Salary: $18.03 - $23.64 Hourly
Location : Lupine Child Care, 1905 Lupine Road, Hercules, CA
Job Type: Part-time
Job Number: 2025-00011
Department: Parks & Recreation
Opening Date: 03/11/2026
Definition
Recreation Leader I (Part-Time, 19 Hours or Less/Week)
Are you a positive role model who enjoys working with children and making a difference in your community? The City of Hercules is seeking enthusiastic Part-Time Recreation Leaders to support youth and childcare programs in a fun, structured, and supportive environment.
As a Recreation Leader I, you will actively participate in programs, supervise children, and serve as a positive role model in a safe and supportive environment. You will demonstrate leadership and creativity while building meaningful connections with participants, parents, and staff. This position offers valuable hands-on experience in recreation, child development, communication, customer service, and creative activity planning.
Selection Process
This is a continuous recruitment. Applications will be reviewed and screened as they are received, and the recruitment may close at any time once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. We encourage interested candidates to apply promptly. The selection process may include, but is not limited to, an application screening, oral panel interview, and final selection. The City reserves the right to modify the selection process as necessary to meet business needs.
The selection process may include, but is not limited to, an application screening, oral panel interview, and final selection. The City reserves the right to modify the selection process as necessary to meet business needs.
Job Description
Under supervision, the Recreation Leader I supervises clients in their program and/or children in the childcare program; participates in all activities with the children; demonstrates leadership skills, is a positive role model, has a genuine interest in working with clients, the public, children, parents, and supervisors and has effective communication, interpersonal and customer service skills; demonstrates organization and creativity with class projects; demonstrates a clear understanding of child care problem solving techniques in dealing with any discipline situation involving the children; reads, understands, and adheres to all policies and procedures in the staff handbook; and performs related duties as assigned.
Supervision Received and Exercised
The Recreation Leader I may receive lead direction from the Recreation Leader II and/or Recreation Leader III.
Essential Functions
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Responds to inquiries, provides information and assists customers in person and by telephone.
- Ensures customers receive complete information about programs and activities and any applicable policies and regulations.
- Assists in monitoring and supervising the activities of patrons of all ages at various sites.
- Prepares incident, accident, and monthly reports for various sites.
- Assists with city-wide events.
- Attends regular staff meetings.
- Performs related duties as required.
When Assigned to the Children's Programs
- Plans and implements projects and activities with children.
- Proactively anticipates and de-escalates potential behavioral issues to prevent incidents.
- Communicates with parents/guardians regarding absences, illnesses, behavior concerns, and other matters via phone, written notices, and in person.
- Provides lead direction and assists lower-level staff with classroom activity assignments and cleaning duties including washing dishes, vacuuming, trash disposal, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning bathrooms.
- Attends all local, off site field trips.
- Participates in aquatic activities with children at the Community/Swim Center as needed.
- Ensures proper health, welfare, safety and supervision of all children enrolled in assigned programs; remains on site at assigned location(s); resolves various behavioral problems as they arise.
- Tutors and assists children with homework as needed.
- Drives City vehicles with children to designated sites (Leader II only).
- Maintains and submits necessary attendance records and accident and incident reports.
- Ensures efficient use and proper care of materials and supplies. Performs related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Knowledge of
- Operations, services, and activities of recreation programs, including childcare programs.
- Correct English usage, including spelling and grammar.
- Safety principles and practices related to childcare programs and activities.
- City policies and procedures.
- Principles and practices of child development.
- Methods and techniques of classroom management.
- Working with children with special needs and teens with behavior issues.
- methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
- Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations.
Ability to
- Prepare adequate lesson plans in advance of the scheduled activity.
- Handle all disciplinary or inappropriate behavior situations.
- Work cooperatively and communicate with the public and employees in an enthusiastic and constructive manner.
- Ask questions and takes interest in learning more.
- Take direction in a positive way.
- Respond to children/teens/seniors in an appropriate manner.
- Exercise flexibility regarding working with varying personalities, age groups, and work schedules.
- Acknowledge individuals when an issue arises and respect the concerns that are shared.
- Assess situations and prevent issues before they occur.
- Exercise good communication and customer service skills.
- Be a positive role model for staff and children and exercise good appearance, attitude, speech and body language.
- Remain calm during emergencies.
- Lead and interact with large groups of children/teens/seniors on a daily basis with various activities such as organized games, art projects, homework, and outdoor play.
- Demonstrate problem solving skills.
- Perform daily chores, including mopping spills, sweeping, vacuuming, carry out the trash, wash dishes and tables as needed.
