Career Opportunity

Recreation Leader – San Francisco Recreation & Parks (3279, TEX As-Needed)

Recruitment: REF3041B

Published: June 01, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

Amid a dynamic and ever-evolving urban landscape, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department stewards one of the premier urban park systems in America.  In 2017, San Francisco became the first city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk, a direct result of the Department’s commitment to increasing and improving parkland in the city Learn More. Considered by San Franciscans to be one of the City’s most popular and effective public agencies, our Department currently manages more than 230 parks, playgrounds and open spaces throughout San Francisco, including two outside city limits—Sharp Park in Pacifica and Camp Mather in the High Sierras. The system includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, golf courses, sports fields and numerous small-to-medium-sized clubhouses that offer a variety of sports- and arts-related recreation programs for people of all ages.  Included in the Department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced.

More than 2,000 talented individuals are part of our team, from gardeners, foresters, and recreation leaders to park rangers, custodians, electricians, painters and more. Our core mission, as it has been throughout our history, is to provide opportunities for San Francisco residents and visitors alike to gather, play, learn, relax, and enjoy nature in the city.

Role description

Temporary Exempt As-Needed: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process, is considered "at will" and shall serve at the discretion of the appointment officer.  This appointment is as-needed not to exceed six (6) months or 1040 hours.

San Francisco Recreation and Parks is seeking applicants for our Recreation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Temporary Exempt As-Needed applicant pool.

The essential functions of this position include, but are not limited to:

Recreation Leader I (Program Assistant): Set up and break down for courses including tables, chairs, audio-visual equipment and other related material and equipment; incorporate core recreation values into the activities in a developmentally appropriate manner; keep equipment, binder, and supplies in order, well maintained, and in the proper location; complete and submit paperwork accurately (timesheets, lesson plans, certifications, materials & supply requests, etcetera).

Recreation Leader II (Program Provider) and Recreation Leader III (Certified Program Provider): Teach age-appropriate skills in a progressive sequence by running organized and well executed classes (e.g. participants not idle or in long lines); account for all participants in program, take attendance regularly and enter into database system, and follow check in/out procedures; plans classes and secures materials and equipment for participants to use.

Distinguishing Feature: The Recreation Leader I performs program assistance and facility monitoring, while Recreation Leaders II and III are responsible for direct instruction of recreation programs and activities. Recreation Leader IIIs provide program instruction which requires certification. 

There are seven recreation areas for assignment within the department:

• Community Services – Includes Early Childhood Recreation programs, Out of School Time programs (Afterschool & Summer Camps), Senior programs (programming for adults 55 and up), Health and Wellness programming, and Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services.
• Cultural Arts – Includes programming in the Visual, Performing and Digital Arts.
• Aquatics – Includes swim lessons for all ages, Water Exercise programs, and waterfront sports.
• Sports & Athletics – Includes sports and activities such as baseball, softball, basketball, boxing, flag football, golf, soccer, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
• Outdoor Recreation Programming – Includes activities such as skateboarding, archery, rock climbing, ropes course, and other outdoor and nature-based programming. 
• Peace Parks & Pathways – Includes teen-focused programming including safe-space activations, recreation and enrichment, summer camps, employment opportunities, and access to supportive resources. Programming is designed to promote belonging, wellbeing, and positive pathways for teens and transitional-aged youth across the city. 
• Supports Services - Perform office tasks and customer service for Support Services, the business division of Recreation.
• Permits and Reservations - Provide service and assistance for more complex facility events.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications: 
These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification. Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Education: Possession of a High School Diploma or equivalent (GED or High School Proficiency Examination)

Experience:

• Recreation Leader I requires 500 hours of recreation experience delivering instructions/programs;
• Recreation Leaders II and III require 1,000 hours of recreation experience delivering instruction/programs.

License and Certification:

• Recreation Leader III requires possession of certification required by the Recreation and Park Department and issued by the professional organization in the specific programming field.
• At a future point, all employees must possess a certification for First Aid/CPR.

Substitution: 12 units of college course work or certified recreation-related (including cultural arts) certificate course work may be substituted for 250 hours of experience.

Desirable Qualifications:
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Ability to analyze situations, plan, organize, and research
• Ability to speak and write effectively
• Ability to follow instructions and to maintain working relations with fellow employees and the public

Note: Each individual assignment may require different knowledge, skills, and abilities.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility and disqualification.

Verification of Experience and/or Education:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Verification of qualifying experience, when requested, must be documented on the employer's business letterhead and must include the name of the applicant, job title(s), dates of employment, description of job duties performed, and signature of the employer or the employer's authorized representative. Experience claimed in self-employment will only be accepted if supported by documents verifying income, earnings, business license, and experience comparable to minimum qualifications above. Copies of income tax papers or other documents listing occupation and total earnings must be submitted. Employees of the City and County of San Francisco may submit performance evaluations showing duties performed to verify qualifying City experience. City employees will receive credit for the duties of the class to which appointed. Credit for experience obtained outside of the employee's class will be allowed only if recorded in accordance with the provisions of Civil Service Commission Rules. Verification may be waived if impossible to obtain. The applicant must submit a signed statement explaining why verification cannot be obtained. Waiver requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Failure to provide the required verification, or request for waiver when requested may result in rejection of the application.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Applications will be periodically reviewed by or around the dates below 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. 

• July 2, 2026
• November 6, 2026

Applications will be screened for relevant and qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidate's qualifications. Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the department will be invited to participate in the selection process. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to an interview.

This is an ongoing recruitment for a Temporary Exempt As-needed Civil Service appointment. This announcement may be subject to temporary closure/suspension for screening and hiring purposes.

• This position is a temporary exempt, as-needed or seasonal, appointment without health or retirement benefits.
• This position will not result in a permanent civil service appointment.
• Exempt employees under Charter Category 16 are considered at will and serve at the discretion of the General Manager.
• Employees are scheduled according to the Department’s operational needs and may only be scheduled to work certain quarters or seasons of the year.
• Work assignments vary on the Department’s needs and some positions may require working rotating shifts, evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• TEX As-needed appointments cannot exceed six (6) months (1,040 hours). An internal departmental threshold of 960 hours will be applied.
• Candidates are not guaranteed specific job placements, worksite locations, or fixed hours.
• The Department may determine that some candidates must call for daily assignments based on business operational needs.
• All as-needed/seasonal vacancies in the 3279 Recreation Leader class will include consideration of this applicant pool.
• Your application will remain active for one (1) year from the date that you applied. You may periodically update your application with key relevant information such as possession of additional certification or work experience.
• You may also submit additional information via email to Dorothy.S.Young@sfgov.org.

Candidates for positions with the Recreation and Park Department may be disqualified from consideration should their conviction history not meet the standards established under California Public Resources Code 5164.

What else should I know?

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.