Plans, organizes, and manages a total recreation program for an institution/facility having a large sports/recreation program; or in a hospital or Division of Developmental Disabilities residential facility provides consultation to unit recreation leaders, directs cross-unit recreational activities. Supervises recreational coordinators and staff or other assigned staff in a sports/recreational program system with such components as intramural and extramural revenue/non revenue-producing sports programs; and is responsible for quality control of institution/facility recreational services.

Plans, organizes, directs and coordinates recreation activities to meet both specific and general needs, interests, and abilities for clients such as patients, students, inmates and other residents of State institution;

Assigns and supervises recreation personnel in specific program areas and activities to assure well-rounded, effective program;

Directs and coordinates a sports/recreational program system that has component programs such as intramural soccer, softball, volleyball, or football, or campus game rooms or revenue/non revenue-producing sports such as skiing and lacrosse;

With delegated authority, interviews and recommends selection of applicants, trains new employees, assign and schedules work, acts upon leave requests, conducts annual performance evaluations and recommend disciplinary action;

Interviews, selects and evaluates the performance of student support staff and recommends employment of other support staff;

Meets with clinical and other program supervisory personnel to develop clinically approved recreation program, thereby assisting in overall treatment and rehabilitation goal;

Assesses and evaluates a complete sports/recreational program system;

Participates in special studies related to the impact of the sports/recreational program system on the institution; may also assist in studies on the impact of parts of the system;

Supervises research in recreation program;

Contacts training programs for paid and volunteer personnel functioning in recreational program; participates in planning for orientation and training of personnel from other departments within institution;

Supervises preparation of budget estimates for recreation program, personnel, equipment, supplies, and facilities;

Evaluates and recommends equipment purchases;

Reviews expenditures and maintains operating budget records for pools and the non-credit swimming program;

May assist with grant preparation for components of sports/recreational program system;

Plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the swimming pools;

Plans, organizes, and promotes an intramural aquatic program;

Enforces pool and safety regulations and administers first aid;

Maintains sanitary conditions in and around the pools and oversees the maintenance of pool equipment facilities;

Prepares reports on accidental injuries, pool operations; programs and the like;

Plans, assigns, and reviews the work of support staff; trains and instructs support staff and lifeguards in methods and procedures

Teaches swimming and lifesaving classes and officiate at swim meets;

Develops budget requests for pool facility and activities;

Supervises maintenance of records and preparation of records;

Performs other related work as required.

Knowledge of: many fields of recreation activities, including specialized knowledge of several broad areas such as sports, dramatics, music, social activities, arts and crafts; organizing, conducting, and directing recreation activities; recreation administration; principles and techniques of group and individual therapeutic recreation, training techniques for staff development; techniques of observing clients and making oral or written reports; basic research principles; humanities and behavioral sciences.

Ability to: plan, organize, and direct comprehensive institution-wide recreation program; adapt recreation policies, methods, and techniques to specific operational situation; supervise, train, and lead others; utilize public relations media; establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and psychology, sociology, or education with a minor in recreation, physical education, music, other employees; establish and maintain effective records and reporting system.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Some positions may require Red Cross Water Safety Instructor's Certificate, a Red Cross Standard First Aid Card and successful completion of an approved lifeguard training program.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

A Bachelor's degree involving major study in either (a) recreation, therapeutic recreation, or equivalent, (b) music, drama, or physical education, or (c) psychology, sociology or education with a minor in recreation, physical education, music or drama and three years of professional recreation experience, including one year in a supervisory capacity, program planning or administration.  Two years of additional experience in recreational or intramural sports programs may substitute for the educational requirements.

OR

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all desirable qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Note:  Recreational therapy includes providing individualized assessments and treatment which are goal-oriented and directed towards rehabilitation and modification of specific physical, emotional, mental or social behaviors.

New class, consolidates 36830 Recreation Specialist 4, 4166 Recreation Coordinator Supervisor, 4173 Manager, Swimming Pools; adopted May 10, 2007, effective July 1, 2007.

(10/10/2007) Revised desirable qualifications language:  […] Three years of experience as a Recreation and Athletics Specialist 12, which […].

(10/18/2007) Revised desirable qualifications, language deleted:  […]OR Three years of recreation specialist experience, which includes one year as a Recreation and Athletics Specialist 3.

Revised Legal Requirements; effective June 6, 2024, due to adopted legislative action.