Cooking Specialist, Camp Grossman, Summer Day Camp 2026

JCC Greater Boston • Dover, MA

1d • $16 • Onsite

About The Position

Now hiring! Are you ready to whip up an unforgettable summer? Camp Grossman is looking for a Cooking Specialist to lead our culinary program. If you’re passionate about teaching kids how to create delicious snacks, explore new flavors, and gain confidence in the kitchen, we want to meet you! This full-time, on-site summer role is perfect for a creative, food-loving individual who enjoys working with children. As our Cooking Specialist, you’ll turn our kitchen space into a hub of discovery, helping campers of all ages whisk, mix, and bake, their way to a summer they’ll always remember. Guided by our Program Director and Specialist Supervisor, you will play a key role in making this a summer campers will always remember. Are you ready to make an impact? Join us for an incredible experience.
JCC Greater Boston is deeply committed to valuing and celebrating the uniqueness of each constituent. We welcome staff and participants from diverse backgrounds. While being proudly Jewish, we strive in every way to provide an open and welcoming setting for all, irrespective of personal practices, beliefs, or background. We are guided by JCC Greater Boston’s core values - Belonging, Joyfulness, Collaboration, and Transformation - which resonate with many who do not identify as Jewish.
This is a great chance to join JCC Greater Boston's respected and valued, people-orientated workplace of diverse community services providers, which is rapidly growing!
JOB DETAILS: We are an outdoor camp, located on beautiful, wooded property in Dover, MA. The regular camp day runs from 8:30 - 4:00, Monday - Friday, for the camp season. In addition, Specialists are expected to attend 4 staff meetings on Monday afternoons at Camp and/or evenings at JCC Greater Boston. Specialists also work a Sunday Family Day on Sunday, July 26 and/or 1 or 2 evenings (dinner provided!) over the course of the summer - either running their activity or assisting with a family day, night or cookout, depending on their position in camp. Offering great perks, including JCC Health & Fitness center access, a supportive, vibrant in-person work environment, and a competitive starting pay rate of $16 per hour. The pay rate offered will ultimately be determined by relevant qualifications, experience and JCC's internal equity.
The regular camp season begins June 29 and ends August 21 (with the option to work the following “9th Week” as well). All Staff Orientation begins with a virtual orientation on June 14 and then continues in person (with different hours and no transportation provided) June 24,25 and 26. Visiting Day (a pre-camp visit for all campers and families to meet staff) on Sunday, June 28 and is mandatory for all staff. Specialists may also meet 1 or 2 times (most likely virtually) in June for additional Orientation. While we strongly prefer staff who can start Orientation Week and work the entire 8-week regular season, we are happy to consider quality candidates who may have conflicting obligations.
About JCC Greater Boston
Since opening its doors in 1983, JCC Greater Boston has been committed to creating a vibrant, inclusive, diverse community by nurturing meaningful, lasting relationships. Through our network of early learning centers, day camps, regional teen and family programs, health and wellness offerings, and adult arts and ideas classes, JCC Greater Boston provides highly valued connections, learning, and experiences for the Jewish community and friends.
JCC Greater Boston staff enjoy working in an innovative, friendly, and welcoming environment where their talents and contributions are appreciated. In our recent employee survey, staff rated their direct management and organizational alignment experiences close to 90% positive. If you want to upgrade your working experience and have a better work-life balance, we encourage you to explore becoming part of the JCC team!
JCC Greater Boston is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any individual or group on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or disability. In a continuing effort to maintain and enrich a diverse environment, we actively encourage applications from women and members of underrepresented groups.

Requirements

• Requires knowledge and familiarity with the needs and abilities of children, as well as proficiency in designated activity subject area, to create and lead curriculum for meaningful and joyous experiences for all campers, including but not limited to:
• Enjoys working with children
• Models maturity and reliability with the ability to stay playful – exhibiting flexibility, patience, innovative problem solving and collaboration
• Shares Camp’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Is proficient in subject area and able to translate that experience into a child-focused project and/or activity
• Possesses ability to manage situations calmly, effectively, and diplomatically
• Has a strong desire to make a difference every single day
• Possesses the ability to work independently and as part of a team, with strong relationship-building skills
• Demonstrates excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to juggle multiple tasks and/or competing priorities
• Must be a self-starter who takes initiative
• Demonstrates a history of superb interpersonal and active listening skills
• Must be able to work in-person, on-site in Dover, Massachusetts
• Must be able to navigate 70 acres of rugged, uneven and rustic campgrounds independently
• Comfortable working all or most of the day outdoors or inside without air conditioning
• Able to work well in a busy, dynamic and sometimes noisy environment involving multiple tasks and priorities
• Able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 30-40 pounds (boxes of supplies, children’s backpacks etc.)
• Able to sit and kneel; getting down at eye level with children regularly.

Nice To Haves

• High school graduates strongly preferred
• Experience leading children in your subject area is a plus, but not necessarily required
• Experience working in and/or attending summer camp is a plus
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted at the JCC’s discretion to meet minimum criteria.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead fun, safe, and age-appropriate cooking activities. From "no-bake" treats for our youngest campers to more advanced recipes for older groups, you’ll keep things fresh and engaging.
• Organize, manage and maintain all equipment and supplies, regularly monitoring to ensure proper working order and safety
• Coordinate with the Program Director to order and restock supplies during summer operations, and complete end-of-season inventories for off- season ordering
• Join all staff in the parking lot in the morning and afternoon to welcome the safe arrival and departure of campers
• Role may also include planning and leading an activity, or help with a cookout, one or two evenings (after regular camp hours) throughout the course of the summer
• Actively create a welcoming dynamic that contributes to an environment where everyone is valued and respected
• Actively participate as an essential team member and attend all staff meetings during or after camp as required
• Support JCC Greater Boston’s mission, vision, and values of belonging, joyfulness, collaboration, and transformation, including through role modeling
• Enthusiastically represent the organization, modeling excellence and achievement
• Complete all staff payroll and onboarding on time and before Orientation begins
• Complete all pre-camp asynchronous on-line training modules and attend all pre-camp virtual and in-person orientation sessions
• Other duties as assigned
• Provide on-going direction, guidance, mentorship, feedback and supervision of assistant(s) as needed to facilitate their assistance of Specialist
• Create/facilitate an environment where employees can achieve individual goals
• Build and maintain a positive working relationship to achieve desired outcomes and the ongoing professional growth of the direct report
• Write and conduct a mid-summer evaluation of assistant, identifying key areas of growth with concrete suggestions for how to improve
• Write and conduct an end-of-summer evaluation of assistant including a recommendation for re-hire
• Uphold the policies of the organization and align work with the overall mission, vision and strategic objectives of the JCC; report to the Specialist Supervisor or Program Director any related issues.

Benefits

• JCC Health & Fitness center access
• Use of the Fitness Center at Leventhal-Sidman JCC during active seasonal employment
• Free or discounted Camp Grossman enrollment for camp employees' children during the weeks worked. Discount prorated based on number of regularly scheduled hours.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED