Location
Description
The City of San Mateo Parks and Recreation Department is looking for highly qualified, experienced Community Services Coordinators
The Department
The Parks and Recreation Department’s mission is to enhance the quality of life and strengthen the bonds of community by providing an appropriate mix of safe, well-maintained and well-designed parks, open spaces, and community center facilities that are accessible for all residents; provide enriching leisure opportunities for all age groups; and to preserve and protect the City’s natural resources, including its urban forest, public open spaces, and landscaped medians and islands.
The Community Services Coordinator is a vital position in the Recreation Division providing outstanding program delivery and service. The Recreation Division offers a variety of recreation activities, including preschool programs; senior programs; aquatics; dance & fitness; music, fine arts & crafts; special events; sports; mobile recreation; camps and after-school programs. We are seeking a motivated candidate to join our diverse and passionate team dedicated to providing exceptional public service.
There are currently eight Coordinator assignments within the Recreation Division:
- Athletics Program Coordinator
- Aquatics / Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program Coordinator
- Senior Center Program Coordinator
- Special Events & Mobile Recreation Coordinator
- Youth Services Coordinator (2 positions)
- Contract Classes Program Coordinator (2 positions)
The City is looking to fill (1) vacant Coordinator position. The employment list resulting from this recruitment may be used for other department vacancies as they occur.
Look to some of the reasons why the City of San Mateo is a great place to work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GTIzeSpc_g
The Position
The Community Services Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating a specific program area within the Recreation Division. This assignment is typically a more defined program area that is narrower in size or scope than those assigned to Supervisors. Coordinators excel at the following:
- Instruct and lead specialized recreation and human services activities requiring leadership in a structured environment;
- Provide activities and general facility supervision and control at a community recreation center or special use facility;
- Coordinate, develop, implement, and evaluate programs and services;
- Perform office, administrative, public information and activity intake responsibilities;
- Assist in preparing program facilities for structured program activities and special events.
The Community Services Coordinator receives general supervision from higher-level recreation positions and may exercise functional and technical supervision over lower level and part-time recreation personnel and volunteers.
For a complete list of duties, reference our job specifications at www.cityofsanmateo.org
Ideal Candidate
Knowledge and Abilities
- Knowledge of basic principles and methods of planning, coordinating and leading recreation and human services programs and activities; simple arithmetic; recreation equipment and materials; general office procedures; community groups, activities, programs and facilities; principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
- Ability to plan, implement, evaluate and coordinate a program of recreation activities; understand office methods, practices, and procedures; demonstrate specialized program activities; make minor repairs and adjustments to recreation equipment; maintain routine records and reports, maintain discipline and control in an active environment; make decisions in accordance with established policies, resolutions, and procedures; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with supervisors, fellow employees and the public; select, train, supervise and evaluate employees and volunteers.
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. Typical ways to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
- Two (2) years of responsible paid leadership experience in recreation or a related human services setting.
- Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college level courses in recreation or a related field.
License/Certificate:
- Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.
- First Aid, Red Cross Water Safety or other specialized certificates may be required for some positions.
Bonus Points (highly desirable)
- Bilingual skills are highly desirable.
Benefits
What We Offer
- Salary: $7,436 - $8,878/month
- Comprehensive benefits package including generous paid leave and health benefits
- CalPERS retirement (2% @ 55 for classic members; 2% @ 62 for new members). Classic employees contribute 8.23% to CalPERS and New members contribute 7.50% to CalPERS.
- Participation in the Social Security Program
- Programs: Deferred Compensation plan with City match up to 0.5% of base salary, City will match up to 0.5% of base salary to the deferred compensation plan, and 1% City contribution to a Retirement Health Savings Account
- Free Fitness classes through City of San Mateo Parks and Recreation, Employee Assistance Program and Credit Union Membership
- Bilingual Diff: $90 bi-weekly (if applicable)
- This classification is represented by the San Mateo City Employees’ Association
Special Instructions
Are You Ready? Apply.
Submit an online application, résumé (required), and supplemental questionnaire at www.calopps.org/city-of-san-mateo or to the Human Resources Department, City of San Mateo, 330 W. 20th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403, (650) 522-7260.
Application Deadline
Recruitment will close on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 5 p.m. or upon receipt of the first 50 applications, résumés, and supplemental questionnaires, whichever occurs first.
Examination Process
All applications, résumés (required), and supplemental questionnaires received will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. Résumés are required but do not take the place of a completed employment application. A fully completed application is required; a résumé does not replace the information required on the employment application, including work history. Applications with "see résumé" as a substitution for the work experience description, those with none or unclear current/past employment information, or those with insufficient information to evaluate possession of minimum qualifications will not be considered; missing information cannot be assumed. A limited number of the most highly qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of an oral panel interview, written exercise, training and experience application review, or in the form of a practical demonstration of skill and ability, or any combination of these; a Zoom oral board is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026.
An eligible list will be established for those who pass the examination process. Current and future vacancies may be filled from this list. The list will remain in effect for at least six months with the possibility of an extension for an additional six months. Once placed on an eligible list, and at the time a vacancy occurs, eligible candidates may be contacted by the hiring department and scheduled for additional department interviews.
Note: The City of San Mateo reserves the right, at its discretion, to limit the number of qualified candidates invited to the selection process. ALL RESPONSES WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA THE EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED IN YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION. Therefore, it is imperative that you provide an email address to which you have access, and it is recommended that you frequently check your email for notices from: sanmateo@CalOpps.org
Fine Print
Prior to hire, candidates will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, including a driving record review, reference check, and Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment.
The policy of the City of San Mateo is to grant equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual preference, marital status, or national origin. It is the intent and desire of the City of San Mateo that equal employment opportunity will be provided in recruiting, hiring, training, promoting, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicants requiring accommodations for any part of the testing or recruitment process must notify wleopoldino@cityofsanmateo.org or (650) 522-7264 seven (7) days in advance of the deadline for the part of the process requiring accommodations. Do not upload any documents related to your request for accommodation in CalOpps. The City of San Mateo complies with employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.