Recreation Specialist (Senior’s Planning & Performance Specialist), Grade 21
Montgomery County Government, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, 20900
About The Position
Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $70,556 - $98,856, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience. Who We Are
Montgomery County Department of Recreation is a nationally recognized and award-winning agency with a mission to provide high quality, diverse, and accessible community-based programs, activities, and services that serve the recreation and leisure needs of the Montgomery County community. The department manages 39 facilities including recreation centers, senior centers, and indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities and provides thousands of programs such as out-of-school activities, aquatics, classes, youth and adult sports programs and leagues, senior programs, and therapeutic recreation. Recreation is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. Recreation encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. Who We Are Looking For
The Department seeks a dynamic, experienced, and energetic Recreation Specialist to perform full-time work in support of Senior (55+) programming and telling our story. The position involves ensuring our team’s performance measures are achieved through data collection and analysis, and supporting our senior centers and/or facilities with innovative, state-of-the-art and culturally responsive programs for adults 55 or better. Successful candidates will have knowledge, skills, and abilities for organizing, developing, planning, scheduling, promoting, contract oversight, attention to detail, and evaluating a full range of instructional classes, sports, fitness and wellness programs, lifetime leisure activities, and special events in diverse community settings. They will also demonstrate broad individual responsibility executing general facility oversight, cleanliness, care, and ground maintenance. The Recreation Specialist will play a critical role in creating and maintaining a welcoming environment that promotes active participation and enhances the quality of life for our diverse senior community. What You’ll Be Doing
Recreation Specialists are responsible for the programs, activities, classes, events, and data collection that help our older residents thrive in our programs. The Recreation Specialist will have the experience and demonstrate the abilities in: Leading and Planning Programs and Events – Plan, develop, organize, establish outcomes, manage budgets, and evaluate recreation programs, classes, and large-scale events for the older adult population, making data-driven decisions for future programs. Community Engagement – Build positive working relationships and deliver culturally responsive, inclusive, and equitable programs for the community. Senior Meal Program Support & Oversight – Support and assist with meal orders, reservation requests, meal distribution, accurate data collection, and food safety standards at multiple locations. Staff, Volunteer, and Contract Oversight – Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, monitor, and evaluate seasonal employees, volunteers, and contractors. Ensure high-quality service is delivered and payments are initiated and processed on time. Administrative Operations – Handle registrations, scheduling, and program setup using recreation software systems and tools. Financial, Performance, and Compliance Management – Safeguard cash, PPI, inventory, County property, and data collection. Prepare reports, trackers, and data analysis summaries for leadership. Adhere to policies, protocols and best practices. Marketing and Communication – Promote and support the department, division, and team on county initiatives, programs and events. Serve as a liaison between colleagues, public relations, customer service, stakeholders, partners and community members. Community Partnership – Establish, collaborate, and coordinate with organization boards, community groups, businesses, non-profits, etc. to advance the department’s mission and fill program gaps. Work with Supervisor to formalize partnerships by developing MOUs, LOAs and SOWs before initiating any program, event, or service. Professional Skills & Cultural Competence – Demonstrate strong communication, organizational skills, attention to detail, flexibility, and commitment to diversity. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, VSI, or other software tools to demonstrate these skills. As a Leader/Organizer of Unionized Employees
Foster a positive labor-relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation. Maintain stability of seasonal employees by modeling desired behaviors through a consistent and positive work ethic, and by advocating on behalf of the management team. Motivate and provide direction and guidance to employees through clear articulation of work projects, goals, and related services. The selected candidates will be required to complete a background investigation and a medical exam with drug/alcohol screening prior to appointment. These positions require work during non-traditional hours to include early mornings, evenings/nights, weekends, and holidays; may require work outdoors in varying weather and extreme temperatures; and the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside of an assigned facility. Successful candidates may provide onsite coverage and support to other programs during facility operating hours and may be routinely assigned to cover and/or support multiple programs/activities. Montgomery County Recreation is committed to providing enriching programs that engage our community and offer a widespread community appeal. If you are passionate about supporting and enriching the lives of our older adults, this is the opportunity for you! Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
Two (2) years of progressively responsible recreational specialist work involving planning, organizing, supervising and implementing an area-wide, countywide or special interest recreation program. Education:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree. Equivalency:
An equivalent combination of education, experience and training may be substituted. Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be further evaluated based on the following preferred criteria: Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting program performance data to inform decision-making. Proficiency in recreation management software (e.g., VSI, ActiveNet) and Microsoft Office Suite for scheduling, registration, and reporting. Demonstrated success in planning and executing large-scale events for older adults, including budget management and vendor coordination. Experience developing culturally responsive programs for diverse communities; multilingual skills are a plus. Ability to establish and maintain partnerships with community organizations, nonprofits, and businesses to expand program offerings. Experience creating promotional materials and leveraging social media or other platforms for program outreach. Prior experience hiring, training, and supervising seasonal staff, volunteers, and contractors. Familiarity with senior wellness trends, fitness, and lifelong learning programs. Relevant certifications such as CPR/First Aid or Food Safety. Flexibility to work non-traditional hours (early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays) and adapt to changing program needs. Important Information
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position. Montgomery County Government (MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. The County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws. MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference. All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview. This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies. If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume. Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's Public Employees are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
