Initial Posting Date:

11/06/2026

Application Deadline:

11/18/2026

Agency:

Department of Corrections

Salary Range:

$5,483 - $6,578

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Activities Coordinator, Corrections Recreation Specialist 2 (Salem)

Job Description:

Activities Coordinator, Corrections Recreation Specialist 2

Santiam Correctional Institution (Salem)

Oregon Department of Corrections

 

Are you looking to join a team of passionate professionals? Apply today and begin your career as an Activities Coordinator. This exciting employment opportunity is with the Oregon Department of Corrections at the Santiam Correctional Institution (SCI) in Salem, Oregon.

 

This position is represented by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). This position may be eligible for Police & Fire (P&F) benefits through Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), as defined by statute.

 

About the Job – Your Role

The Activities Coordinator is responsible for the oversight, coordination, development, expansion, and maintenance of adult in custody (AIC) activities at Santiam Correctional Institution. These activities include enhanced visitation opportunities, large-scale events, tournaments and competitions, educational classes, small-group learning opportunities, and individual skill-building programs. The position serves as the institution's liaison to AIC activity clubs and special interest groups, fostering constructive engagement and program participation. The Activities Coordinator promotes safe and secure recreational and leisure activities through education, hazard mitigation, and the establishment of appropriate activity guidelines and parameters. This position also coordinates with Central Trust and the SCI management team to ensure event expenditures and club purchases comply with Department of Corrections policies, procedures, and financial requirements. Operating with a high degree of independence, the incumbent plans, prioritizes, and carries out assignments with limited supervision while supporting the institution's mission and operational goals.

 

Minimum Qualifications

• Three(3) years of experience assessing, developing, coordinating, and implementing recreational programs and leisure time activities; OR
• A Bachelor's degree in Recreational Management, Physical Education or a related field.

 

Requested Skills

• Event Planning & Coordination: Experience planning, organizing, and coordinating large-scale events, recreational programs, tournaments, family activities, and special events involving diverse participants.
• Program Development & Administration: Experience developing, implementing, evaluating, and maintaining recreational, educational, or enrichment programs that meet participant needs and organizational objectives.
• Project & Committee Coordination: Experience coordinating committees, workgroups, stakeholders, or multidisciplinary teams to successfully plan and execute programs, activities, or special events.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations, build positive working relationships, facilitate meetings, and provide clear direction and instruction.
• Leadership & Participant Supervision: Experience providing oversight, guidance, training, and support to staff, volunteers, clerks, work crews, or program participants.
• Fiscal & Budget Management: Experience monitoring budgets, processing expenditures, maintaining financial records, and ensuring fiscal accountability and compliance with established guidelines.
• Policy Compliance & Administrative Oversight: Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, bylaws, operational guidelines, and security requirements while ensuring activities remain compliant.
• Problem Solving & Independent Judgment: Demonstrated ability to prioritize work, resolve conflicts, make sound decisions, and independently manage multiple assignments with limited supervision.
• Security Awareness & Risk Management: Experience maintaining safe and secure operations, identifying potential risks, enforcing established procedures, and working effectively within regulated or secure environments.
• Organization & Attention to Detail: Ability to manage complex schedules, calendars, records, approvals, documentation, and event logistics while ensuring accuracy and timely completion of assignments.

 

Preferred Skills

• Experience working in a correctional or institutional environment.
• Experience supervising adults in custody (AIC)

 

Application Information

• In the Work Experience section of your application make sure to include the dates and duties of all relevant positions and details to support how you meet these attributes. If you do not include education or work experience meeting the minimum qualifications, you will not be considered for the position. Only the candidates whose experience most closely matches the qualifications and requested skills of this position will be invited to interview. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications on or before the job posting close date.
• The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT/PST) on the close date. After you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans’ preference immediately following your submittal. These questions are necessary to complete the application process.
• Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment.
• As part of our selection process, we may require additional assessment stages, such as written exercises, to further evaluate candidates’ qualifications. Meaningful participation in these exercises is required for all applicants moving forward in the process. Failure to complete the required exercise(s) within the specified timeframe will result in disqualification from consideration. All candidates who successfully complete these screening stages and meet the necessary requirements will advance to the next stage in the selection process.
• Please save a copy of this job announcement for reference, as it is not available for you to view after the announcement deadline.

 

Working Conditions

This position is located inside the Santiam Correctional Institution This position works within a secure correctional institution environment and may be exposed to situations involving verbal abuse, threats, or physical assault. The incumbent may be required to work overtime during emergencies and has a responsibility to respond to institutional emergencies through recall and/or reassignment during adult in custody (AIC) unrest or other critical incidents. All employees are expected to support the Department's mission, vision, and core values by serving as role models of pro-social behavior, treating others with dignity and respect, and recognizing the potential for positive change in every individual.

