on or at minimum two times per session. The Full-time team and programming team will determine what days you are on for.  

• Assist with Shimira coverage in cabins during Staff Oneg on Friday night, Saturday night and as needed.  

• Assist with the closing down of camp at the end of each session and summer.  

• Assist with end-of-summer inventory for related camp locations and areas. 
   

Physical Demands  

• The ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 35 pounds, such as coolers, program equipment, and camping supplies.  

• The ability to frequently stoop, kneel, bend, crouch, and crawl, especially when assisting campers with various activities.  

• The ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time, often while leading campers on hikes, nature walks, and field trips.  

• The ability to sit for extended periods of time, especially when instructing campers in arts and crafts, storytelling, and other sedentary activities.  

• The ability to operate machinery and equipment, such as camp grills, canoes, and archery equipment, with proper training and safety precautions.  

• The ability to work in a variety of environments, including indoors, outdoors, and in confined spaces, such as tents, cabins, and camp buses.  

• The ability to work in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, cold, rain, and sun exposure.  

• Swim and/or pass a swim test to ensure the safety of campers during water activities.  

• Maintain attention and high levels of energy or excitement for extended periods of time to keep campers engaged and entertained.  

• Spend a majority of the time outdoors and tolerate a variety of weather conditions, including heat, humidity, and insects.  

• Be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out to assist campers with various activities, such as tying shoelaces, helping with bathroom needs, and participating in physical games.  

Camp Mountain Chai is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals, regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We value diversity in our workforce and encourage applications from all qualified individuals.  

Please note that this job description is not all-encompassing. Other duties may be assigned, and the requirements of this position may change at any time.