Playworks Youth Program Coach

Full-time,  $21-$28 per hour,  40 hours per week,  (San Francisco, Oakland, Richmond, San Lorenzo, San Mateo, Sunnyvale, San Jose) CA

Now hiring for the 2026-27 school year!

Do you enjoy working with kids and being active throughout the day? Playworks is hiring full-time coaches to work at elementary schools, leading games, supporting positive behavior, and helping create a fun and inclusive recess environment. This is a hands-on, outdoor role where you’ll build relationships with students and help them develop teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution skills.

About Playworks: At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships. 

What we offer:

• Full-time position, 40 hours per week, at $21.88–$27.88 per hour.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, HSA, disability, life insurance, and employee-funded pre-tax health and childcare spending accounts.
• Paid vacation for all school breaks during the school year (5+ weeks).
• Room for career growth within our organization.
• Professional development and networking opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• This is a full school-year commitment, August 2026–June 2027, with the option to return the following year. 

Responsibilities:

As a Playworks Coach, you will be responsible for implementing the following components of our program:

• Recess: Create a fun recess for all students by organizing and leading various games and activities. Be a role model and actively participate in the games to ensure every child has a positive experience.
• Class Game Time: Teach students a variety of games to play during recess, promoting physical activity, cooperation, and fair play. Help students build confidence and develop skills that they can apply during playtime.
• Junior Coach Leadership Program: Lead a youth leadership program for 4th- and 5th-graders, training them to become coaches like you. Guide and mentor the Junior Coaches as they assist in managing games during recess. Through this program, students develop valuable skills in conflict resolution, leadership, and more.
• Sports Clubs: Coach a non-competitive sports team of 4th and 5th graders, providing an inclusive and positive team experience. Most students are beginners, so your focus will be on fostering enjoyment, skill development, and teamwork.

Additional responsibilities include maintaining communication with Playworks staff, school staff, teachers, and families; organizing and managing paperwork; and attending regular training sessions provided by Playworks.

Positions Available:

We are hiring for two coaching positions based on experience and fit:

• Program Coordinator ($21.88–$24.28/hr)
• Coach at one partner school full-time, leading recess, class game times, Junior Coaches, and Sports Clubs.
• Site Specialist ($25.05–$27.88/hr)
• Coach at two partner schools, alternating between schools on a weekly schedule, leading recess, class game times, Junior Coaches, and Sports Clubs. In addition, work with school staff to build sustainable recess systems.

At Playworks, our starting salary takes into consideration internal pay scales, geographic pay differential, and robust external market data. We highly value transparency in compensation and are therefore committed to adhering to established compensation pay points.

You can indicate your interest in your preferred position during the application process.

Requirements:

• We provide comprehensive training. Experience working with youth is a plus. 
• Candidates must pass a National Sex Offender Public Registry, State criminal check, and FBI background check.
• Successful completion of a TB test and CPR/First Aid certification upon hire (offered by Playworks).
• Reliable transportation to reach your assigned school(s) is required.
• This is a physically active, outdoor role. You’ll be on your feet, leading games, and playing with students every day.

About Playworks: At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships. 

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.

ABOUT THE POSITION, in the role of Site Coordinator, you provide on-site consultation and professional development to staff that fosters social thinking and increases physical activity through play-based learning. You will work directly with a designated school’s administration, teachers, and recess teams to provide expertise on Playworks best practices, as well as model and teach the strategies, games, and systems to develop and sustain a positive classroom and recess culture. In partnership with the school, Site Coordinators create opportunities for students and school staff to be active, learn leadership skills and conflict-resolution tools, and practice respectful behavior.

Here’s where you come in:

 Specifically, you will have Program Implementation, Coaching, and School Partnership duties as follows-

Program Implementation Duties

• Plan and implement a consultative play-based program at two to four public elementary schools.
• Coordination with administration, educators, and recess teams for scheduling programmatic delivery in person or virtually. 
• Collect and maintain paperwork, including organizing and updating daily, weekly, and monthly schedules, meeting agendas, notes, and data.
• Maintain communication between Playworks staff, school staff, teachers, and volunteers.
• Plan and implement the learning and training required for recess staff members.
• Deliver onsite coaching, consultation, and modeling to School Personnel regarding implementation of the following components.
• Recess - With School Personnel, create and coach recess staff to develop a safe, positive, and healthy recess experience.  
• Student leadership program – With School Personnel, organize an in-person “Junior Coach” student leadership program by facilitating training and coaching staff to supervise and manage Junior Coach roles in the classroom and at recess.
• Instructional classes (Class Game Time) - Coordinate and lead in-person instructional classes for elementary-grade students and their teacher, focusing on skills building, cooperative games, and recess activities.

Coaching Duties:

• Model Playworks core values, program implementation, group management, and rapport-building strategies for School Personnel.
• Provide school personnel with action plans, feedback, and resources regarding program implementation.
• Lead monthly meetings with school personnel to discuss best practices for program implementation and program quality goals.
• Provide the Playworks Program Manager with observation notes and program strategy to improve program quality and align with school priorities.
• Facilitate training(s) with the Program Manager for school staff.

School Partnership Duties:

• Consistently represent Playworks’ brand in a professional manner.
• Design a program schedule with input and support from the school administration.
• Communicate with school administration regarding program implementation logistics and management support needs.
• Facilitate the school’s transition to other Playworks training, programs, and products in preparation for the future school year.
• Showcase Playworks services to additional prospective schools to support an existing school recruitment strategy for growing partnerships within the region.
• Participate in opportunities to become a certified trainer in Playworks Pro services.

Administrative Duties:

• Provide timely client communication, proactive internal Playworks communication, and timely reporting.
• Collect and maintain paperwork, including organizing daily, weekly, and monthly schedules, timesheets, and mileage reports.
• Support school recruitment administration that may include school contact research, analyzing outreach data, attending local conferences, and resource fairs.
• Provide the Playworks Program Manager with weekly observational updates on program quality and partner in consultation priorities to schools.

WHO YOU ARE

• Highly organized. You are great at multitasking and at managing your time across multiple priorities.
• Detail-oriented. You catch the little things and think it’s a big deal. You understand that every word you write to an external audience is a reflection on Playworks.
• Self-starter. You set clear goals and follow through with flexible and creative problem-solving. You can work independently with minimal supervision. You also seek and incorporate feedback from your colleagues.
• Collaborative: You are not afraid to ask questions. You openly communicate with teams and departments outside your own, facilitating collaboration and serving as a thought partner to members of the entire organization.
• Relationship Builder. You have the ability to manage, motivate, and develop diverse individuals and teams, knowing how to meet an individual's unique needs. You also thrive in situations where you are developing and maintaining external relationships and partnerships.
• Problem Solver: You thrive in an environment characterized by significant growth, diversity, and constant change.

Required Skills & Experience

• Proven organizational skills in the production of timely planning and deliverables such as program plans, reports, and observational notes.
• Extensive knowledge of youth development principles and practices
• At least 2 years of experience working directly with small and large groups of children.
• Experience working collaboratively with adults and facilitating training for adults.
• Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills with the ability to facilitate small and large group presentations.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining professional relationships with internal leadership and teams and external clients through excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism.
• Experience interacting with diverse communities and the ability to integrate into school communities.
• Knowledge of computer and internet-based programs, especially Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Google Drive, and virtual meeting platforms such as Google Meets and Zoom.
• This position requires travel to various regional locations. School sites may be widely dispersed in the city/region; therefore, daily access to reliable transportation is required.
• Requires flexibility to readily adapt to a changing environment.

Compensation & Benefits:

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

• This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position
• At Playworks, our starting salary takes into consideration internal pay scales, geographic pay differential, and robust external market data. We highly value transparency in compensation and are therefore committed to adhering to established compensation pay points. The starting salary for this position is $49,400/yr.
• A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, 401(k) plans with employer match of up to 1% of salary, life insurance, employee-funded pre-tax health, and child care spending accounts.
• Generous Flex PTO policy, paid sick and holiday leave

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

Please include:

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

Service Environment: This position operates in both school and office environments, indoors and outdoors. The position interacts with children on playgrounds and in classrooms daily. 

Typical physical and 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.

ABOUT PLAYWORKS: At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships. 

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.

ABOUT PLAYWORKS: At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships. 

ABOUT THE POSITION: Are you passionate about working with youth in play-based and recreational environments? Do you want to make a real difference in the lives of young individuals? If you answered yes to these questions, then Playworks has an exciting opportunity for you. We are actively seeking a dynamic Program Coordinator. (Also known as Playworks Coach!)

