Recreation Program Coordinator | Recreation Specialist

Job Opportunity

Come join an incredible team-oriented department that positively impacts the lives of the City of Milpitas's diverse community! The City of Milpitas Recreation & Community Services Department is recruiting for two separate full-time positions. You may apply for one or both. Each position has its own minimum qualifications, its own screening, and its own interview process. Question 1 of the supplemental questionnaire is where you tell us which position or positions you want to be considered for.

Salary:

• Program Coordinator, Youth and Teen Programs: $86,648.12 to $114,054.98 Annually
• Recreation Specialist, Contract Classes (Recreation Services Assistant IV): $65,424.84 to $79,523.86 Annually

Position 1: Program Coordinator, Youth and Teen Programs

This position plans, develops, and implements the City's youth and teen programming. That includes After the Bell (after school program), day camps and school break camps, the Counselor in Training, LYFE (middle school after school program), the Teen Center, Milpitas Youth Force (summer youth job program), and staff support to the Youth Advisory Commission. The Coordinator recruits, trains, schedules, and supervises part-time and seasonal staff and volunteers, assists with budget preparation and monitoring, and promotes programs, services, and events.

The ideal candidate is energized by young people and knows how to build programs that fun, safe, and inclusive for all ages. You are comfortable running several programs at once, you keep your part-time and seasonal staff trained and supported, and you are as steady with a budget spreadsheet as you are on organizing a game with 30 kids. You listen to what Milpitas youth and families need and want from our programs, and try to create programs that serve the diverse Milpitas community.

Position 2: Recreation and Community Services Assistant IV, Contract Classes and Programs (Recreation Specialist)

Working title: Recreation Specialist. This position assists with the planning, development, implementation, and supervision of contract classes and programs across the department, including Youth, Teen and Adult Programs. It is responsible for recruiting, selecting, onboarding, and evaluating contract instructors and vendors, scheduling classes and facility space, monitoring program budgets and enrollment, preparing content for the activity guide, and resolving participant and instructor questions.

The ideal candidate is organized, resourceful, and able to monitor multiple contracts at different stages. You can work with instructors to create a class that works for both parties. You know what types of programs and classes Milpitas youth and families need and want, and follow trends.

For the complete job descriptions, please click here: Program Coordinator | Recreation Services Assistant IV

* This posting is written notice of two permanent, vacant positions and is posted for at least 10 working days in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Milpitas Professional and Technical Group (ProTech). Internal applications received by August 1, 2026, will be reviewed first, and internal qualified candidates will be considered before external applicants are reviewed.

Examples of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following.

PROGRAM COORDINATOR, YOUTH AND TEEN PROGRAMS

Youth and Teen Programs

• Plans, develops, and implements classes, activities, camps, and special events for youth and teens
• Coordinates After the Bell, day camps, and school break camps
• Oversees the Counselor in Training and Leadership Academy programs
• Coordinates LYFE and Teen Center programming
• Supports Milpitas Youth Force and provides staff support to the Youth Advisory Commission
• Researches youth and teen recreation trends and conducts surveys to assess participant interests

Staff and Volunteers

• Recruits, trains, schedules, supervises, and evaluates part-time and seasonal staff and volunteers
• Develops staff training materials and program safety procedures

Administration

• Assists with budget preparation and monitoring
• Prepares reports, correspondence, and program evaluations
• Promotes programs, services, and events through the activity guide, the City website, and social media
• Builds partnerships with school districts, community organizations, and youth-serving agencies

RECREATION SPECIALIST, CONTRACT CLASSES (RECREATION SERVICES ASSISTANT IV)

Contract Classes and Programs

• Oversees contracts for youth and teen enrichment, sports and camps, adult and senior enrichment, health and fitness classes, and special needs and all-inclusive classes
• Recruits, screens, selects, onboards, and evaluates contract instructors and vendors
• Prepares and monitors instructor agreements and contract terms, and ensures proper vendor insurance coverage and City business license
• Confirms class schedules and works with administrative staff to schedule facility use
• Makes regular site visits to contract class locations
• Works with the Human Resources Department on tracking of required instructor fingerprinting and First Aid, CPR, and AED certification

Administration and Customer Service

• Monitors program budgets, revenue, and expenditures, and tracks registration and enrollment
• Prepares purchase requisitions and reconciles payments
• Maintains program records and prepares reports
• Prepares content for the activity guide and program marketing materials
• Receives and resolves participant, instructor, and vendor questions and complaints

Staff

• Directs the work of part-time staff and volunteers assigned to contract programs

Typical Qualifications

Minimum qualifications are separate for each position.

PROGRAM COORDINATOR, YOUTH AND TEEN PROGRAMS

Education

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in recreation, public administration, or a closely related field.
• The education requirement may be substituted for relevant work experience on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

• Two (2) years of full-time experience coordinating recreation program(s), including the supervision of part-time or seasonal personnel.

License or Certificate

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
• Certification in First Aid, CPR, and AED from the American Red Cross within 90 days of appointment.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with registration systems such as RecTrac
• Program and activity design and implementation
• Program evaluation and modification
• Conversational fluency in Mandarin, Vietnamese, or Spanish

RECREATION SPECIALIST, CONTRACT CLASSES (RECREATION SERVICES ASSISTANT IV)

Education

• Equivalent to an Associate's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in recreation, public administration, or a closely related field.
• The education requirement may be substituted for relevant work experience on a year for year basis.

Experience

• Two (2) years of full-time experience in recreation, local government, or a related field, including the supervision of part-time or seasonal personnel.

License or Certificate

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
• Certification in First Aid, CPR, and AED from the American Red Cross within 90 days of appointment.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with program budgeting and program marketing
• Experience using recreation registration software
• Experience supervising, training, or directing the work of part-time staff, volunteers, or contract instructors