Community Activity Worker - Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services

The City of San José’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services is proud to be “Building Community Through Fun” through innovative, creative, and excellent programs and services. Our mission is to build healthy communities through people, parks, and programs.

The Department is a steady force in our community, advancing education, health, and social connections. We meet the diverse needs of our community across the lifespan by connecting people to places and people to people. The principles of equity, access, diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and flexibility guide us. The Department creates and activates thriving places where people live, work, play, and learn, which include 48 community centers, 210 parks, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, nearly 61 miles of trails, and programs and services that touch the lives of individuals and families in our community. We take a fun approach to public service, and value the public’s trust.

Per the City’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy, the City requires all new hires to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment absent an approved medical or religious exemption. “Fully vaccinated” means the employee has received two doses of Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.

To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers.

The salary range for this classification is $21.77-$26.50 hourly, or $45,274.32 - $55,124.16 annually. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience. This position is covered under the Living Wage Policy and hourly rates will be adjusted to a minimum of $25.15 hourly for benefitted positions or $26.45 hourly for unbenefited positions. The Living Wage rate consists of a base amount and an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay.

Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services department (PRNS) is recruiting to fill multiple full time, and potentially some part-time Community Activity Worker positions in the Community Services Division to support the BeautifySJ and Project Hope programs.

Community Services Division: Safe + Clean + Engaged Neighborhoods

Empower and support residents, schools, and local organizations to make the City more livable, safe, and clean.

About BeautifySJ and Duties:

BeautifySJ is the home of the City of San Jose’s blight reduction and encampment management programs and services. BeautifySJ works to address and prevent blight including graffiti removal, coordinating neighborhood litter clean-up events and dumpster days and removing illegal dumping. Encampment management services include weekly trash services and abatement activities to ensure that locations and conditions of encampments are cooperative and complying.

Community Activity Worker job duties for BeautifySJ are focused on providing direct support to address litter/trash related blight in neighborhoods, waterways, and/or encampments. Duties include setting up, planning and attending resource fairs and neighborhood-based outreach events (e.g. “dumpster days”), developing working relationships with schools, volunteers, internal and external stakeholders and non-profit partners. Job duties also include assisting Community Coordinators with behavior change and encampment engagement strategies including but not limited to conducting site assessments, removing trash and debris from identified active encampments, submitting outreach requests and working directly with the unhoused community. You are encouraged to apply for work in this program if you want to work with communities to empower residents to take pride in our City.

About Project Hope and Duties:

Project Hope is a neighborhood engagement and empowerment initiative focused on nine neighborhoods in San Jose. Organized into operational teams, Project Hope staff are assigned to specific neighborhoods, where they assist residents to address the conditions and circumstances that exist due to systemic racism such as crime/violence, blight, lack of trust, marginalization, and inadequate services. Project Hope supports residents to create new neighborhood associations or reinvigorate existing ones, develop the organizational and capacity building skills to better utilize and reach key City, and other public/private resources to address ongoing quality-of-life issues.

Community Activity Workers in Project Hope build strong relationships with residents, partners and community. Assist neighborhood associations/board members with planning for meetings and events. Inform residents of City services, assist neighborhood associations in building strong relationships with City of San José departments and other local government agencies. Provide in-service trainings and workshops for community leaders to ensure self-sustainability of the neighborhood association. Applicants should enjoy spending time in the communities directly engaging with residents (e.g. canvassing, door-to-door outreach & surveying), planning and attending community events, bringing people together for positive results, teaching residents how to engage with City and other public/private partners to address neighborhood/community issues.

Job duties for Community Activity Workers in any of our programs include, but are not limited to:

• Working some weekend and/or evening schedules per the program schedule
• Develops and presents written materials and makes public presentations to inform people about programs and encourage participation.
• Participates in planning and coordinating in-service training and development of program aids and materials.
• Performs public contact and liaison work in explaining and interpreting program.
• Prepares and monitors budget and timesheets.
• Prepares monthly reports, and various other correspondence.
• Coordinates with governmental agencies, local businesses, and City Departments.
• Conducts and facilitates workshops for the neighborhood.
• Surveys targeted neighborhoods needs via methods including telephone surveys or door-to-door canvassing.
• Provides information to residents on accessing City services or other service providers.
• Assists in planning & implementing special activities or programs, such as community service or empowerment projects, community meetings, community/graffiti clean-ups, tree-planting, tutoring, or sports activities.
• Renders first aid in case of injury; watches for the safety of participants and spectators.
• Designs and produces flyers and announcements.
• May be required to provide bilingual translation, both orally and in writing.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job-Specific Questions.

Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process.

Additional phases of the selection process may consist of one or more interviews, one of which may include a practical/writing exercise.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process. Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit including spaces for each text response. You MUST answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration:

• Please provide the following details of your work experience doing community related work, projects, or programs: 1) A brief description of your work experience 2) Name(s) of employer(s) 3) Dates/length of employment(s) 4) Average hours worked per week.

• Please describe your customer service philosophy. Include examples of how you have put this philosophy into action in your prior/current work experience.

• Please describe your experience with working in underserved communities or with the unhoused (homeless) population: 1) Briefly describe your experience 2) What types of resources or services where you able to provide or bring to them.

• Select one option - I am applying for: 1) Community Activity Worker in the BeautifySJ Program; 2) Community Activity Worker in the Project Hope Program; or 3) Both

• Please describe the reason for your selection in the previous question.

• Please describe any bilingual skills you possess.

• Select one option – I would be open to a part-time position: 1) yes; or 2). No, I want full-time work only.

Minimum Qualifications

Desirable Qualifications

• Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish or Vietnamese are highly desirable.

Competencies: The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise: Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Customer Service: Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.

Initiative: Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promote job performance.

Reliability: Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills: Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Communication Skills: Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.

Social Awareness: Demonstrates the ability to read or sense other people’s emotions and how they influence the situation of interest or concern; demonstrates empathy and organizational awareness.

Selection Process

The selection process consists of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job-Specific Questions. Only candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process may consist of one or more interviews, and may include a practical/writing exercise.

• For questions please contact the following:

• If you have questions regarding BeautifySJ position/program, contact Xochitl Montes via email xochitl.montes@sanjoseca.gov
• If you have questions regarding Project Hope position/program, contact Hilda Morales via email hilda.morales@sanjoseca.gov
• If you have questions regarding the selection or hiring process, please contact Kari Davisson via email kari.davisson@sanjoseca.gov

Additional Information

Click here for information about BenBenefits | City of San José (sanjoseca.gov)

To apply, please complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers. These positions are open until filled with the first screening application deadline being Friday, June 2, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application. Please contact Human Resources at (408) 535-1285, or Human.Resources@sanjoseca.gov if you have any questions.