Salary : $72,567.00 - $115,363.00 Annually
Location : 3950 Ferrara Dr Silver Spring MD 20906 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number:
Department: Department of Recreation
Division: REC 72 Youth Development
Opening Date: 07/22/2026
Closing Date: 8/5/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt

About the Position
Please note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be$72,567 - $101,901, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

The Department is seeking dynamic & experienced, full-time Recreation Specialists whose creativity and knowledge can be demonstrated in a wide range of services for the Youth Development team. The goal of the Youth Development team is to keep young people healthy, productive and connected during out of school time through a full range of out of school time recreational, leisure and youth development activities.
What You'll Be Doing
Recreation Specialists are responsible for programs that make a positive difference in the lives of youth!

• Out of School Time Program Oversight-You will develop, schedule, promote, implement, supervise and evaluate programs with a focus on positive youth development. Activities include (but are not limited to) after-school programs, special events, summer camps, workforce and professional development programs and activities, sports leagues and related learning opportunities for youth, school-aged children through late adolescence.
• Leading & Coaching Teams of Seasonal Staff - You will recruit, train, provide direction and guidance to, supervise, support timekeeping of and retain a diverse seasonal workforce. You will also maintain stability of seasonal employees by modeling desired behaviors through consistent and positive work ethic, and by advocating on behalf of the management team.
• Developing Creative & Engaging Programming for Youth, including Special Events- You will identify trends and prepare program plans in recreation and youth development based on data to meet community needs. This includes budgeting, collaborating with contractors, completing assessments and procuring/inventorying of program equipment and supplies.
• Building Supportive Relationships with Communities, Schools & Families- You will establish and maintain effective working relationships with program stakeholders, provide excellent customer service and demonstrate professional courtesy to those encountered through work

Recreation professionals are responsible for demonstrating effective and thorough communication skills, both orally and in writing; possess a consistent and positive work ethic; and have experience working cross-culturally and/or commitment to work towards improving one's own cultural competence and the cultural competence of staff (i.e., valuing differences/ diversity, recognizing personal limitations in one's expertise and having the desire to learn in these areas.)

Scheduling for this position will vary but requires the availability to work mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and non-traditional work hours to support program. It may require work that involves physical demands, occasionally working outdoors in varying weather and extreme temperatures, and the ability to occasionally attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the assigned facility.
Important things to Know:

• This position will require work beyond a standard 40-hour week, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and on occasion, in outdoor or extreme weather conditions.
• The selected candidate will be required to complete a background investigation and Limited Core Medical Exam with Drug Screenprior to appointment.
• This position may require on-site facility management responsibilities and will involve travel to various program locations throughout the County.
• To ensure compliance with laws and to support a positive work culture, all required mandatory trainings must be completed within 3 to 6 months of hire, or as specified.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: Two (2) years of progressively responsible recreational specialist work involving planning, organizing, supervising, and implementing an area-wide, countywide, or special interest recreation program.
• Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.
• Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education, experience and training may be substituted.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences

• Experience planning, organizing, promoting, and directing a variety of recreation and leisure programs.
• Experience recruiting, hiring, training, evaluating, and supervising staff/volunteers.
• Experience developing and maintaining a budget. Specific examples of the size and the complexity of the budget are preferred.
• Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with individuals, groups, and agencies interested in or involved in youth-related programming and recreation activities.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, Oracle, and/or other database management systems. Providing specific examples of when and how these systems were used is preferable.
• Knowledgeable of and experience in applying theories, principles, and practices common in the field of recreation and positive youth development.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating program results and presenting outcomes, both qualitative and quantitative, especially in programming for vulnerable populations.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits

Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.

Retirement Benefits

All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.

Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness

Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.

Free Mass Transit Benefit

County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.

Reduced Child and Health Care Costs

Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.

Employee Wellbeing

We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.

Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01

What is your highest level of completed education?

• N/A
• High School/GED
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Juris Doctor
• Doctorate

02

How many years of progressively responsible recreational specialist work experience do you have involving planning, organizing, supervising and implementing an area-wide, countywide or special interest recreation program?

• No Experience
• 1 Year Experience
• 2 Year's Experience
• 3 Year's Experience
• 4 Year's Experience
• 5 Year's Experience
• 6+ Year's Experience

03

How many years of experience do you have managing and supervising contractors, volunteers and/or staff?

• Under 1 Year of experience
• 1+ Year of experience
• 2+ Years of experience
• 3+ Years of experience
• 4+ Years of experience
• 5+ Years of experience
• 6+ Years of experience
• 7+ Years of experience

04

This position provides oversight for multiple programs and requires a varying work schedule, depending on the season which may include early mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays as needed. Are you able to meet the requirements of this position?

• Yes
• No

05

On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your knowledge of and experience in applying best practices of positive youth development and recreation?

• I have no experience applying positive youth development and recreation practices in any capacity
• I have some basic understanding of positive youth development and recreation practice, but experience is limited.
• I have a solid understanding of positive youth development and recreation practices and have applied them in a variety of settings (ex - afterschool programs, camps, sports)
• I have significant experience in applying positive youth development and recreation practices, including leading and designing programs that incorporate these principles
• I am highly skilled and experience in applying positive youth development and recreation practices, with a proven track record of designing, managing and evaluating programs that fully incorporate these principles.

06

Do you possess and currently maintain a VALID driver's license from your state of