 

The institution is located in Salem, Oregon, and duties may occasionally require working in inclement weather conditions. The facility encompasses approximately 80 acres and includes multiple buildings and activity areas, requiring frequent walking and travel across institutional grounds to perform work assignments.

 

This position requires regular use of computers and electronic systems, including email and DOC business applications. Duties also include monitoring recreational and physical activities, conducting site inspections of activity areas, and evaluating the condition and safety of recreational, sporting, and weight-training equipment. The incumbent must be able to move throughout the institution, stand and walk for extended periods, and perform inspections to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of activity programs.

 

About the Department

The Oregon Department of Corrections is responsible for over 12,000 adults in custody in 12 state prisons throughout Oregon. It advises and evaluates counties regarding administration of probation and parole programs supervising more than 24,000 offenders in Oregon communities. The mission is to protect communities, promote accountability, and transform lives.

 

The Oregon Department of Corrections serves a diverse and changing population of people who are incarcerated and on supervision. We commit to creating an organization both reflecting the diversity of the population we serve and ensuring all employees thrive in a culture of safety, trust, and belonging. We strive to be an anti-racist corrections system. Welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all people. Free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

 

The Department offers a variety of programs and opportunity to create a safe and healthy environment to for our staff, volunteers, and adults in custody. Joining the Oregon Department of Corrections is joining a team working for the benefit of our communities through innovative and proven correctional practices.

 

Benefits

The salary range listed above is for non-PERS qualifying applicants. PERS qualifying applicants may be eligible for an adjusted range to reflect an additional 6.95%.

The State of Oregon provides a generous benefit package, which includes:

• Family health, vision, and dental insurance
• Vacation, sick leave, and 11 paid holidays
• 21 days paid military leave for national guard and reserve components
• Optional short and long-term disability
• Term life insurance
• Fully paid retirement program
• Oregon Saving Growth Plan
• Flexible spending accounts for health and childcare
• And more

 

About the Process – What to Expect

• After the application deadline, a recruiter will review submissions for education and experience to identify candidates who best fit the minimum qualifications and requested skills.
• Top candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
• The hiring manager will review your application and schedule interviews.
• Interview will be held with a panel of stakeholders who have completed panel assessment training. Scores will be determined based on predetermined questions and scoring guides. Preferences points will be applied in compliance with relevant laws and bargaining agreements. There may be multiple rounds of interviews.
• Final candidates will have a background check, PREA check, and reference checks.
• A Classification and Compensation analyst will review the Workday Application of the successful candidate to determine starting wages. Learn more about Equal Pay.
• A job offer will be extended through Workday to the successful candidate. Congratulations, and welcome to the team!

 

Requirements for Employment

The successful candidate for this position must pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility. Due to CJIS requirements related to system access, there may be some felony convictions that could disqualify you for this position. However, having a felony record does not exclusively restrict you from being considered as an applicant. CJIS clearance is done at the conditional job offer. If you have questions about whether or not your criminal record could disqualify for you, please contact the recruiter for more information.

 

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDI&B) is embedded in the Department of Corrections core values. The department strives to be a model employer committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Ensuring legal compliance, efficiency, and exceeding expectations to deliver the best public services.

 

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. Additional information can be found from The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Know Your Rights.

 

The Oregon Department of Corrections is responsible for complying with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA 42 U.S.C. 1997). PREA prohibits the Oregon Department of Corrections from hiring, promoting, or contracting with anyone, (that will have direct contact with residents), who has engaged in, been convicted of, or been civilly or administratively adjudicated for engaging in sexual abuse in confinement settings. Learn more about PREA.

 

Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility. Please note – if you are a veteran, you will receive a task in Workday to upload your documents immediately after you submit your initial application. You will have up until 24 hours after the posted application deadline to submit the appropriate documentation.

 

The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.

 

Questions

If you have questions about the position, selection process, or need accommodations to participate in the recruitment process please contact the recruiter and reference the requisition number.

Recruiter: Maria Arellano, Maria.A.Arellano@doc.state.or.us

Reference Number: Req-205419

• Workday will timeout after 15 minutes of inactivity. You may lose progress on your application.
• Workday performs weekly maintenance Friday evenings, and the system may be down for several hours.
• ODOC does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, applicants will be required to complete an I-9 and confirm authorization to work in the United States.
• This applicant list may be used to fill future vacancies. Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
• This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract. The pay and benefits on all announcements may change without notice.