Community Program Specialist I/II (Open) (Extra Help)

San Mateo County Libraries is seeking passionate individuals dedicated to empowering adult learners and volunteers through various educational and literacy programs. The role encompasses working with diverse communities, including incarcerated adults, to foster learning, literacy, and personal development. This unique opportunity involves engaging in multiple aspects of adult learning, volunteer coordination, and outreach efforts, with the aim of promoting education and community service throughout the county. 

There are currently multiple Literacy and Volunteer Engagement focused Community Program Specialist positions available. Because of the diversity of the communities we serve, bilingual language skills (Mandarin, Cantonese, or Spanish) are required.

In this role, you will support adult learners and volunteers through the library’s educational programs, with a focus on engaging volunteers and delivering literacy services in both traditional and non-traditional settings, including correctional facilities. Responsibilities include recruiting and retaining volunteers, designing and facilitating educational programs for learners, and providing literacy support to incarcerated individuals and other community members.

Location:  The successful candidate will work across all thirteen community library locations in San Mateo County, in addition to partner organizations, including correctional facilities, as needed. Travel between locations will be required.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to:

• Design, adapt, and deliver innovative services that benefit the needs of the community.
• Identify and implement research-based methods, practices, techniques, and pedagogy that help learners succeed.
• Maintain and develop inclusive programs that support learners, including but not limited to English as a Second Language (ESL).
• Plan, schedule, coordinate, and carry out programming, workshops, classes, and at special events, along with outreach activities to community groups and agencies, ranging from tabling to public speaking.
• Collect and maintain program records and statistics and create reports, as needed.
• Work frequent evenings and weekends.
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. 
• Experience in adult education, literacy programming, or volunteer management.
• Empathy, patience, and a commitment to promoting literacy and lifelong learning.
• Enthusiasm for working with diverse communities, including underserved and incarcerated populations.
• Bilingual or multilingual (Spanish or Chinese required).
• Ability to analyze data to inform program improvements and retention strategies.
• Familiarity with educational technology and best practices in adult learning.
• Bachelor’s degree in education, sociology, psychology, or a related field preferred. Master’s level work is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience in adult education, literacy programming, or community outreach is highly desirable.
• Experience working with adult learners, under-resourced communities or in volunteer engagement is a plus.

SALARY RANGES: 

Community Program Specialist I: $72,675.20 - $90,875.20 Annually

Community Program Specialist II: $81,411.20 - $101,774.40 Annually

SAN MATEO COUNTY LIBRARIES San 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.

For more information, please see: https://hr.smcgov.org/sites/hr.smcgov.org/files/EH OE 2017 Information.pdf  (Download PDF reader) 

NOTE: This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Duties will include: 

1. Correctional Facility Services:
   • Provide literacy instruction to incarcerated individuals, focusing on reading, writing, GED preparation, and English language acquisition.
   • Collaborate with correctional staff and community organizations to support re-entry services and post-release educational opportunities.
   • Lead small group classes through instruction and engagement on a broad range of literacies: financial, digital, health, and other high interest, high impact topics.
   • Ensure learners in correctional facilities have access to tailored education plans, tracking progress and adjusting instruction to individual or group needs. 
2. Volunteer Engagement & Coordination:
   • Collaborate with Program Coordinators to recruit and train volunteers for adult learning and ELL programs.
   • Develop strategies to retain and recognize volunteers, fostering long-term commitment and engagement.
   • Coordinate events to recognize and appreciate volunteers, ensuring their contributions are valued.
   • Maintain regular communication with volunteers and provide opportunities for growth and leadership.
3. Adult Learning Support:
   • Conduct needs assessments for adult learners, tailoring curricula to meet their specific literacy needs (e.g., reading, writing, digital literacy, GED preparation).
   • Facilitate small group tutoring sessions and workshops on topics of interest, including English Language Learning (ELL), digital literacy, and career readiness.
   • Build and maintain relationships with community partners to promote literacy services and reach new learners.
   •  Provide intensive, best practices support to residents throughout the County working to attain their GED or high school diploma though such methods as Career Online High School.
4. Program Administration & Evaluation:
   • Conduct program assessments, collecting and analyzing data to improve volunteer and learner experiences.
   • Assist with the development of reports, recommendations, and strategies to enhance the library’s literacy and volunteer engagement programs.
   • Perform clerical and administrative tasks, such as answering phones, maintaining records, and supporting program logistics.

Knowledge of:

• Specialized technical knowledge related to assigned program area.
• Monitoring and evaluating systems for community services programs.
• Current social and community needs.
• 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:

• Make independent judgments and work independently.
• Prepare concise reports and recommendations.
• Communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Coordinate multiple facets of a program function.
• Interpret rules, regulations, and guidelines at all government levels.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with diverse community groups.
• Plan, organize, promote, and coordinate diverse community program activities.

Additional Qualifications:

• Age Recruitment: must be 18 years or older. 
• Must pass County Jail clearance and background checks if working in correctional facilities.
• Possession, or ability to obtain, a valid, appropriate California driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record, which must be maintained as a condition of employment.

This is an extra-help assignment. Anyone may apply.

Application Process: Applications will be reviewed by supervisors or managers; candidates successful in the application phase may be invited to participate in remote interviews. Vacancies may be filled at any time and qualified candidates are not automatically guaranteed to advance to the interview round.
 
Please send an email with your resume and with responses to the Supplemental Questions below, to:
 

• Nicole Cuadra, Library Services Manager at cuadra@smcl.org

IMPORTANT: You must submit the following to be considered for this opportunity: 
  

1. Resume
2. Responses to the Supplemental Questions:

• What motivated you to apply for this position and what most interests you about it? 
• Describe your experience in leading teams to support a project or goal.
• Describe your experience working with adults. Please specifically tell us about any work you have done with incarcerated people or related to incarceration, as well as adult literacies acquisition.
• What is your highest level of education?
• The ability to read, speak and write fluently in English and Spanish, English and Cantonese and/or English and Mandarin is required for this position. If any, please indicate any languages (other than English) in which you are fluent.

For more information or questions, please contact Nicole directly.

San Mateo County Libraries
125 Lessingia Ct.
San Mateo, California, 94402
(650) 312-5258
Library Jobs | San Mateo County Libraries (smcl.org)

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted five days in advance on this job announcement.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule:
Final Filing Date: Continuous

Salary : $35 - $49