Responsibilities:

As a Playworks Coach, you will be responsible for implementing the following components of our program:

• Recess: Create a fun, inclusive recess for all students by organizing and leading a variety of games and activities. Be a role model and actively participate in the games to ensure every child has a positive experience.
• Class Game Time: Teach students a variety of games to play during recess, promoting physical activity, cooperation, and fair play. Help students build confidence and develop skills that they can apply during playtime.
• Junior Coach Leadership Program: Lead a youth leadership program for 4th- and 5th-graders, training them to become coaches like you. Guide and mentor the Junior Coaches as they assist in managing games during recess. Through this program, students gain valuable skills in conflict resolution, leadership, and more.

Additional responsibilities include maintaining communication with Playworks staff, school staff, teachers, and families; organizing and managing paperwork; and attending regular training sessions provided by Playworks.

What we offer:

• Full-time position, 40 hours per week, for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year, at $20.77 per hour.
• Room for career growth within our organization.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, disability, life insurance, and employee-funded pre-tax health and childcare spending accounts.
• Paid vacation for all school breaks during the school year (1+ week), as well as paid sick days.
• Professional development and networking opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.

Requirements:

• We provide comprehensive training, so no prior experience is necessary. Our dedicated support staff will assist you throughout the year.
• Candidates must pass a National Sex Offender Public Registry check, a State criminal check, and an FBI background check.
• Successful completion of a TB test and CPR/First Aid certification upon hire.
• Reliable transportation to reach your assigned school is required. This position will be working at the Winter Hill School in Sommverville, MA. 
• A willingness to actively participate in games and set a positive example for the children.

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.

Playworks Youth Program Coach

Full-time,  $20.77 - $23.75 per hour,  40 hours per week, {Lennox, Los Angeles, Downey, Hawthorne, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, CA}

Now hiring for the 2026-27 school year!

Do you enjoy working with kids and being active throughout the day? Playworks is hiring full-time coaches to work at elementary schools, leading games, supporting positive behavior, and helping create a fun and inclusive recess environment. This is a hands-on, outdoor role where you’ll build relationships with students and help them develop teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution skills.

About Playworks: At Playworks, we believe in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. We create a place for every kid on the playground to get active, build valuable skills, connect, and have fun. We partner with schools, districts, and after-school programs to provide a service or mix of services, including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships. 

What we offer:

• Full-time position, 40 hours per week, at $20.77–$23.75 per hour.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, HSA, disability, life insurance, and employee-funded pre-tax health and childcare spending accounts.
• Paid time off for all school breaks and holidays during the school year (4+ weeks).
• Professional development and networking opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• This is a full school-year commitment, August 2026–June 2027, with the option to return the following year. 

Responsibilities:

As a Playworks Coach, you will be responsible for implementing the following components of our program:

• Recess: Create a fun recess for all students by organizing and leading various games and activities. Be a role model and actively participate in the games to ensure every child has a positive experience.
• Class Game Time: Teach students a variety of games to play during recess, promoting physical activity, cooperation, and fair play. Help students build confidence and develop skills that they can apply during playtime.
• Junior Coach Leadership Program: Lead a youth leadership program for 4th- and 5th-graders, training them to become coaches like you. Guide and mentor the Junior Coaches as they assist in managing games during recess. Through this program, students develop valuable skills in conflict resolution, leadership, and more.
• Sports Clubs: Coach a non-competitive sports team of 4th and 5th graders, providing an inclusive and positive team experience. Most students are beginners, so your focus will be on fostering enjoyment, skill development, and teamwork.

Additional responsibilities include maintaining communication with Playworks staff, school staff, teachers, and families; organizing and managing paperwork; and attending regular training sessions provided by Playworks.

Positions Available:

We are hiring for two coaching positions based on experience and fit:

• Program Coordinator ($20.77/hr)
• Coach at one partner school full-time, leading recess, class game times, Junior Coaches, and Sports Clubs.
• Site Specialist ($23.75/hr)
• Coach at two partner schools, alternating between schools on a weekly schedule, leading recess, class game times, Junior Coaches, and Sports Clubs. In addition, work with school staff to build sustainable recess systems.

At Playworks, our starting salary takes into consideration internal pay scales, geographic pay differential, and robust external market data. We highly value transparency in compensation and are therefore committed to adhering to established compensation pay points.

You can indicate your interest in your preferred position during the application process.

Requirements:

• We provide comprehensive training. Experience working with youth is a plus. 
• Candidates must pass a National Sex Offender Public Registry, State criminal check, and FBI background check.
• Successful completion of a TB test and CPR/First Aid certification upon hire (offered by Playworks).
• Reliable transportation to reach your assigned school(s) is required.
• This is a physically active, outdoor role. You’ll be on your feet, leading games, and playing with students every day.

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.