Human Development Specialist III

Fairfax County, VA

• $60K — $106K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in human development, social work, early childhood education, recreation, or related field.
  • At least one year of supervisory experience in program development or community engagement.
  • Experience working with diverse populations and inclusive programming.
  • Knowledge of fiscal management and safety regulations.
  • Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

Responsibilities

  • Supervise a team including full-time, temporary, and part-time staff.
  • Plan, coordinate, and evaluate inclusive programs for various community demographics.
  • Conduct community outreach to increase program participation.
  • Manage daily facility operations and safety inspections.
  • Participate in staff hiring and training processes.

Benefits

  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental)
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
  • Employee Assistance Program
Full Job Description
Salary : $60,894.29 - $106,565.06 Annually
Location : PENNINO BUILDING, 12011 GOVERNMENT CENTER PKWY, FAIRFAX (EJ27), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 26-01295
Department: Neighborhood & Community Svcs
Opening Date: 08/22/2026
Closing Date: 9/4/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S21
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

This announcement will be used to fill a position located within Region 4 area of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) at the following location:

Oak View Elementary School BTB (5004 Sideburn Road, Fairfax, VA 22032)

This position works as part of the Culture, Recreation, and Community Connections (CRCC) Division to provide leadership and support for the overall functions of school-based sites that serve school-age youth, and of center-based sites that serve Youth, Teen, Adult, Senior, and Family programs as the need arises. Plans, coordinates, and evaluates outcome-based inclusive programs for diverse populations, including recreational, educational, health and wellness, social, civic, and cultural programs. Uses a human-centered approach and human development best practices to meet the needs of the community and program participants. Provides overall administration, supervision, and leadership to placed-based efforts for the population served and comply with all training and licensure requirements established by state and local guidelines. Conducts targeted community outreach efforts to increase participation and offer programs and services based on community needs and gaps. Provides support to all children in the program, including children with special needs. Works actively and be engaged with staff and children daily.

This position is scheduled to work 52 weeks per year, 40 hours per week between the hours of 6:45 am - 6:15 pm. This position requires a split shift during the school year, and full day during the winter, spring, and summer programs.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home () We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Learn more about the work we do in NCS
Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

Supervises a team of fulltime, temporary, part-time, seasonal staff and volunteers;
Plans, coordinates, and evaluates programs, activities, and events with the end result of Inclusive Prosperity using a Human-centered approach to ensure equitable outcomes for all, in a co-located or stand-alone site that address identified gaps;
Identifies practices or policies that create unintended consequences for marginalized or non/under-represented communities using a Trauma Informed Lens;
Ensures that programming is inclusive of the county's goals and initiatives;
Manages the daily overall facility operation;
Participates in the hiring, training, and scheduling of staff;
Completes and submit required financial, data and statistical and other reports as requested;
Adheres to revenue and expense limits;
Inspects facilities and grounds for safety hazards and operational deficiencies and initiate corrective actions;
Responds to public inquiries and concerns as appropriate;
Participates in the development and implementation of school-based, community center-based, and community outreach plans that targets all communities with targeted strategies for marginalized communities;
Facilitates, distributes, or participates in evaluation processes such as surveys, focus groups, program and activity benchmarking.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list).

Knowledge of Human-centered and human development practices;
Knowledge of basic fiscal management, record keeping, and inventory processes;
Knowledge of culture, community strengths and assets, and relationship building strategies;
Ability to use a personal computer, applicable software, and peripheral equipment;
Ability to direct and coordinate the work of subordinate staff and volunteers;
Ability to plan, develop, and administer programs, activities, and events in collocated or stand-alone facilities and the community;
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
Ability to establish and maintain a warm and supportive relationship with participants, parents, staff, school officials, and citizen groups, in a group or individual setting;
Ability to provide a wide variety of experiences to meet a participant's individual intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in human development, social work, early childhood education, recreation, or a human services *related field; plus, one year of supervisory experience in program development, community engagement, child-related programmatic experience or human services *related experience.
*A related field/experience is based solely on the position description.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Contingent upon the area of assignment, some positions within this class may require specific certification(s) prior to employment and/or the ability to acquire necessary certification(s) within a specified time period following employment. The certifications are identified in the position description and employment advertisement.

First Aid/CPR certification (within 90 days of appointment)
Food Handler's certification (within 90 days of appointment)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer. A Tuberculosis (TB) screening upon hire.

Additional work schedule requirements: scheduled to work a split shift Monday through Friday, between the hours of 6:45 am- 6:15 pm. Also requires a full day work (6.5 or more consecutive hours) when FCPS is out of school (teacher workdays, winter break, spring break, summer).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Bachelor's degree or higher in a child-related field such as elementary education, nursing, or recreation
  • Two years of child-related programmatic experience
  • Child-related programmatic experience with children with special needs
  • Experience working in a setting that provided services to children and youth with special needs in the past two years
  • Certification of qualification from an internationally or nationally recognized Montessori organization; or Child Development Credential; or One-year early childhood certificate from a college or university; or Other childcare related Virginia State license
  • Demonstrated experience and proficiency in planning appropriate experiences for school-age children.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Position is active in nature. Must be able to monitor and observe the activities of program participants. Regularly moves about or positions self to supervise and interact with participants at their level. Occasionally lifts, transports, positions, push/pulls or moves up to 50 pounds. Must be sufficiently mobile and possess a range of motion to perform repetitive standing, walking, balancing, stooping, bending, crouching, crawling, sitting on the floor, reaching, squatting, kneeling, and twisting. Ability to react quickly to the physical actions of program participants. Requires the ability to apply CPR and First Aid skills as needed and respond to emergency situations. Administrative and supervisory activities will require the ability to operate keyboard-driven equipment. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Sufficiently mobile to attend meetings at various locations and make presentations to county staff and community. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • LiveWell Program
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Deferred Compensation
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employees' Child Care Center
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Please click for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
  1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
    • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
    • Flexible Spending Program
    • Deferred Compensation
  2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
    • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
  • Less than 12th grade
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Some college
  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.
  • Less than 45 quarter hours
  • 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
  • 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
  • 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
  • 180 or more quarter hours
  • Less than 30 semester hours
  • 30 to less than 60 semester hours
  • 60 to less than 90 semester hours
  • 90 to less than 120 semester hours
  • 120 or more semester hours
  • Not applicable

03

Please indicate the major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
  • Human development
  • Social work
  • Early childhood education
  • Recreation
  • Human services
  • Other (related field)
  • Other (non-related field)
  • Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have in program development, community engagement, child-related programmatic experience or human services *related experience?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

06

How many years of full-time equivalent supervisory experience do you have in program development, community engagement, child-related programmatic experience or human services related experience?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

07

How many years of full-time equivalent child-related programmatic experience do you have?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with school-age children?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five or more years

09

Please indicate the age group categories you have professional experience with working. Check all that apply.
  • Infant (Birth to 15 months)
  • Toddler (12 to 36 months)
  • Preschool (30 to 60 months; or 2.5 to 5 years)
  • School age (6 to 12 years)
  • Teens (13 to 18 years)
  • None of the above

10

How many years of full-time equivalent child-related programmatic experience with children with special needs do you have?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two year

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Fairfax County, VA

More Education, Government & Non-Profit Jobs

Find similar Human Development Specialist III jobs: