How to hire a parks recreation coordinator

How to hire a parks recreation coordinator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step parks recreation coordinator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a parks recreation coordinator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new parks recreation coordinator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The parks recreation coordinator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a parks recreation coordinator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a parks recreation coordinator that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of parks recreation coordinators.

   Type of Parks Recreation Coordinator	Description	Hourly rate
   Parks Recreation Coordinator	Recreation workers design and lead recreational and leisure activities for groups in volunteer agencies or recreation facilities, such as playgrounds, parks, camps, aquatic centers, and senior centers. They may lead activities such as arts and crafts, dance, sports, adventure programs, music, and camping.	$12-28
   Site Leader	A site leader is responsible for managing the staff's performance, ensuring the smooth delivery of daily operations, and guiding the successful project completion by maximizing the staff's productivity within the specified timeframe and budget goals. Site leaders work closely with the clients, together with the site manager, to identify their specifications and requirements, as well as providing progress updates and suggesting design adjustments as needed... Show more	$14-64
   Summer Camp Counselor	Summer camps are programs with different themes organized for children or teenagers during the summer months. Summer camp counselors are responsible for the overall supervision of campers and the planning and implementation of the different programs to give children a memorable experience... Show more	$8-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CPR
   • Customer Service

   Responsibilities:

   • Facilitate teen activities (i.e.
   • Recruit members, run orientations, plan events and maintain contact with all active members.
   • Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
   • Prepare and plan special events for the community, Halloween haunt house, feed the homeless, Christmas in the Bronx.
   • Maintain written and personal communication with general public and local community through ongoing PowerPoint presentations, weekly newsletters and monthly newspaper.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your parks recreation coordinator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A parks recreation coordinator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, parks recreation coordinators' average salary in louisiana is 49% less than in mississippi.
   • Seniority. Entry-level parks recreation coordinators earn 58% less than senior-level parks recreation coordinators.
   • Certifications. A parks recreation coordinator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a parks recreation coordinator's salary.

   Average parks recreation coordinator salary

   $39,204yearly

   $18.85 hourly rate

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   Entry-level parks recreation coordinator salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a parks recreation coordinator job description

   A parks recreation coordinator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a parks recreation coordinator job description:

   Parks recreation coordinator job description example

   We are seeking a full-time Leasing Coordinator whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to: generating traffic of prospective customers by assisting in producing advertisements for periodicals, direct mailers, follow-up letters, etc.; conducting all functions necessary to close the sale, including generating new leads, conducting tours, maintaining show rooms, and any follow-up necessary; completing market surveys; assisting in developing ideas to retain residents; conducting all functions necessary to maximize revenue during the summer; assisting in coordinating room assignments and roommate matching; and attending after hours marketing events as needed. The Leasing Coordinator also assists the General Manager and/or Leasing Manager with the supervision of the leasing staff; including training, development, evaluation, and rewards.
   American Campus Communities Culture Commitments
   
   * Our people are devoted to a culture of inclusion, diversity, and equality in the workplace and our communities. We are committed to intentionally executing an evolving set of goals specific to inclusion, diversity, and accountability, driven by empathetic leadership and embraced by all.
   * The core of American Campus culture involves everyone being fully invested in everything that we do down to picking up the smallest piece of trash. No matter their position or duration at any given property, everyone picks up trash because we take pride in our community.
   * Serve as an American Campus representative and liaison in all interactions.
   * Certain activities involved in this position may be photographed and/or video and audio recorded for quality control and/or training purposes. Compliance with the Photo, Video and Voice Recording Policy is a condition of employment
   
   To be successful in this position, you should have:
   
   * A Bachelor degree preferred or prior experience in leasing and sales
   * The ability to understand and adhere to policies and procedures, use basic math skills, and exercise effective verbal and written communication skills with residents and guests
   * Prior student housing experience preferred
   * The ability to communicate effectively with management and coworkers
   
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   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right parks recreation coordinator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with parks recreation coordinators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit parks recreation coordinators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your parks recreation coordinator job on Zippia to find and recruit parks recreation coordinator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting parks recreation coordinators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new parks recreation coordinator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the parks recreation coordinator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new parks recreation coordinator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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