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Assistant Program Director (APD)

Clydehurst hires 2-4 Assistant Program Directors each year, typically 1 or 2 males and 1 or 2 females. These 2-4 leaders work as a team, in conjunction with the Program Director, to mentor and oversee the 20 College staff members of the College Counseling team. Though both APDs supervise and manage male and female College Counselors, direction of the female College staff will primarily be in the hands of the female APDs and direction of the male College staff in the hands of the male APDs. APDs serve during a 12-week summer experience divided into Training Weeks, Youth Camps, and Family Camps.
• Training Weeks: Approximately 2.5 weeks in lengths, the Program Staff Training Weeks are a requirement for all APDs. These weeks involve familiarization with the camp grounds and facilities, training in camp policies and administration, skills training, personal spiritual development, and community spiritual development as well as training and preparation in other areas. The Program Staff undertakes a 3-night backpacking trip as part of their training and rounds out the experience with All Staff Training prior to the start of the Youth Camp season.
• Youth Camps: APDs work as a team to oversee each counselor who lives in their own cabin with their number of campers ranging from 4 or 5 to 9 or 10 depending on the week. APDs must come alongside the counselors as they figure out how to live out their various roles which resemble parent, teacher, and spiritual leader/mentor. APDs also work as a team to oversee all activity areas within the Program Department such as horses, sports areas like the swimming pool, basketball court, volleyball court, etc., the climbing wall, laser tag, archery tag, the Program Office, and much more.
• Family Camps: APDs work as a team, and in coordination with the Program Director, to help the counselors develop Bible curriculum for the Family Camp Children’s Program. This entails retelling or re-enacting Bible stories, teaching memory verses, sharing devotionals, and engaging with ages from newborns to Junior High level. As counselors transition back to shared housing rather than individual cabins, APDs have the opportunity to spend more concentrated and intentional time with the Counseling staff for devotions and fun activities. Though the work day is more spread out with pockets of free time and pockets of busy time, APDs can expect that their “off” time varies drastically from the Counselors with some overlap with other staff members. Though the overall pattern of each day is the same for all Counselors, some individual responsibilities may vary each day; an APD Family Camp day, however, will typically look the same each day.

Some requirements for our Assistant Program Directors include:

1. Serve as both a work supervisor and a counselor (mentor) to 20 College Counselor Staff.

o Work supervision includes (but is not limited to):
1. Overseeing daily duties and management of activity areas on the grounds including the Lodge (lodge games, etc.), Rifle Range, Archery, Paintball, Zipline, Pool, Climbing Wall)
2. Administrative duties such as scheduling, use of Excel and Word, documentation and tracking of personnel and equipment usage and other logistics as well as general organizational skills
3. Discipline and correction as needed of both counseling staff and campers (though the Program Director handles the vast majority of these situations)
4. Dealing appropriately with interpersonal conflict among Clydehurst counseling staff and between campers
5. Conducting night safety and security checks of cabins and the grounds
6. Develop and/or execute activities and games in a rugged outdoor setting in the mountains; this includes hiking, ziplining, rock climbing, horseback riding, and various other outdoor pursuits, as well as typical sports and other camp-related/youth type games

o Counseling/Mentoring includes (but is not limited to):
1. Planning and leading counselor devotionals alone, together with his/her counterpart, or with the Program Director
2. Overseeing camper cabins in the absence of the counselor or assisting the counselor at appropriate times as needed/requested such as helping to establish appropriate boundaries of behavior and enforcing rules and discipline where required
3. Providing wisdom and advice to the college staff regarding sensitive camper matters and issues
4. Co-leading the college staff with the other APD in the event of the Program Director’s absence
5. Developing appropriate and meaningful relationships with the College Counseling Staff as well as fostering friendships between the College Staff and the High School Crew in conjunction with the High School Staff Leaders
6. Assisting in training the college staff
7. Ultimately, we hope to have APDs that both lead and serve their staff in such a way that exemplifies Jesus Christ.

2. General Expectations - Those applying for this position should very strongly demonstrate the following qualities which are also requirements for our College Counseling Staff. As a leader for the Counselors, APDs should live out these expectations to such a degree that they stand well above their subordinates or, if they have been counselors at CCR or elsewhere in the past, stand out well above their peers.
o Create a welcoming and hospitable environment for all staff and for campers of all ages, both inside respective areas of responsibility and at Clydehurst in general. This includes exercising wisdom and insight regarding campers and how to interact with each one and engaging in Christ-centered and impactful friendships with their campers.
o Serve as a spiritual leader, which includes developing and implementing Bible-based devotionals and lesson plans, as well as finding opportunities to actively engage campers of all ages and other staff especially College Counselors in meaningful spiritual conversations
o Interact meaningfully and selflessly in an intentional and authentic community by providing spiritual support for their peers, leaders and subordinates through prayer, mutual friendships, and honest communication

3. In many ways, this job is round-the-clock though the “work” side of it is more typical of a regular work day. APDs are expected to be available for and accessible to their staff as well as active in developing personal relationships with all of them individually and in group settings. At the end of the day, the APDs report to the Program Director and defer to his/her judgment and guidance.

Requirement: Must have completed one year of college or one year of full-time work experience post high school.

Preference: Those who have worked previously at Clydehurst as a College Counselor.

Time:  Full-Time Seasonal
Salary:  Paid
Category:  Programming

Updated: 3/25/2025 2:03:23 PM