Recreation Leader I, PT (Continuous)

City of Oakland; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

City of Oakland is seeking part-time Recreation Aide staff to lead diverse activities for youth and community members at parks and recreation facilities. You will guide arts, crafts, games, sports, and nature programs while enforcing rules and safety guidelines.

The role emphasizes teamwork, enthusiasm, and active community involvement within Oakland’s vibrant neighborhoods. Bilingual skills may be advantageous and travel between sites could be required.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.
• One year of experience participating in a wide variety of recreation activities or as a Recreation Aide with the City of Oakland.
• Candidates must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to apply.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support activities in arts and crafts, games, sports, music, drama, and nature study.
• Instruct participants in positive manners regarding rules and methods of playing indoor and outdoor games.
• Ensure activities operate in accordance with department philosophy and guidelines.
• Coach sports programs and enforce safety rules; maintain orderly participant conduct.
• Admit patrons to recreation facilities, programs, and events; open and secure areas before/after use.
• Prepare program areas for scheduled activities and oversee equipment use in compliance with city rules.
• Build positive working relationships with coworkers, other City employees, and the public with strong customer service.
• Inspect equipment and supplies for safety; report hazards and needed repairs.

Skills

Listening

Oral Communication

Building Relationships

Presentation Skill

Delegating

Safety Focus

Customer Focus

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Continuous Recruitment

Recruitment may close at any time. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately.

The hiring process takes several months to complete. Apply by:

• 10/25/2026 for Spring or Summer 2027 start dates
• 2/7/2027 for Summer 2027 start dates
• 8/8/2027 for Fall or Winter 2027 start dates

2027 OAKLAND PARKS, RECREATION & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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 in 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 Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development Department?

With an emphasis on Oakland’s youth, Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development (OPRYD) 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. Reimagine, recreate, and reinvent, OPRYD with us!

We are looking for someone who is:

• A team player.
• Enthusiastic.
• Excited to play an active role in the Oakland community.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Leading and supporting activities in areas such as arts and crafts, games, sports, music, drama, and nature study.
• Instructing participants in a positive manner regarding rules and methods of playing indoor and outdoor games.
• Ensuring that activities operate in accordance with general department philosophy, objectives, and guidelines.
• Coaching sports programs.
• Enforcing safety rules and regulations; maintaining orderly participant conduct.
• Admitting patrons to recreation facilities, programs, and events.
• Opening, securing, and cleaning program areas before and after program use; preparing program areas for scheduled recreational activities and events.
• Overseeing participant's use of recreation equipment & facilities in compliance with City rules and regulations.
• Building and maintaining positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees, and the public, using principles of good customer service.
• Inspecting the condition of equipment and supplies for safety standards and maintenance needs. Reporting hazards and repairs needed to appropriate parties.
• Scheduling and coordinating leisure education programs and activities.
• Coordinating special events, programs, and field trips.
• Completing forms and reports, preparing incident reports and related documentation, as needed.

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be part of a fun team working with Oakland’s youth.
• You will make a difference in the community.
• Your work will result in real-life impacts.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You may be expected to engage with a lot of kids.
• You will be dealing with complex situations.
• You may have to travel to multiple/various sites/recreation centers.

Competencies Required:

• Listening: Fully comprehending spoken communication
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Building and Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Presentation Skill: Formally delivering information to groups
• Delegating: Sharing responsibility, authority, and accountability
• Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers

This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

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

Education:

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.

Experience:

One (1)year of experience participating ina wide variety of recreation activities in sports, arts and crafts, and/or other organized activities or one (1) year as a Recreation Aide with the City of Oakland.

Candidates must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to apply.

Desirable Qualifications:

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

License/Other Requirements:

• Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Driver's License throughout the tenure of employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties.
• Possession of a valid Basic First Aid certificate may be required.
• Possession of a valid CPR certificate may be required.

Candidates who receive conditional offers of employment will be required to submit fingerprints, undergo a criminal record clearance, and complete a tuberculosis (TB) screening.

The Selection Process

This is an at-will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules, per Charter Section 902. All applications received will be forwarded to the Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development Department (OPYRD) for further consideration.

Meeting the minimum qualification requirements may not result in further consideration, only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. All invitations to interview will be sent through governmentjobs.com, and may be received weeks or months after the initial application date, based on OPRYD seasonal programming. Please ensure that you are routinely checking for emails from governmentjobs.com.

Applications received by the dates below will be reviewed for any vacancies open at that time.

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.