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Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $70,556 - $98,856, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience. Who We Are
Montgomery County Department of Recreation is a nationally recognized and award-winning agency with a mission to provide high quality, diverse, and accessible community-based programs, activities, and services that serve the recreation and leisure needs of the Montgomery County community. The department manages 39 facilities including recreation centers, senior centers, and indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities and provides thousands of programs such as out-of-school activities, aquatics, classes, youth and adult sports programs and leagues, senior programs, and therapeutic recreation. Recreation is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. Recreation encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. Who We Are Looking For
The Department seeks a dynamic, experienced, and energetic Recreation Specialist to perform full-time work in support of Senior (55+) programming and telling our story. The position involves ensuring our team’s performance measures are achieved through data collection and analysis, and supporting our senior centers and/or facilities with innovative, state-of-the-art and culturally responsive programs for adults 55 or better. Successful candidates will have knowledge, skills, and abilities for organizing, developing, planning, scheduling, promoting, contract oversight, attention to detail, and evaluating a full range of instructional classes, sports, fitness and wellness programs, lifetime leisure activities, and special events in diverse community settings. They will also demonstrate broad individual responsibility executing general facility oversight, cleanliness, care, and ground maintenance. The Recreation Specialist will play a critical role in creating and maintaining a welcoming environment that promotes active participation and enhances the quality of life for our diverse senior community. What You’ll Be Doing
Recreation Specialists are responsible for the programs, activities, classes, events, and data collection that help our older residents thrive in our programs. The Recreation Specialist will have the experience and demonstrate the abilities in: Leading and Planning Programs and Events – Plan, develop, organize, establish outcomes, manage budgets, and evaluate recreation programs, classes, and large-scale events for the older adult population, making data-driven decisions for future programs. Community Engagement – Build positive working relationships and deliver culturally responsive, inclusive, and equitable programs for the community. Senior Meal Program Support & Oversight – Support and assist with meal orders, reservation requests, meal distribution, accurate data collection, and food safety standards at multiple locations. Staff, Volunteer, and Contract Oversight – Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, monitor, and evaluate seasonal employees, volunteers, and contractors. Ensure high-quality service is delivered and payments are initiated and processed on time. Administrative Operations – Handle registrations, scheduling, and program setup using recreation software systems and tools. Financial, Performance, and Compliance Management – Safeguard cash, PPI, inventory, County property, and data collection. Prepare reports, trackers, and data analysis summaries for leadership. Adhere to policies, protocols and best practices. Marketing and Communication – Promote and support the department, division, and team on county initiatives, programs and events. Serve as a liaison between colleagues, public relations, customer service, stakeholders, partners and community members. Community Partnership – Establish, collaborate, and coordinate with organization boards, community groups, businesses, non-profits, etc. to advance the department’s mission and fill program gaps. Work with Supervisor to formalize partnerships by developing MOUs, LOAs and SOWs before initiating any program, event, or service. Professional Skills & Cultural Competence – Demonstrate strong communication, organizational skills, attention to detail, flexibility, and commitment to diversity. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, VSI, or other software tools to demonstrate these skills. As a Leader/Organizer of Unionized Employees
Foster a positive labor-relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation. Maintain stability of seasonal employees by modeling desired behaviors through a consistent and positive work ethic, and by advocating on behalf of the management team. Motivate and provide direction and guidance to employees through clear articulation of work projects, goals, and related services. The selected candidates will be required to complete a background investigation and a medical exam with drug/alcohol screening prior to appointment. These positions require work during non-traditional hours to include early mornings, evenings/nights, weekends, and holidays; may require work outdoors in varying weather and extreme temperatures; and the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside of an assigned facility. Successful candidates may provide onsite coverage and support to other programs during facility operating hours and may be routinely assigned to cover and/or support multiple programs/activities. Montgomery County Recreation is committed to providing enriching programs that engage our community and offer a widespread community appeal. If you are passionate about supporting and enriching the lives of our older adults, this is the opportunity for you! Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
Two (2) years of progressively responsible recreational specialist work involving planning, organizing, supervising and implementing an area-wide, countywide or special interest recreation program. Education:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree. Equivalency:
An equivalent combination of education, experience and training may be substituted. Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be further evaluated based on the following preferred criteria: Experience collecting, analyzing, and reporting program performance data to inform decision-making. Proficiency in recreation management software (e.g., VSI, ActiveNet) and Microsoft Office Suite for scheduling, registration, and reporting. Demonstrated success in planning and executing large-scale events for older adults, including budget management and vendor coordination. Experience developing culturally responsive programs for diverse communities; multilingual skills are a plus. Ability to establish and maintain partnerships with community organizations, nonprofits, and businesses to expand program offerings. Experience creating promotional materials and leveraging social media or other platforms for program outreach. Prior experience hiring, training, and supervising seasonal staff, volunteers, and contractors. Familiarity with senior wellness trends, fitness, and lifelong learning programs. Relevant certifications such as CPR/First Aid or Food Safety. Flexibility to work non-traditional hours (early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays) and adapt to changing program needs. Important Information
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position. Montgomery County Government (MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. The County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws. MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference. All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview. This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies. If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume. Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's Public Employees are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
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