Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. Learn about the energetic, creative people working to ensure every kid has the chance to play—every day.

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About the Role: Do you believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid? Would you like to work where you are encouraged to promote fun, creativity, and play? If you are motivated and you possess leadership experience – both on and off the playground – we want you to join our team and put your passion for play to work for us.  As a Program Specialist, you will help demonstrate the power of Playworks by partnering with schools directly, providing support for programming across the Bay Area, and delivering professional development trainings to school staff. Travel to locations in northern California and occasionally, outside of the Bay Area may be required.

Specifically, you will:

Program Implementation

Plan and implement our consultative play-based TeamUp program at 1-3 elementary schools for one to three weeks each month This includes:

• Maintaining communication between Playworks staff, school staff, and teachers.
• Collecting and maintaining paperwork, including organizing schedules, meeting agendas, implementation emails, notes, lesson plans, school newsletters, and data.
• Planning and implementing learning units and recess staff training for program components.
• Delivering on-site coaching, consultation, and modeling to school personnel by implementing the following components:
• Recess – work with school personnel and recess staff to develop a safe and inclusive playground. Be a significant presence on the playground/schoolyard by organizing and playing games, as well as role-modeling positive behavior.
• Student leadership program – organize a Junior Coach student leadership program for 4th and 5th graders by facilitating monthly trainings and working with school staff to manage Junior Coaches during recess. This includes an afterschool component with students; teaching the leadership curriculum and game facilitation.
• Instructional classes – lead 20-30 minute classes with elementary grade level students and their teacher(s) in skills building, cooperative games, and activities to increase awareness of rules, boundaries, skills utilized, and cultural expectations at recess, teaching games students can play at recess. Through these classes, students will learn what, how, and where to play at recess. They'll gain experience and confidence in themselves, and feel more comfortable joining in at recess.

Regional Support

• On non-program implementation (TeamUp) weeks, support the regional program team and national program departments by working with Program Managers and other Playworks staff to ensure program quality at all Coach, TeamUp, and Relay schools.
• Be certified as a trainer and deliver all Playworks Pro services to school staff. Organize and facilitate Playworks staff trainings.
• Engage in ongoing learning to develop training skills and curriculum.
• Attend conferences and professional development opportunities.
• Take an active role in preseason training for all new and returning staff.
• Support regional Playworks community initiatives and fundraising events 

Required Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated experience leading large and small groups of children with the ability to engage and inspire them.
• Proven ability to train adult participants
• Motivated self-starter with demonstrated success working effectively and efficiently with minimal supervision, and consistently making appropriate decisions, exercising good  judgment 
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. .
• The ability to make connections, manage and sustain multiple relationships in diverse communities, and the ability to integrate into an existing school community.
• Ability to engage with diverse staff and leadership to promote equity, trust, collaboration, and partnership between departments and levels of leadership.
• Conceptual ability for the larger perspective with a strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks while also staying focused on the participant and students experience.
• Playful and able to adapt, be flexible, and be a creative problem solver
• Excellent planning and organization skills
• Must have access to reliable transportation to travel locally, this position will require travel to various school sites and regional locations.
• Passionate Commitment to Playworks’ Mission and alignment with our Core values and Equity Statement 
• Strong knowledge of youth development, S.E.L

Compensation & Benefits

Playworks offers the full package - great benefits, a fun place to work and an opportunity to grow professionally. We offer:

• At Playworks, our starting salary takes into consideration internal pay equity, geographic pay differential, and robust external market data. We highly value transparency and equity within compensation and therefore are committed to adhering to established compensation pay points.  The salary for this position starts at $29.33 per hour. 
• This is a full-time, non-exempt, hourly position that reports to a Program Manager.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match, and employee-funded pre-tax health, and child care spending account options.
• Generous flexible paid time off policy with paid sick and holiday leave.

This is a hands-on, creative, playful place to work, all while contributing to the success of our nation’s youth. If you're ready to immerse yourself in the education sector, and if you've got the skills, experience, and passion, apply!

Typical Physical & Mental Demands: This position requires sufficient physical ability and mobility to stand for extended periods at times; walk on a school site in various weather conditions; to climb stairs at some sites; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist and, dependent on assignment the employee may occasionally lift, push, pull and/or move up to 50 pounds. Requires sitting with some bending, stooping and stretching, and eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard and various equipment. 

Please include:

• A cover letter describing your interest in Playworks and how your experience has prepared you for this role. 
• Resume.
• References may be requested. 

About Us: Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform children’s physical and emotional health. Playworks makes recess a fun, safe place for all students. We create a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. When kids do better at recess, they do better in class. When they have developed social and emotional skills, they do better in life. That’s where you come in. Playworks partners with elementary schools to make this fun, inclusive recess a reality. We provide multiple services including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships.

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We are committed to racial equity, and we make a particular effort to recruit people of color, Indigenous people, gender non-binary people, and people with historically more marginalized identities to apply for open positions. Our core values of cultivating play, center equity, continued learning and collaboration within communities are the foundation of our organization and are infused in all aspects of our work.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself!

As an equal opportunity program, Playworks encourages applications from all individuals regardless of age, gender, gender identity/expression, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, faith, marital status, physical ability, or any other legally protected basis. Playworks evaluates all candidates for employment, volunteering opportunities or board service on a merit basis.

 

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