Salary : $105,393.60 - $131,664.00 Annually
Location : County of San Mateo, CA
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: G228ZC
Department: County Library
Opening Date: 08/27/2026
Closing Date: 9/10/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 35

Description
San Mateo County Libraries is seeking candidates for the position of Senior Community Program Specialist!

While this recruitment may be used for additional and future Senior Community Program Specialist openings, we are currently seeking to fill one vacancy supporting Adult Literacy Services and Adult Programming for our 13 community libraries.

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic team player who serves as a trusted program lead. Reporting to the Library Services Manager, the Senior Community Program Specialist advances strategic priorities, supports staff and partners, and helps the organization learn and adapt through thoughtful program design, delivery, and evaluation. This position ensures that programs are aligned with goals related to literacy, learning, access, and community connection that excite and engage our residents and are offered in multiple languages. Passionate champions of the entire breadth of the Adult Programming and Literacy portfolio are encouraged to apply.

We respect, value, and celebrate our community's diversity, and bilingual skills are always desired and highly valued as we serve a variety of communities in the county.

Ideal Candidate & Duties - The ideal candidate will have the ability to:

• Design and evolve services that inspire learning, strengthen connection, and respond to community needs.
• Build shared understanding through clear, consistent communication and strong relationships with staff, partners, and community members.
• Approach program development with a learning mindset-testing ideas, gathering feedback, and iterating.
• Help facilitate small-scale prototyping and model comfort with experimentation and change.
• Build connections and increase coordination across program areas to maximize learning, engagement, and community impact.
• Identify opportunities and develop thoughtful recommendations for improvement.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, or a willingness to learn about, research-based methods, practices, techniques, and pedagogy that help learners succeed.
• Provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide training and support for library staff working in program areas.
• Plan, schedule, coordinate, and carry out programming, workshops, classes, and special events, along with outreach activities to community groups and agencies, ranging from tabling to public speaking.
• Demonstrate accountability, initiative, and follow-through.

Additionally,the ideal candidate should be inpossession of a Master's degree in Library Science, Public Administration, Community Development, Education, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university, or a recognized equivalent degree is preferred. Along with at least three years of experience in community programming, library services, public service, outreach, education, or a related field, or a combination of relevant program, library, and supervisory experience. Experience should also include responsibility for coordinating programs or services, developing community partnerships, and/or supervising or leading staff.

SAN MATEO COUNTY LIBRARIESSan Mateo County Libraries is a Joint Powers Authority comprised of the cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos, Woodside, and the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County, including North Fair Oaks.

San Mateo County Libraries are an invaluable community resource, an amazing family, a springboard for opportunities, and our staff are what makes it so special. We're champions of learning, sharing, and exploration -- of open minds, new ideas, and bright futures. It's our mission and our passion to strengthen our community by creating an inclusive sense of place and an environment for learning. We seek enthusiastic team players, creative risk takers, and flexible individuals who proactively search for new opportunities to make public library services relevant to all members of the community.

For more information about San Mateo County Libraries, please visit www.smcl.org The eligible list generated by this recruitment may be used to fill current and future vacancies throughout San Mateo County Libraries.
Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is five years of experience in an organization providing social services, which has included responsibility for community service development, such as planning, evaluating, monitoring, or coordinating projects.

Knowledge of:

• Basic supervisory principles and practices.
• Principles, practices, and administrative requirements of the program to which assigned.
• Contemporary social, political, and economic trends and problems related to community services.
• Principles of social planning and program development related to community services.
• Specialized technical knowledge related to assigned program area.
• Monitoring and evaluating systems for community services programs.
• Formulation and function of community and volunteer organizations.
• Current social and community needs.
• Principles and practices in community development and services planning.
• Methods applied to the collection and evaluation of statistical data.
• Principles of community organization.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations, and County and program policies and guidelines.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, assign, direct and review the work of others.
• Train, coach and instruct others.
• Prepare concise reports and recommendations.
• Plan, organize, promote and coordinate diverse community program activities.
• Make independent judgments and work independently.
• Communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Coordinate multiple facets of a program function.
• Interpret rules, regulations, and guidelines at all government levels.
• Compile, analyze, and interpret data using statistical and research techniques.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with members of other departments and diverse community groups.

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score.

Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

The examination process will consist of an application screening based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions (weight: pass/fail). Candidates who pass the application screening may be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations, or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the"Apply"button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http://jobs.smcgov.orgto apply.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULEFinal Filing Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026, 11:59 PM PSTApplication Screening: September 21 - 25, 2026
Civil Service Panel Interview: October 8 and/or 9, 2026

Analyst: Sedrick Dixon (08272026) (Senior Community Program Specialist - G228)
We invite you to explore our page for a snapshot of the comprehensive and competitive benefits available to eligible employees of the County of San Mateo. From health and wellness to financial security, our benefits are designed to support you at every stage of your career. (Please note that benefits are subject to change.)

In addition to core benefits, the County is proud to offer a variety of wellness and professional development programs to help you grow both personally and professionally. Most of these enriching opportunities are available during work hours and come at no cost to you.

As a County employee, you'll also be covered by the federal Social Security system, earning valuable retirement benefits based on your salary and years of service.
01

IMPORTANT: Applicants for this position are required to submit responses to the supplemental questions below. Your responses will give us additional information about your background and experience related to this position and will be used in the selection process. Be concise, yet thorough, and specific. Neatness, clarity of expression, and the ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process.A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses.

• Check this box to indicate you have read and understand this information, affirm that you will not make use of generative AI tools to craft your responses, and to proceed to the supplemental questions.

02

Describe an adult program series, service, or initiative for which you had primary responsibility. What was your role in planning, implementing, and overseeing the work, and what impact did it have?
03

Describe your experience using program performance measures, data, and participant feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of a program or service. What did the data tell you, what recommendations did you make, and what improvements resulted from your analysis?
04

Provide a specific example of how you designed, adapted, or promoted a program to reach an underserved audience and addressed equity goals. What did you learn, and how would you apply that learning to ensure countywide programs are responsive to diverse community needs?
05

The ability to read, speak, and write fluently in English and Spanish, English and Cantonese, and/or English and Mandarin is preferred for these positions, but not required. Please indicate in what languages (other than English) you are fluent.(If you are not bilingual, please answer "N/A" to this question.)
06

How did you learn about this position?

• County of San Mateo Website
• County of San Mateo Job Interest Card Notification
• County Hosted Virtual Event
• County Hosted Job Fair
• CalOpps.org
• Civic Match
• College/University Career Center
• Community-based Organization Posting
• Facebook/Instagram
• Friend or Relative
• GovernmentJobs.com
• Indeed
• Job Fair
• LinkedIn
• Professional Publication/Website (Please specify in next question)
• X (formerly called Twitter)
• Zip Recruiter
• Other (Please specify in next question)

07

If you answered, "Professional Publication/Website" or "Other" to the above question, please indicate below how you learned about this position. Your response to this question will help us in better marketing County jobs. Type NA if not applicable.
Required Question