Recreation Program Director
A Recreation Program Director is a professional responsible for developing and overseeing recreation programs tailored to the needs of various community members, including children, seniors, and adults. This role typically involves assessing community needs, hiring and managing staff, ensuring the safety and maintenance of facilities, and promoting recreational activities through effective marketing strategies. Recreation Program Directors work in diverse environments such as schools, public recreation centers, and hospitals, and often face varying weather conditions and noise levels.
Individuals drawn to this career tend to possess strong organizational skills, leadership qualities, and a passion for physical activities. They must be adept at problem-solving and communication, engaging with diverse populations, including those with special needs. While an entry-level position may only require a high school diploma, many directors hold an associate's or bachelor's degree in recreation or related fields. The median annual earnings for this position exceed $34,410, with some estimates suggesting salaries can reach $70,000. Given the dynamic nature of this role, Recreation Program Directors may work evenings and weekends to ensure successful program delivery.
Recreation Program Director
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Education & Training, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services
Interests: Physical education, recreational activities, planning events and programs, public safety, marketing, fundraising
Earnings (Yearly Median): More than $34,410 per year
Employment & Outlook: 5 percent (Faster than average)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Short-term on-the-job training
Overview
Sphere of Work. Recreation program directors work for private institutions and municipalities, developing and coordinating recreation needs for residents, including children, seniors, and adults. Recreation program directors develop these recreation programs by assessing community or service audience recreation needs; hiring and evaluating recreation workers and additional staff; overseeing the safety and maintenance of grounds, equipment, and facilities; promoting the recreation program to the local community; planning events; scheduling programs; keeping records on program happenings and staff; and fundraising through direct solicitation and grant-writing. Recreation program directors manage public and private recreation programs through various host agencies or institutions such as schools, camps, resorts, public agencies, retirement facilities, and hospitals.
Work Environment. Recreation program directors spend their workdays overseeing recreation programs in various indoor and outdoor settings, including schools, public recreation centers, indoor childcare centers, ice skating rinks, hospitals, playgrounds, sports fields, swimming pools, residential facilities, or day camps. A recreation program director’s work environment may involve heat, cold, or noise extremes. Given the diverse demands of the recreation profession, recreation program directors may need to work a combination of days, evenings, weekends, vacations, and summer hours to ensure program success.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the recreation field tend to be charismatic, intelligent, and organized people who can quickly assess situations, utilize resources, and solve problems. Successful recreation program directors are responsible leaders who display effective time management, a strong sense of initiative, and a concern for individuals and society. Recreation program directors should enjoy physical activity and spend time with a wide range of people, including those with special needs and those from diverse cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The daily occupational duties and responsibilities of recreation program directors will be determined by the individual’s area of job specialization and work environment. Recreation program directors must be able to assess the recreational needs and abilities of individuals, groups, or the local community. Before their busy season, they typically spend time interviewing, hiring, and evaluating recreation workers and staff, including food service workers and maintenance crews. They spend a portion of each day supervising seasonal and full-time recreation workers, such as lifeguards, coaches, and activity leaders, and overseeing the safety, upkeep, and maintenance of grounds, equipment, and facilities. Recreation program directors promote the recreation program to the local community through flyers, websites, emails, social media, and press releases. They also plan and schedule program events such as tournaments, nature studies, leagues, dances, team sports, and classes, and periodically brainstorm new ways to recruit volunteers for all aspects of the recreation program. Conducting program assessment and evaluation through surveys and feedback requests is one way in which recreation program directors can gain an understanding of the success of their programming.
Recreation program directors have many legal, financial, and administrative responsibilities, such as ensuring that their recreation program meets national requirements for safety and the Americans with Disabilities Act, planning the short-term and long-term recreation program budget, and conducting background checks on staff, volunteers, and contractors. Recreation directors are sometimes responsible for raising money for programming through grant writing, fundraising, and donation requests. Part of the job involves keeping the recreation program in the public eye so that it will continue to attract patrons and contributions. The recreation program director may represent the recreation program at conferences and meetings, including local and national recreation society meetings, or meet periodically with institutional supervisors, such as parks and recreation department commissioners, facility owners, or other stakeholders.
All recreation program directors are responsible for accurate record keeping on program safety, accidents, and staff performance.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) only listed recreation workers in its Occupational Outlook Handbook in 2024. The average yearly salary of a reaction worker was listed as $34,410 for 2023. However, recreation program directors typically make much more than that, with some estimates placing their average yearly salaries in the $70,000 range.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. The primary physical environment of recreation program directors varies based on the program’s focus and location. Recreation program directors spend their workdays coordinating activities in various settings, including schools, public recreation centers, indoor childcare centers, ice skating rinks, hospitals, playgrounds, sports fields, pools and aquatic centers, residential facilities, or day camps. Most recreation directors spend part of their workday outdoors, but most of their time is spent inside an office.
Human Environment. Recreation program directors work with a wide variety of people and should be comfortable meeting with colleagues, supervisors, program benefactors, staff, children, older adults, people with physical disabilities, and families. Because they represent the program to the public and function in a supervisory or administrative role, they should enjoy meeting new people and spending much of their job managing others. Excellent communication skills are an advantage.
Technological Environment. Recreation program directors must be comfortable using computers to access information and records, Internet communication tools for email, social media, and program websites, and smartphones to ensure availability during on-call hours or in case of an emergency. Those recreation program directors coordinating a specialized recreation program, such as metalworking or a ropes course, may also need to be comfortable training others in the use of techniques they have learned themselves. They should be certified in first aid, CPR, and other lifesaving techniques, and be at ease using related equipment.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career as a recreation program director should prepare themselves by developing good study habits. High school study of physical education, foreign language, public safety, sociology, psychology, and education will provide a strong foundation for work as a recreation program director or college-level work in the field. High school students interested in this career path will benefit from seeking part-time or seasonal work that exposes the students to diverse groups of people and recreational activities. They can also obtain certification in lifesaving techniques through their school or town.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming recreation program directors should earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in recreation or physical education. A small number of colleges (accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association) offer the bachelor of recreation or leisure studies degree. Courses in physical education, education, public safety, public administration, business management, accounting, and foreign languages may also prove useful in future recreation work. Postsecondary students can gain work experience and potential advantage in their future job searches by securing internships or part-time employment in parks and recreation departments or private recreation programs.
Related Occupations
− Fitness Trainer and Instructor
− Health & Fitness Center Manager
Bibliography
"Recreation Workers." O*NET OnLine, 6 Aug. 2024, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-9032.00. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.
"Recreation Workers." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/recreation-workers.htm. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.