- Wear proper attire which includes uniform, badge, and safe, comfortable shoes at all times. (Open toed shoes are not allowed.)
- Stay current with trends of assigned recreation programs.
- Improvise and multi-task.
- Administer first aid, CPR and/or artificial respiration.
- Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Skills and Personal Attributes: Demonstrates strong attention to accuracy, thoroughness, and detail, and communicates clearly and effectively in both oral and written forms.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Any combination of experience and education/training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Education
High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience
One year of experience working in a recreation program. Experience in working effectively with children and/or youth programs and in a recreational environment is desired.
OR
A combination of relevant experience and college units in early childhood education, child development, recreation, elementary education, or a related field.
Certificates / Licenses / Special Requirements
Possession, or ability to obtain, current Pediatric First Aid and Infant/Child/Adult CPR certificates.
Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
Must be fingerprinted for submission to the California Department of Justice in order to work for the City of Hercules.
Additional Information
Environmental Conditions:
Indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and office environment; occasional travel from site to site; exposure to computer screens and noise; exposure to heavy public contact.
Physical Conditions:
Essential and marginal functions require the ability to walk, stand, or sit for prolonged periods of time in an indoor and outdoor environment; frequently sit, stand, walk, run, jump, climb, reach, turn, bend, squat, stoop, hop, kneel, crouch, crawl, grasp, push, pull and make repetitive hand movements in the performance of daily duties and in interactions with children in their daily play; interact with children through sports, physical education, swimming, aerobics, dance and other activities; lift, carry, push, and/or pull moderate to heavy amounts of weight; hearing and speaking ability sufficient to communicate in person, by telephone, and to speak loudly in a noisy setting; visual ability sufficient to clearly distinguish objects and persons at a distance and to read and produce printed material and information displayed on a computer screen; ability to raise arms above shoulder height; manual dexterity sufficient to grasp objects, use fine manipulation, write and operate office machines and equipment; operate a vehicle; competency to write, spell and relay accurate information on behavior, discipline, and incident and accident reports, as needed; may occasionally work evenings and weekend hours to attend events. Position requires working in a high-noise environment with frequent interruptions and elevated sound levels.
Non-union/non-benefited position.
01
COMPETITIVE EVALUATION: Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and completely and that your responses can be verified from information included within the application?
02
Are you at least 18 years of age?
03
Please indicate the highest level of education you have completed.
- Less than High School Diploma or GED
- High School Diploma or GED
- Some college
- Associate's Degree (at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units)
- Bachelor's Degree (at least 120 semester units or 180 quarter units)
- Master's Degree or Higher
04
Do you have experience working effectively with children and/or youth programs and in a recreational environment?
05
How much experience do you have working in a recreation program?
- I don't have any experience
- Less than 6 months
- 6 months to less than 1 year
- 1 year to less than 2 years
- 2 years or more
06
The position requires a valid American Red Cross or equivalent agency certifications. Which of the following valid certificates do you possess?
- American Red Cross Lifeguarding/First Aid Certificate.
- American Red Cross Emergency Medical Response Certificate.
- American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Certificate.
- American Red Cross CPR/Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for Lifeguard Certificate or American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer/AED Essentials Certificate.
- American Red Cross Course Record showing successful completion of required training.
- Equivalent certificate from a lifeguard training program approved by the California Department of Public Health.
- American Red Cross or equivalent agency Pediatric First Aid and Infant/Child/Adult CPR certificate
- American Red Cross or equivalent agency Pediatric First Aid certificate
- American Red Cross or equivalent agency CPR certificate
- None of the above.
07
PLEASE acknowledge by choosing one option from the list below:
- I currently possess the required license/certification(s) for this position.
- I do not currently possess the required license/certification(s) for this position, but acknowledge that if selected for this position, that I will obtain them prior to hire.
08
I have attached copies of all job-related certifications that I have to this application.
- Yes, I have attached them.
- No, I have not. I have them, but they are not attached.
- No, I have not, because I have not yet acquired them. I will provide copies of them to HR before my hire date if selected for this position.
09
In 500 words or less, briefly describe your experience working with children, including your role, the location, and the duration of your experience.If you do not have experience working with children, please enter "N/A" in the space below.
10
In 500 words or less, please provide any additional information that would assist us in evaluating your qualifications for this position, such as education, training, certifications, volunteer work, or internship experience.If not applicable, please enter "N/A" in the space below.
11
In 500 words or less, tell us what interests you about the Recreation Leader I position and explain why your skills, interests, or experience make you a good fit for the role.If not applicable, please enter "N/A" below.
Required Question
