Summer Camp Assistant

This page is the complete description and details for the summer camp assistant position including job responsibilities, dates, wage, etc. At the bottom of the page you can apply online and download the complete pdf job profile.

Job Overview

Job Title: Camp Assistant

Responsible to: Director of Language Camps

Outside of the summer months we are a small to medium company made up of some office and management staff and a lot of English teachers. In the summer camp team we are only around 3-4 staff before then summer, and then in the summer our number can grow up to 100 staff.

The summer camp assistant is a key member of our central office team. They will work directly with the Director of Language Camps (Patrick) being responsible for a large number of different areas such as learning how to interview staff, communication and coordination with contracted staff, logistical planning, and much more.

We believe that we can personalize the internship to what the student is looking to learn quite well. The student’s personal and professional development are core to this position. For those interested, we also can give them training and experience in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), and give them the chance to teach English classes themselves in our English academy.

The position is an internship position in which you will be given a lot of responsibility at a very young age so it is a great way to gain a lot of responsibility and experience at a young age in order to improve ones c.v. This position is perfect for candidates wishing to live in Spain and enhance their Spanish level in an economical way, and for those who wish to gain work experience in an office environment. All perspective candidates should be young (or young at heart), with a desire to utilise and develop organisational skills in a fast moving, dynamic environment.

We are usually looking for someone to come out in January or February at some point until the summer (June/July/August).

This position is multi-faceted as it has two main periods that are quite different:

From January-June the position is much more regular office hours working on administrative tasks. The person will be required to stay in the company apartment and share with teachers that work in our academy.
From the end of June – beginning/end of August, they must be prepared to sleep on the camp site and be full of energy in order to meet the extraordinary demands of camp work. All candidates must also be prepared for the rigors of camp life during the summer months that means that this job is anything but 9-5 living.

Job Responsibilities + Tasks

To carry out all required admin tasks in preparation for the start of camp (February – June).
Undertake interviews for summer camp staff.
Be responsible for the onboarding of staff contracts and work documents.
To produce, update and control the production of all camp lists (lodging assignments, sports groups, colours, etc.).
Ensure the admin side of the set up and tidy up of camp is done to the highest possible level.
To assist the Director of TECS Language Camps with any administration linked to preparation of camp and then during the summer the running of camp.

Responsibilities before start of camp (February-June)

To do any administration task as set by the Assistant Director of Language Camps (Staffing, Recruiting and Structure) to assist with preparation of camp.
To carry out the administrative side of camp recruitment: inputting all staff data into the camp database, sending contracts and filing applications and received contracts.
To communicate as required with staff before their arrival on camp, including coordinating the staff arrival day and administration connected to this.
To assist in the training of the Camp Staff as needed before the start of camp.
This will include attending certain training weekends in May and June.
To coordinate the arrival of camp materials from suppliers, doing stock takes and coordinating packing of supplies into correct storage areas and to undertake any administrative tasks connected to this task.
To do any admin task connected to the preparation of camp TEFL resources.
To do all listings for all camps in July (as outlined in “production of camp lists”, below).
Covering English teaching staff when cover needed for whatever reason (Illness, etc.)
To participate and help with the running of any FIPs or “mini-camps” that we may have before the summer. These usually only run 2-3 days and will require the camp assistant to move, with the rest of the staff, to a camp and participate in the running of the FIP, either as a monitor with the kids, in the background with logistics, or continuing with their administrative tasks.

Responsibilities during Camps (June/July to end of contract)

Assist Director of Language Camps with the admin connected to the running of camp.
Be in charge of controlling the expenses of all TECS Camps
Checking all expenses from Camp Drivers and Directors are accounted for with receipts.
Doing the accounts at the end of the month and reporting to the Director of Language Camps.
Production of Camp lists.
Allocate children to age groups and bedrooms before the start of each camp.
Allocate children to arts and crafts groups and colour teams.
Ensure all non-multiactivity lists are produced weekly and that numbers are passed on to relevant people responsible for these activities.
Update all information on the database daily and print out new lists and give to Camp Site Director.
Allocate staff to leader groups and sleeping places after consulting Camp Site Director.
Work on improvements on assigned Camp Manuals for the following camp year as set by Director of Language Camps.
Organise, oversee and carryout the set role in the set up and tidy up of the camp facilities for all TECS camps, which will include, among many tasks, assigning tasks to camp staff, stock counting and making inventories.
Cover for sick staff in other positions as required.
Represent the camp in a positive manner at all times and be responsible for informing the Assistant Director of Language Camps of any issues that you may be aware of.
On Arrivals and Departures, assist with admin “check ins/outs” and other assigned tasks.
Carry out administration tasks for the weekend excursions.
Carry out the admin connected to payments and staff advances.
Participate in the admin side of arranging transfers for campers for the arrival and departure from camp.
Assigning students to transfers on the database.
Passing on this information to relevant manager to pass on the drivers.
Meet daily with the Director of Language Camps to inform them about job progress and ask for assistance as needed.
Carryout out any assigned office task as set by Director of Language Camps.

HOURS OF WORK:

End of February – May, the Camp assistant will be required to work up to 8 hours daily during weekdays with an hour for work. Spanish classes are included in these hours as working time. The hours of work will be flexible and set through communication with the Director of Language Camps. The Camp assistant will have the same national holidays, during Feb – June, as TEFL teachers have within the TECS academy. If the Camp assistant does a good job Feb-June, they will also be given a bonus week off at some point in May or June (time exactly will be arranged with Director of Language Camps). Getting this extra week off purely depends on the assistant doing a suitably good job up to that point and it is designed to act as breather before the challenges the Camp assistant will face once summer camp work starts.

All candidates must therefore recognise that this job, June – beginning/end of August, will be demanding, as ALL camp work is, and accept that it will be anything but 9-5 living, with long hours needing to be put in by all camp staff. Candidates should also note that normally mid June to start of July is the toughest period for the Camp Assistant and that things from mid July to the end of camp quiet down a little but that work days are still very much SUMMER CAMP length working days (as all summer camp positions). The period June to the end of July/August is seen as summer camp work and not as a placement which is why this is a paid position during these dates.

During camp: July to beginning/end of August, the Camp Assistant will normally start around 10.00 and have two hours off at lunch and be off from around 22.00. However, any applicant would have to be prepared to accept that camp life is always unpredictable and because of this there would be days when longer hours would be needed to be put it to finish vital tasks (usually when possible the Camp Assistant will start later the next day to compensate for this). Flexibility of working hours would be possibly for the Camp Assistant but any changes to work hours must first be agreed with the Director of Language Camps and always the Assistant would have to understand that fulfilling work objectives must be first priority.

On departure and arrival weekends, the Camp Assistant would be required to assist with preparing the camp sites and getting all admin duties finished which will mean they will have less than a whole day off, however when there are no arrivals or departures the Camp Assistant would have the whole weekend off, starting Friday evening and finishing Monday morning.

Benefits of Working on a TECS Summer Camp

Benefits of working on a TECS Summer Camp

Ambience of summer camp environment- team work and spirit!
Fulfilment of working with kids and of managing people in that environment.
Professional and personal development
Friends from around the world.
Sun and fun!

TECS PROVIDES:

Staff uniform- enough so you won’t have to rewash them yourself!
Staff events- weekend trips, sport and game competitions during camp.
Management Bonding Meal at before camp starts and reward meal at end of summer.
Staff final meal – these are big things and for many staff the highlight of the summer so DON’T LEAVE CAMP UNTIL THE DAY AFTER WORK FINISHES.
Knowledgeable year round central office management. The top management were ALL once staff members and mid-management themselves at one point.
Supportive management structure.
Guiding hand on the rewarding path to professional development and personal development.

Job Review and Performance Management

Regular feedback will be provided from the Assistant Director of Language Camps about job performance and objectives. Also the Director of Language Camps and will be available at all times to discuss concerns or problems that may occur. We encourage any feedback to be mutual and strive for you to let us know how things are going on for you.

POSSIBLE FUTURE EMPLOYMENT:

TECS runs a year round academy and has a year-round team, therefore for teachers who display the correct attitude and work performance level there will be the opportunity of year round employment with us.

What we’re looking for: Requirements + Knowledge/Skills

PERSONALITY

The ideal candidate is someone that is young, or young at heart, who is looking to gain experience and responsibility at a young age.
A person who can work independently when needed.
Someone who is looking to develop both personally and professionally (Guiding young people is a passion of ours!)

EXPERIENCE

Preferred experience of secretary-like or administrative work but not required if candidate has a good knowledge of computers and modern computer programmes.
Experience of working alone and being responsible for completing important tasks with limited support or supervision.
Experience of working in a fast moving environment where stress levels can at times be very high.

QUALIFICATIONS

A Level or Higher qualifications or another nation’s equivalent. Applicants with relevant admin qualifications will be looked upon favourably.
Applicants with a valid in date European Driving Licence preferred.
Any qualifications in Spanish looked upon favourably.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS

Knowledge of Microsoft Office package and preferred experience of using Databases.
Good interpersonal skills, with ability to communicate effectively with fellow employees, this includes properly voicing concerns or seeking support.
High level of oral and written skills including persuasion, negotiation and advocacy.
The ability to cope with continually conflicting priorities in a high pressured environment.
High energy levels and a young but responsible and mature outlook on life and work.
Intermediate level of Spanish in all skill areas and good knowledge of the customs and culture of Spanish people.