Youth Seize the Summer Program

Salary: $15.00 Hourly
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Part-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2025-01341
Department: Human Resource Management
Opening Date: 04/01/2026
Closing Date: 6/3/2026 6:59 AM Eastern


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions


Under general supervision, assists various City of Portsmouth departments. Reports to the designated department supervisor.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS & JOB FUNCTIONS
*Must be a current Portsmouth High School student.

*Must be an upcoming Senior
*Must be at least 16 years of age

*Must be a citizen of Portsmouth

*Must have flexible availability
*Must be available to work on weekends

Youth Seize the Summer Program position may work up to 29 hours per week and is a part-time seasonal position.

Individuals in this position will provide support to their assigned department.


Departments included in the program are as follows: Behavioral Healthcare Services; Economic Development; Engineering; Finance; Fire & Rescue; General Services; Human Resources; IT; Library; Marketing; Museums; Parks & Recreation; Permits & Inspections; Planning; Police; Public Works; Public Utilities; Sheriff; Social Services; City Attorney.
Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of Job : Is able to understand and interpret oral and written instructions. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. Is skilled in the operation of common office equipment and applications, including computers, word processors, spreadsheets. Can develop and maintain basic knowledge and abilities working in various departments throughout the City of Portsmouth.


Quality of Work : Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts with all departments, co-workers and the general public.

Quantity of Work : Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."

Dependability : Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policies, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.

Attendance : Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness.

Initiative and Enthusiasm : Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.

Judgment : Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.

Cooperation : Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, Recreation Specialist or Supervisor, professionals and the general public.

Relationships with Others : Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees and managers in other departments to project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions, and complaints from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive image within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, professionals, and the general public.

Coordination of Work : Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions of time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.

Safety and Housekeeping : Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements


Must be an upcoming senior at a City of Portsmouth High School. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and eligible to work in the United States.


This position may work up to 29 hours per week and is a part-time seasonal position. May require weekend availability and flexible hours.


The program will begin June 8, 2026, and will end August 14, 2026.

Must have two forms of identification at the time to qualify.


Some work experience desired but not required.

An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check and sex offender registry check.

Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint.
Physical Demands

Physical Requirements : Must be physically able to use and demonstrate the use of a variety of recreational equipment and to demonstrate considerable movement and flexibility in the implementation of program activities. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are for Light Work.

Data Conception : Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.

Interpersonal Communications : Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and directions from supervisor.

Language Ability : Requires the ability to read program activity, attendance and evaluation forms. Requires the ability to complete attendance sheets, time cards, incident reports, program calendars, etc. using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence.

Intelligence : Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.

Verbal Aptitude : Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using standard English and recreational terminology.

Numerical Aptitude : Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Form/Spatial Aptitude : Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Motor Coordination : Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a variety of recreation equipment.

Manual Dexterity : Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as recreation equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

Color Discrimination : Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.

Interpersonal Temperament : Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress (emergency situations).

Physical Communication : Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
01


Do you have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

02


What City of Portsmouth high school are you currently enrolled in?
03


Are you currently employed?

• Yes
• No

04


What grade will you be attending for the upcoming school year of 2026-2027?

• 9th grade
• 10th grade
• 11th grade
• 12th grade
• College

Required Question