Summer Camp - Lead Program Educator

For San Francisco Camps

• Location: Ghirardelli Square (851 Beach Street, San Francisco)
• Shifts: June 8 – August 28, 2026; Monday–Friday, 8:00/8:30 am – 3:30/4:00 pm
• Duration & Availability: Must be available at least 10 weeks (full summer availability is preferred); you will be assigned 6–8 weeks

For East Bay Camps

• Location: Albany Community Center and Piedmont Community Center
• Shifts: June 8 – August 7, 2026; Monday–Friday, 12:00 – 4:30/5:00 pm
• Duration & Availability: Must be available for full duration; you will be assigned 4–8 weeks

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Responsibilities 

Program Leadership & Instruction

• Serve as the primary liaison between Culinary Artistas, parents, and kids representing our values and mission in all interactions. We maintain a minimum of 6:1 ratio. 
• Spearhead pickup and dropoff procedures
• Lead welcome activities and morning circle time
• Manage all parent/grownup communications including daily updates, concerns, and feedback
• Choose, gather, and prepare materials for daily STEAM activities, with the opportunity to create and implement your own activities.
• Manage transitions between activities smoothly
• Coordinate with culinary staff on integrated programming and schedule management
• Lead and enforce camp rules and expectations discussions
• Oversee outdoor play activities

Team Leadership & Management

• Maintain close, ongoing collaboration and constant communication with the Lead Culinary Educator throughout the camp day — this partnership is essential to camp success.
• Directly supervise and mentor Assistant Educator and Counselors in Training (CITs) ages 12-16
• Train assistants on behavior management techniques
• Assign/delegate staff positions during activities and transitions
• Monitor staff performance and provide feedback during daily post-camp feedback circles
• Support staff schedules, including daily break rotation (owned by Lead Culinary Instructor )
• Ensure proper staff-to-camper ratios during all activities

Safety & Operations

• Maintain facility security (door locking procedures)
• Ensure consistent handwashing and hygiene practices; provide assistance to children during accidents when needed.
• Own clear documentation and timely communication with staff and parents/grownups regarding any safety or hygiene incidents.
• Monitor safety during activities and transitions
• Manage student behavioral expectations
• Coordinate with staff on safety procedures
• Handle parent/grownup communications and concerns in the event of a safety breach 

Schedule + Camper Management

• Morning prep and material gathering (before 8:50am)
• Manage drop-off procedures (8:50–9:30am)
• Lead circle time and introductions (9:30–9:50am)
• Coordinate team assignments by age (9:50–10:00am)
• Lead STEAM activities (11:30–12:45pm)
• Supervise outdoor play (1:15–2:30pm)
• Manage pickup procedures (2:45–3:00pm)
• Facilitate smooth transitions between all activities
• Own Studio cleanup (3:00–3:30pm), actively ensuring the space is fully cleaned before departure, with help from staff and CITs
• Co-lead daily post-camp debrief (3:30pm)

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Skills + Experience Required

• 3+ years experience teaching or working in a lead role directly with elementary-age children
• Strong classroom/camp management skills
• Ability to lead age-appropriate activities and transitions
• Experience developing and implementing STEM curriculum
• Experience supervising staff or volunteers, including teens
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills
• Familiarity with behavior management techniques
• Current First Aid/CPR certification (or willing to obtain)
• Must complete Live Scan background check (reimbursed)
• COVID-19 vaccination required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Child Development, or related field
• Summer camp or enrichment program experience
• Background in STEM or hands-on learning
• Experience with culinary education programs
• Knowledge of age-appropriate activities and transitions

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You Are…

• A champion of our Code of Conduct: clear, honest, and kind in words and actions; a team player; adaptable; process-driven; and growth-oriented
• A skilled educator with strong leadership abilities, guiding children and staff with confidence
• Extremely reliable—always punctual and ready to go.
• Comfortable being the public face of our organization, representing us with professionalism and warmth
• Excellent at communicating with children and families, and adept at handling sensitive conversations with grace
• Calm, decisive, and able to manage fast-paced, dynamic environments
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, balancing many moving parts effortlessly
• Creative in designing engaging, integrated learning experiences
• A self-starter who problem-solves on the fly and keeps operations running smoothly with minimal guidance
• Passionate about fostering an inclusive environment where every child feels valued
• Comfortable in a kitchen environment and moving between indoor and outdoor activities
• Energetic and physically active, supervising and participating throughout the day
• Flexible and adaptive, adjusting programming based on group dynamics and camper needs

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Pay 

Starting at $28-$32 per hour, depending on experience

SF Lead Bonus Perk*: 

Eligible Lead Program Educators and Lead Culinary Educators may earn a bonus of 5–8% of total summer camp shift pay, paid after the last shift. Eligibility is based on:

• Working 6+ weeks as a Lead in SF
• Completing all scheduled shifts
• Calling out 3 or fewer times (following policy)
• Fully performing the duties outlined in your job description
• *Applies to SF Leads only, as those camps run longer hours and more weeks. Actual bonus amounts will be determined based on weeks worked, hours, and performance.

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