EQ Summer Team Lead

About Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas:  

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) offers amazing opportunities for talented, forward-thinking individuals who share our vision of helping girls and young women change the world for the better.  

Here's your opportunity to enhance your career while making a difference in girls’ lives and in the world. At Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, you can build a rewarding career in everything from working hands-on with girls, to accounting, human resources and project management, to marketing, research—and more.  

About Camp Bette Perot: 

Camp Bette Perot, our equestrian camp, offers sleepaway camp for girls ages 7-16.  We serve approximately 150 campers per week from a variety of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Camp community life includes group living, shared meals, daily activities, kapers (chores), and rest. Campers come to camp independently and are cared for by Counselors. Camp is located 20 minutes from the small town of Palestine and 2 hours from the large city of Dallas.  

Equestrian Summer team lead work season runs end of May to end of July 2026.  Barn Manager work week is typically 13 hours per day for 6 days per week.  

Job summary:    

The EQ Summer Team Lead is responsible for assisting the Manager of the Equestrian Center and staff team with daily operations of sleepaway camp, including program coordination for the camp community, EQ summer staff coaching and mentorship, camp values promotion and relationship-building, and general EQ operations and problem-solving support. This position develops relationships with staff and campers and participates fully in daily camp life while serving as a caring mentor, positive role model, and helpful problem solver. The position reports to the Equestrian Center Manager.  Paid staff training is provided at the beginning of the summer and takes place at Camp Bette Perot near Palestine, TX. The position stays onsite. 

Benefits:   

Summer camp changes lives for the better! Join an amazing community where you will make new friends, develop personal and professional skills, engage your body and your mind in an outdoor environment, overcome challenges, and be the best version of yourself, plus have tons of fun! As part of a team mentoring, teaching, and helping, you get to make an incredible impact on staff and campers, who remember the sense of belonging, friendship, growth, and magic of summer camp for their entire lives. All positions include meals when camp is in session, housing (if applicable), paid training and certifications (if applicable), plus invaluable work experience that prepares you to succeed in future careers.  

Primary responsibilities include:

• Champion a positive, inclusive, caring, safe, and fun camp environment and promote the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, including serving as a positive role model for youth in language, dress, culture of inclusion, behavior, and attitude  

• Lead and participate in EQ program activities and administration, including meals, activities, rest, free time, kapers (chores), staff trainings and meetings, planning and preparation, and cleanup  

• Assist with staff training and mentoring and work closely with camp administrative staff  

• Assist with coordination of response for any emergencies that arise  

• Facilitate positive group relationships, including addressing conflict in constructive ways  

• Advocate for camper and staff confidence, responsibility, challenge seeking, teamwork, learning, goal setting, relationship skills, coping strategies, and opportunities for personal and group success  

• Adhere to EQ schedule and uphold schedules with others  

• Assist in care of equestrian facilities, equipment, and supplies, including managing resources wisely  

• Practice all camp safety standards and emergency procedures and uphold them with others  

• Work independently and as part of a team to facilitate smooth operation of EQ summer camp programming. 

• Participate in staff trainings and meetings as requested.    

Specific roles available:

• EQ Senior Team Lead (21+): Support EQ staff belonging, development, effectiveness, wellbeing, and growth through staff training and meetings, mentorship and check-ins, observation and feedback, and tokens of encouragement. Oversee EQ staff to ensure that campers have a safe, fun, and enriching camp experience through both structured activities and free play. Assist with mediating conflicts and resolving challenges. Collaborate closely with Equestrian Center Manager in the coordination and support of daily EQ life.   

Minimum requirements:  

• College degree, or within one year of completing degree. 

• Four years’ experience with Tejas Riders in a minimum of a coaching position.  

• Organized, participant-focused, and safety conscious  

• Excellent written and verbal communication  

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism  

• Excited about working with youth and young adults of all ages and with variable needs  

• At least two summers of experience as a camp counselor or similar participant-focused role in a youth camp setting, or equivalent work experience with similar functions and responsibilities  

• Ability to address staff and camper conflicts, concerns, and questions in an equitable and developmentally appropriate manner  

• Ability to eat, teach, and play respectfully and fruitfully with diverse staff all day, with limited privacy and personal time.  

• Willingness to live in camp setting with exposure to wildlife, including bugs, spiders, and snakes  

• Willingness to be active outdoors all day in variable weather conditions (high heat over 100°F/38°C, high humidity, rain, wind, possible tornadoes) and to walk extensively around camp  

• Willingness to role model respect, positivity, smiling, cheerfulness, kindness, patience, honesty, inclusion, good mental hygiene, and accountability and to self-regulate emotions respectfully in a variety of circumstances  

• Ability to lift 50 pounds frequently and repeatedly. 

• Knowledge of basic equine care, saddling, and safety. 

• Willingness to listen to, learn from, and cooperate with others  

• Willingness to embrace a simple living environment while staying on camp  

• Ability to work long hours all day and all week with possible need to respond to EQ staff emergencies overnight.  

• Demonstrate and promote a climate of courtesy, respect and professionalism to coworkers, the volunteers served by this council, and others with whom this job puts them in contact  

• Upon employment, employee must register as an adult member in the Girl Scout organization and subscribe to the tenets of the Girl Scout Promise and Law  

• Attendance is an essential job requirement defined as having regular, consistent, reliable, punctual and predictable attendance including the ability to work regular hours and shifts, before and after hours, and on weekends, when required  

• Must complete and pass a criminal background check  

Preferred qualifications:  

• Experience serving youth in a work or volunteer setting  

• Experience attending summer camp or going camping  

• Prefer a valid US drivers’ license and meet GSNETX driving record & automobile insurance requirements  

Must abstain from:   

• Use of tobacco products, herbal intoxicants (CBD, THC, gummies, etc.), vaping and electronic cigarettes, alcohol, illegal drugs, firearms, and fireworks while on camp property or while on duty, plus abstain from possessing on camp property and from returning to camp under the influence of any such substances   

• Use of explicit language or harmful language   

• Volatile expressions of emotion   

• Romantic or sexual activity on camp, no public display of affection   

• Wearing clothing that features alcohol, drugs, or harmful topics or language   

• Sharing or discussing private, adult issues with campers   

Our organization’s cultural values:  

• We are relevant.  

• We strive for equity.  

• We put our stakeholders first.  

• We collaborate to get the best results.  

• We own our work.  

Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse, inclusive work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or age.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

Use of hands or fingers to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. Ability to reach with hands and arms, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Ability to work both indoors and outdoors. Significant sitting, standing, physical activity, and ability to walk extensively around a large camp property (1,300 acres). Must be able to withstand prolonged work hours. Must be able to thrive in an environment with regular exposure to large groups of youth and high noise levels. Ability to lift and carry and/or move up to 50 pounds.