CORRECTIONS LEISURE ACTIVITIES SPECIALIST IV

Position Overview:

The Department of Juvenile Justice is seeking an experienced and motivated candidate to serve as a Leisure Activity Specialist IV and oversee day to day activities in the leisure time services department. The ideal candidate for this role will have proven leadership and team development skills, previous experience managing recreation programs and possess excellent planning and scheduling abilities. Are you ready to put your best foot forward and make a difference in the leisure time activities programs provided to the youth in our care? IDJJ encourages all interested and qualified individuals to apply!

Essential Functions

• Serves as working supervisor
• Develops, implements and monitors leisure time program activities in order to involve maximum participation from the entire youth population
• Confers with the facility chief and other administrative and professional staff on individual cases and general program
• Interprets work of leisure activity services to employees, field work students, volunteers and institution youth
• Participates in professional staff meetings, conferences, committees and institutes
• Reviews, analyzes and evaluates the ongoing program to determine need for revision or modification
• Supervises a staff development program for the leisure activity at the institution
• Reviews request by supervisors for supplies, equipment and space
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college supplemented by a master's degree with major course work in leisure studies, physical education, recreation, occupational therapy, art education, fine arts, studio arts, graphics, color and design, music, theater or speech and communication.
• Requires two (2) years of professional supervisory experience in leisure activity services, recreation, occupational, park district and industrial therapy in an institutional or community setting.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience utilizing extensive knowledge of the full range of leisure activities programs and skills development.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience utilizing extensive knowledge of the procedures and principles of administration, organization and management.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience utilizing extensive knowledge of pertinent rules, regulations, procedures and statutory requirements of a correctional facility, as it pertains to operation of the leisure activities program at a facility.
• Prefers at least two (2) years of experience organizing and administering a complex program of leisure activities in a medium sized program.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience training, supervising and developing staff members.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience maintaining a complete system of records for leisure time activities.
• Prefers at least one (1) year of experience organizing, planning and scheduling the work of the entire leisure time activities department.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires the ability to pass an IDOC/IDJJ background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs by an employee, regardless of position held, is prohibited.
• Requires possession of a valid and appropriate driver’s license and the ability to travel.
• Certain provisions of the revolving door restrictions contained in 5 ILCS 430/5-45 apply to this position. As a result, the employee should be aware that if offered non-State employment during state employment or within one year immediately after ending State employment, the employee shall, prior to accepting any such non-State employment offer, notify the Office of the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) or may be subject to a fine.
• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.