Recreation Program Director Jobs

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants to one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development?

With an emphasis on Oakland’s youth, Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development, and its partners will provide best-in-class, relevant, and equitable programs and services, while meeting the specific needs of people and communities both at the neighborhood level and regionally throughout the City of Oakland. We achieve this mission through intentional engagement and by removing the barriers that prohibit equitable opportunities for all. Oakland’s Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development (OPRYD) Department believes that communities thrive when they play with a purpose. Our purpose is to Expose, Enlighten, Empower, and Encourage Educational Excellence through recreational experiences.

The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill one (1) Recreation Program Director vacancy within the Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development Department. The current vacancy provides oversight to the following program areas: Auxiliary Recreation Services Unit, namely the Oakland Park Stewards.

We Are Looking For Someone Who Is

• Connector/Team Builder: You will have the opportunity to inspire and bring people together to accomplish shared goals.
• Community Engagement Oriented: You will help us progress towards developing or enhancing targeted community engagement strategies, especially those that increase notoriety and accessibility.
• Equitable: You will have the opportunity to use this understanding and orientation to ensure optimal accessibility of our programs and services.
• Flexible: You must possess the ability to be flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Full of Integrity: You will be dedicated to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal relationships so that you will merit the respect and confidence of other employees, and of the public.
• Strategic: You will have the chance to share their skills and abilities to analyze and notice trends that help us enhance operations. You must have effective decision-making and negotiation skills.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Effective decision-making and negotiating.
• Community outreach and engagement.
• Oversight and training of staff and volunteers.
• Assessing and monitoring community needs; identifying opportunities for improving service delivery methods and procedures for development and implementation of new program areas.
• Providing leadership for community-based and culturally aware recreational programs, activities, and services.

Read the complete job description by clicking Recreation Program Director - Class Specification Bulletin

A Few Reasons You Might Love This Job

• Ability to be active and outdoors engaged with community.
• Ability to serve and improve the quality of life for communities.
• Creation of job opportunities for youth; community youth development, and professional development opportunities.
• Comradery with like-minded colleagues.
• The ability to expose youth/families to many resources and services.

A Few Challenges You Might Face In This Job

• You will need to balance priorities and coordinate between multiple parties including City staff, elected/appointed officials, and members of the public.
• Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland! Working for the City of Oakland
• You will be in constant interaction with enthusiastic and engaged members of the public.

Minimum Requirements For Application

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications is acceptable.

Education: Graduation from college with a Bachelor's degree in recreation or a related field.

Experience: One year paid or volunteer experience in one or more areas of recreation programming or a related field.

License Or Certificate / Other Requirements

Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.

Bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin are highly desirable and may be required for certain positions.

Knowledge And Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Rules, practices and equipment used in recreational activities.
• Oral and written presentation skills; public relations skills.
• Basic principles of lead supervision and training.
• Principles, problems and techniques of community recreation and basics of physical fitness.
• Human development and behavior; basic organizational and leadership skills.
• Basic records management and general office skills.
• Departmental safety standards and work practices.

Ability to:

• Promote and develop programs to meet local community needs.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
• Organize community and provide leadership; work effectively in a diverse community.
• Plan, conduct, supervise and lead recreation programs and activities; assist in the management of a recreation facility or city-wide program.
• Provide lead direction and training to assigned staff.
• Follow and promote safe work practices.
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written form.

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.

Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.

For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to complete a Behavioral Consistency Questionnaire which will be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. You’ll have seven (7) days to complete the questionnaire once it is sent to your email. This is tentatively planned to launch during the week of July 31, 2023.

Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.

What’s in it for you?

• Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
• 15 paid holidays
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Work/Life Balance: 40 hour work weeks

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Disaster Service Workers

All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

How To Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm .

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Due to current events and pandemic-related safety concerns, City facilities may be closed to the public.

Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system.

The City of Oakland is an EEO/ADA Employer.

The City complies with all Federal, State and local laws mandating Equal Employment Opportunities. All qualified applicants will be considered in accordance with applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Benefits May Include*

The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions.

• Specific benefits may vary depending on the assignedspecific bargaining unit. Information regarding most benefits can be reviewed here: Employee Benefits Information Current MOUs may be reviewed here: City of Oakland Labor Agreements
• Dental
• Pension Benefits
• CalPERS Medical
• Vision
• Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Medical Waiver Plan - Cash-In-Lieu
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
• Commuter Benefits

Closing Date/Time: 7/31/2023 11:59 PM Pacific