Recreation Specialist

JOB LOCATION 18150 E Vassar Pl Aurora, Colorado 80013 City of Aurora, Colorado It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply. Why Work for Aurora? Make a difference in the lives of real people every day Diverse community Competitive total compensation package Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan Light rail station minutes away On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement Access to innovation workspaces PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Are you a passionate fitness professional looking to make a meaningful impact that goes beyond the walls of a traditional commercial gym? The City of Aurora is seeking a dynamic, community-minded leader to step into the role of Recreation Specialist Fitness. In this rewarding public service role, you won't just be teaching classes and tracking trends; you will directly shape the health and wellness of our diverse community by overseeing our vibrant fitness programs and inspiring a dedicated team of instructors. This is your opportunity to combine your deep expertise in exercise science or personal training with a true calling to serve the public good. Join us in cultivating a positive, active environment where every workout helps build a stronger, healthier community. The hiring range for this role is $50,698 - $63,710/year Salary to be commensurate with experience. The deadline to submit applications is August 4, 2026. Please note, The City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine to have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice. Position Overview The Recreation Specialist for the Fitness and Wellness program will implement a variety of Fitness programming and operations within a recreation center environment. PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Directly supervise approximately 20 part-time fitness instructors Recruit, interview, select, train, evaluate, schedule fitness instructors Maintain records and verify instructor certifications Develops, programs, and implements registration for drop-in and fee-based classes Teaches 3 to 5 classes/personal training sessions per week Maintain weekly schedules for fitness classes Communicate with center supervisor regarding programming and bookings Coordinate personal training and group fitness Conduct program maintenance including scheduling and booking classes in the registration system, setting fees in compliance with COA's policies, following budget guidelines, tracking registrations and attendance, cancelations, and profit/loss for classes Perform annual fee evaluations Identify fitness trends and program new activities Respond to customer concerns and suggestions, either face to face, by telephone or email Promote programs by partnering with the marketing team, hanging posters, and word-of-mouth Evaluate classes using surveys for outcome measures Coordinate with participants and trainers to organize fitness assessments Collaborate and maintain working relationships with community partners for program development Research and recommend purchase of weight room equipment and other fitness supplies Maintain daily fitness equipment, flat screens, and schedules quarterly maintenance Performs daily sanitation of the weight room that may include wiping, sweeping, and mopping Maintain and conduct weight room orientations Work the weight room floor, interact with customers, promote programs and provide guidance for participants as needed Assist with front desk coverage and opening and closing of facility when needed Assist with center sanitation and general cleaning duties as needed. Manage emergency situations such as 911 calls, employee accidents, ADA issues Perform additional duties as assigned The listed primary duties and responsibilities are not a comprehensive list of expectations for the job. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. Education: Bachelors degree in sports medicine, kinesiology, exercise science, or related field Experience: At least two (2) years of experience in recreation administration, athletic training, sports management, or other related discipline Knowledge: Knowledge of recreation program development and administration Up-to-date knowledge of fitness programming and trends Knowledge of personal computers and related software applications Knowledge of fitness and gym equipment, best practice for its operation, and related safety precautions Skills: Strong interpersonal and managerial skills Strong customer service skills Coordinate, schedule, and instruct recreation programs Abilities: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and citizens Ability to respond to customer inquiries and complaints in a timely manner Ability to teach multiple formats of fitness classes Mentoring and training part-time employees Communicate effectively and professionally in writing Motivate staff, create a positive work environment, and hold staff accountable for achieving measurable goals and developing their skills Licenses and Certifications Required: Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor from accredited institution CPR/AED certification WORKING CONDITIONS Essential Personnel: When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the city, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel Physical Demands: Heavy physical work that involves moving no more than 100 pounds with or without assistance at a time, with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 50 pounds Frequent lifting, carrying, walking, and standing May require frequent pushing, pulling, bending, and stooping Clear vision to facilitate fitness programming and ensure safety compliance Frequent speech communication and hearing to maintain communication with students, families, employees and citizens Hand/eye coordination for operation of fitness equipment, computer keyboard, carts, and moveable shelving Work Environment: Works primarily in clean, comfortable environment requires offsite work at various recreational facilities, public buildings and/or parks work both indoors and outdoors in varying types of weather Equipment Used: Operates standard office equipment, including computers, telephones, calculators, and registration and POS systems This position may require the incumbent to occasionally use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, etc.) in the course of their employment Operates fitness machines and uses exercise equipment common to gymnasums and recreational/sports facilities The city of Aurora will implement furlough days (unpaid days off) for most employees in 2026. The scheduled furlough dates are January 16, April 10, July 2, and December 24. For Veterans preference: Please show all of your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application. The City of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer. We are required by state and federal agencies to keep certain statistical records on applicants. It will not be used in any way to discriminate against you because of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability or military status, gender identity, unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification as defined by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission. Despite the changes in Colorado law, the City of Aurora maintains a drug-free workplace. A positive test of marijuana is grounds for disqualification and ineligibility for employment with the city for one year or termination once hired. Drug Testing, Thorough Criminal Background Check, and Employment References: As a condition of employment, all applicants selected for employment with the City of Aurora must undergo a thorough criminal background check. Applicants selected for safety-sensitive positions are required to complete and pass a drug screening as a condition of employment. Safety sensitive positions include Civil Service positions within Police and Fire Departments and positions where their job responsibilities have direct and substantial responsibility that would impact the health and safety of others. Employment references will be conducted on finalists for City of Aurora vacancies. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity Respect Professionalism Customer Service And we welcome all who share these values to apply. Why Work for Aurora? Rewarding public sector work impacting a large and diverse community Growing city and employee population Competitive total compensation package Rich benefits package with low employee costs Generous paid leave program 100% funded Employee and Family Care Leave Program Retirement pension plan and 457b plans available Subsidized recreation center pass, on-site fitness centers and wellness programs Continued education and career advancement opportunities Learn more about city of Aurora benefits Notice Regarding Automated Processing and Fraud Prevention As part of our recruiting and application security processes, we may use automated tools and technologies to help detect fraudulent activity, protect applicant accounts, and support the administration of employment applications. These tools may collect and process information associated with your application activity, including: Number of job requisitions applied to External application session duration Geolocation country code IP address Device/browser fingerprinting information (including JA4 fingerprint data) This information may be used by Workdays Fraudulent Job Application Prevention capabilities to generate an application risk or fraud assessment score. These tools are designed to support application security, fraud prevention, and recruiting operations and may be considered during the processing or review of applications. Meaningful human review remains part of our hiring and recruiting process. For additional information regarding our processing of applicant information, please review our Privacy Notice or contact dcinert@auroragov.org. Please show all your employment history, including military service and related documentation (DD214) on the application. Leaving blanks or omitting previous employment may result in your disqualification from employment. City policy requires that selected candidates provide documentation in the form of official transcripts of the highest level of education attained by the candidate that is listed on their application materials. Applicants who hold a Commercial Drivers License will also be required to undergo alcohol testing using an Evidential Breath Testing Device. The city of Aurora uses E-Verify to determine if employees are legally eligible to work in the United States. Know your rights! The city of Aurora is an equal opportunity employer. No applicant for employment or employee shall be discriminated against because of age, race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, disability or military status. The city shall develop and maintain a plan for diversity. Through its staff, the city shall periodically analyze its employment related practices and its plan for diversity to ensure compliance with this policy. If you need assistance or reasonable accommodation for completing this application, please feel free to contact our office at: 303.739.7225 or visit us at 15151 E. Alameda Pkwy., Suite 3500, Aurora, CO 80012.