Recreation Program Coordinator
Salary
$53,765.84 - $69,216.92 Annually
Location
Portsmouth, VA
Job Type
Full-Time Regular
Job Number
FY2025-01434
Department
Parks and Recreation
Opening Date
06/30/2026
Closing Date
7/14/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
Under general supervision, this position plans, develops, implements and supervises city and departmental programs or projects for target populations at designated events and facilities. Responsible for the safety and security of program participants, and the safe operation of equipment, supplies and facilities. Reports to Facility Supervisor.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Coordinates, assists and supports the general planning and implementation of city and recreational department events and facilities to develop appropriate activities and events for program participants and is responsible for the daily care and security of all related program equipment and supplies and enforces city rules and regulations pertaining to event and facility use.
Responsible for the effective administration of recreational operations, including completing required reports, contract administration, purchasing, prioritizing and assigning work and related activities. Coordinates special city-wide events as assigned; serves on committees to help plan and implement special events, programs, and other city recreation activities; promotes programs through the development and distributions of flyers, brochures, news releases, and outreach efforts and community organizations; assists with the recruitment and training of summer staff.
Oversees and develops short and long-term strategic goals pertaining to the planning, development, design and operational processes of the facilities; develops and recommends policies and procedures to include participant registration, program operations, and safety and building operations; recommends internal branch organization; establishes and implements management systems to effectively meet operating goals and objectives.
Serves on committees to help plan and implement instructional programs and other city recreation activities; promotes programs through the development and distribution of flyers, brochures, news releases, social media, and outreach efforts and community organizations; and assists with the recruitment and training of summer staff.
Performs studies, surveys, research, and investigations and provides data analysis, evaluations, and report writing to develop strategies, including grant administration and writing, with regard to administrative and operational department and event effectiveness.
Establishes systems for ensuring city and departmental personnel policies and procedures are appropriately administered; assists with departmental human resources functions, to include staff development programs, performance evaluations, departmental strategic plans, research and evaluations.
Investigates, responds, and resolves citizen and city department complaints.
Maintains inventory of equipment and supplies and submits requisitions for new equipment as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Knowledge of Job: Has general knowledge of instructing participants in the area of creative, cultural and performing arts. Has general knowledge of the principles and methodologies of planning and leading participants in recreational activities, games and events. Has general knowledge of the proper safety precautions for recreational, creative, theatrical and visual arts activities. Is skilled in the use of variety equipment associated with the recreational and performing arts arena. Is able to plan and implement a variety of creative and cultural recreational activities to meet different target populations. Is able to understand and interpret oral and written instructions. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high-quality communication and interacts with all departments, co-workers and the general public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policies, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and research problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefits. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees and managers in other departments to project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, supervisors, superintendents, professionals, and the general public.
Coordination of Work:Plans and organize daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplications of efforts. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.
Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated.
Education, Experience & Special Requirements
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
Requires a bachelor's degree in physical education, Recreation, or a related field and 3 - 5 years of experience working with a variety of populations, in the recreational field, to include assessing and developing programs; 1 - 2 years of supervisory experience or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check and sex offender registry check.
A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint.
Physical Demands
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to use and demonstrate the use of a variety of recreational equipment and to demonstrate considerable movement and flexibility in the implementation of program activities. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and up to 10 pounds of force frequently and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of sedentary work. Physical demand requirements are for light work.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information including receiving instructions, assignments and directions from supervisor.
Language Ability: Requires the ability to read program activity, attendance and evaluations forms. Requires the ability to complete attendance sheets, times cards, incident reports, program calendars, etc. using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence. Requires the ability to understand the language peculiar to performing/visual arts.
Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, and follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using standard English, and recreational terminology.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a variety of recreational equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as recreational equipment and carpentry equipment.
Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of colors.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress (emergency situation).
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking -expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing-perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS
The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.
This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
The city of Portsmouth offers a complete and comprehensive benefit package to full-time employees including: medical, dental, vision, legal, Flexible Spending Accounts, basic and optional life insurance, short-term disability insurance, Virginia Retirement System (includes a mandatory 5% employee contribution), holidays, vacation, sick leave, deferred compensation plan, and Chartway Credit Union. To learn more details, visit http://va-portsmouthhr.civicplus.com/.
01
Do you have a valid drivers license with an acceptable driving record?
02
What is the highest level of education completed?
03
Do you have 1-2 years of supervisory experience in the field of recreation?
04
Do you have the required Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education, Recreation, or a related field?
05
Do you have 3 - 5 years of experience working with a variety of populations, in the recreational field to include assessing and developing programs?
Required Question
Employer City of Portsmouth
Address 801 Crawford Street
2nd Floor Human Resource Management
Portsmouth, Virginia, 23704
Phone (757) 393-8626