The City of Sammamish is a safe, family-friendly suburb in the Seattle area. The community boasts amenities found in a much larger community, all while maintaining its small-town charm. Sammamish has quality neighborhoods, vibrant natural resources, high-quality schools, retail offerings, and an abundance of recreational opportunities.

Description

Are you ready to help shape the places where a community gathers, plays, and thrives? The City of Sammamish is seeking an Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation to help shape the places where our community gathers, plays, and thrives.

The Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation plays an integral role in the department’s leadership team, providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and technical guidance across the City’s parks and recreation programs. This position oversees multiple functions, including land acquisition, planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operations of the city’s parks and facilities. The Assistant Director ensures projects and programs align with the City’s strategic goals, regulatory requirements, and community needs.

Why join us?

Impactful Work: Offers a unique opportunity for strategic leadership over diverse projects, from land acquisition and park design to facility operations.
Professional Growth: Access to continuous learning opportunities and career advancement.
Comprehensive Benefits: Health, dental, and vision insurance, FSA, retirement plans, and generous paid time off (vacation and sick).
Collaborative Environment: Work with a dedicated and supportive team passionate about public service.
Work-Life Balance: Hybrid work schedules and a commitment to your well-being; 14 paid holidays plus a floating holiday.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

The essential functions listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Directs and provides guidance to staff across multiple functional areas to accomplish departmental goals and operational plans.
Oversees workflow, staffing, and resource allocation; assigns and communicates daily activities, priorities, and deadlines.
Leads planning, design, bidding, and construction of parks, recreation facilities, and capital improvement projects; ensures compliance with budgets, schedules, and regulatory requirements.
Manages consultant and construction contracts, including selection, negotiation, administration, and performance monitoring.
Develops and monitors project budgets, authorizes payments, manages change orders, and ensures fiscal accountability.
Evaluates conditions of existing parks, facilities, and programs; recommends improvements, designs, or expansions in alignment with long-range plans.
Oversees parks and grounds maintenance operations, including preventative maintenance, staffing, inventory, and contractor management.
Obtains permissive use leases and easements for park, open space, and facility development. Leads land acquisition efforts in accordance with the priorities established in the City’s Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan.
Ensures compliance with all legal, safety, health, and funding requirements across all program areas.
Maintains effective community engagement, including addressing concerns, presenting at public meetings, and serving as a liaison to commissions, boards, schools, and community organizations.
Prepares reports, analyses, grant applications, and presentations for management, Council, or other stakeholders.
Serves in emergency management roles as assigned and supports city-wide initiatives.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with those interacted with during work regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, disability, political affiliation, military service, or diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures and meets with management staff to identify and resolve problems.
Assesses and monitors workload; identifies opportunities for improvement and implements changes.
Selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates employees; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures per established policies, procedures, and executive guidance.
Oversees and participates in the development and administration of the departmental budget; approves the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; approves expenditures and implements budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Park & Resource Management, Public Administration, or related field; supplemented by a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in parks, recreation, facilities management, project management, or related fields; including four (4) years of experience supervising professional and operational staff; or an equivalent combination of education, certification, training, and/or experience.

Employees must be residents of Washington State.

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES

May be required to possess and maintain a valid Washington State Driver License and the ability to drive a city owned vehicle per established policies, procedures, and safety guidelines.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Park & