Department: Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs
City of Syracuse residency is required for this position. If you are not a resident, you have six (6) months from your date of hire to establish residency.
Job Description
This work involves responsibility for assisting in the planning, organizing and supervision of a particular phase of a recreation program. Under the direct supervision of a Recreation Supervisor or the administrator of a recreation program, an employee in this class has responsibility for implementing recreation services in a municipal recreation department or program. Under close supervision, Senior Recreation Leaders are responsible for assessing participants' needs, developing recreation programs or activities to meet those needs, evaluating these programs and activities in terms of effectiveness and appeal and suggesting to a supervisor ways to redesign activities. The scope of responsibility of this position may include serving as an assistant recreation facility director.
The job responsibilities of this classification differ from those of Recreation Supervisor in that the former requires less formal training and experience than the Supervisor does and does not have the wide scope of breadth and depth of final job responsibility assigned to the Supervisor. An employee in this class may be expected to spend some time in a specific recreation leadership role, such as the actual conduct of activities with assigned groups of participants. Supervision may be exercised over Recreation Leaders, Recreation Aides, Recreation Attendants and other program and facility support staff.
Typical Work Activities
- Under direct supervision, assesses participants’ needs and wants; develops recreation programs and activities to fill those needs.
- Conducts and supervises the conduct of activities with assigned groups of participants by initiating participation in the activities, enforcing rules and regulations and maintaining safety and order; may officiate during games or athletic contests; may chaperone field trips; may provide guided tours of facilities; may operate a public address system and audio visual equipment; may do public relations and advertising of the program and/or event; may be involved with private vendors providing services at an event; may organize volunteers for the activities.
- May act as the assistant director of a recreation center or facility which involves directly assigning, supervising and evaluating the work of recreation leaders, aides and attendants; acts for the center director in their absence; may represent the director at meetings; may assist director by performing various administrative duties as assigned such as answering routine correspondence, collecting activity participation figures, etc.
- Under direct supervision, evaluates activities and programs in terms of effectiveness, applicability, appeal, and timeliness and suggests to a supervisor way to redesign, change, eliminate or initiate activities.
- Under direct supervision, organizes, promotes and directs activities such as team sports, nature studies, hikes, camping, skiing and skating, arts and crafts, storytelling, musical events, dramatics, table games, leagues, tournaments, socials, dances and other special events.
- May keep records of equipment, monies received, supplies, activity participants, etc.; may be required to prepare oral and written reports.
Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities
- Knowledge of the organization and conduct of one or more types of recreational activities.
- Working knowledge of recreation principles and practices.
- Working knowledge of community resources as they relate to the planning of recreation programs and activities.
- Ability to assess recreation needs, suggest ways to meet needs and evaluate suggestions to determine their effectiveness.
- Ability to plan, organize, conduct and teach several recreation activities.
- Ability to communicate effectively and establish good working relationships with groups and individuals.
- Ability to stimulate and hold the interest of the participants.
- Ability to arrange schedules for groups engaged in playing a variety of games and sports.
- Ability to establish cordial working relationships with groups and individuals.
- Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
- Ability to supervise employees.
- Ability to produce financial summary reports of recreation programs and activities.
- Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
Minimum Qualifications
Promotional
- One (1) year of permanent competitive status in the title of Recreation Leader
Open Competitive
- A) Two (2) years of work experience, or its part time equivalent, in the conduct of recreation activities, at least three (3) months or one (1) season of which must have been as a Recreation Leader or higher (i.e. work experience involving personal responsibility for the initiation but not necessarily the planning, design and development of day-to-day recreation activities at a site such as a center, park, playground or after school program); or,
- B) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an associate's degree in recreation; or,
- C) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an associate's degree or successful completion of sixty (60) credit hours and three (3) months or one (1) season of work experience as a Recreation Leader or higher (as per description in A above); or,
- D) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and (B).
Benefits
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
- Retirement plan
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The Affirmative Action Policy of the City of Syracuse is to provide equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, creed, age (18 and over), marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, gender identity or gender expression, sexual or affectional preference or orientation, or any other classified group within the protected class. The City also complies with 31 CFR part 51. If you have a disability for which you wish special accommodation to be made, contact the Office of Human Resources at 315-448-8780 or personnel@syr.gov.
The City of Syracuse may conduct a criminal background check with regard to the employment sought.