Camp Leadership Jobs in France at American Village Camps

Ready to take the next step?

Ready to lead a team, make decisions and help create an amazing camp experience? American Village offers leadership positions where you can develop real management skills while working in an English-speaking environment.

Whether you're taking your first step as a Head Language Counselor, gaining management experience as a School Trip Manager, or becoming a Vacation Camp Director, each role offers practical training, professional development and support along the way.

🌟Does this sound like you?

I enjoy helping other team members.
I communicate clearly and listen to different points of view.
I have ideas to bring to the camp program.
I like taking initiative and helping a team succeed.

🌟A team that has your back

All our leaders receive preparation and ongoing support. Our administrative team is available throughout the week to answer questions and help handle unexpected situations.

· Head Language Counselors remain part of the counselor team, receive on-site support from their Camp Director and attend an online preparation meeting before summer.

· School Trip Managers and Vacation Camp Directors benefit from a network of fellow leaders to share advice and ideas, plus monthly Zoom meetings for directors currently working at camp.

🌟Directors’ preparation weekend in Lyon

School Trip Managers and Vacation Camp Directors attend a mandatory in-person preparation weekend in Lyon, led by our Pedagogical Director.

Upcoming dates:

- School Trip Managers: February 27 & 28, 2027

- Summer Directors: May 01 & 02, 2027

Our Lyon partners: Ellipse by Flexjob and FUAJ Vieux Lyon

🌟Never Worked at American Village Before?

That’s not always a problem! Before directing their own camp, new directors spend at least one week working as a counselor at an operating American Village camp. This hands-on experience helps them discover our program in order to guide their own team when stepping into this new role.

🌟Financial Support for Your BAFD Training

Want to become a Vacation Camp Director? American Village offers funding support for counselors and School Trip Managers working toward their BAFD (French Camp Director Qualification).

If approved, we can contribute up to €500 toward your BAFD training, provided you commit to working with us for one month during the summer. You must request this funding during the recruitment process for a director position.

Read or download our BAFD funding information

🌟Find the right next step for you

Three leadership positions at American Village build on each other in a sequence.

Each has its own requirements. You can start at any level, based on your French and English levels, your experiences, training and skills. The BAFD is not always required for directing one of our camps.

“My experience as HLC has been incredibly rewarding and helped me grow as a counselor, notably by learning to shoulder some responsibilities. I really enjoyed getting to create a team spirit and make sure all the counselors felt in their place and comfortable giving their best to the kids.“ - “Spoon”, HLC Summer 2026