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2026 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 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. Oakland’s Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development (OPRYD) Department believes that communities thrive when they play with a purpose. Our purpose is to Expose, Enlighten, Empower, and Encourage Educational Excellence through recreational experiences.


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


Read the complete job description by clicking here.
 
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


The competencies required to be a successful Recreation Leader I are:

  • 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 


Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!
Working for the City of Oakland

 

Minimum Requirements for Application

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 in a 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.

Additional 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, complete a tuberculosis (TB) screening.

 

Supplemental Information

 

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 for further consideration.  

 

Applications received by the dates below will be reviewed for any vacancies open at that time. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee further consideration, only the candidates whose skills and experience match the needs of the department 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.
 

Round 1: Applications submitted by 1/5/2026

Round 2: Applications submitted by 3/5/2026

Round 3: Applications submitted by 5/7/2026


The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

 

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. 

 


How to Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm. 

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).  

Our online application system is provided by Government Jobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact Government Jobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Jasmine Bellow at jbellow@oaklandca.gov.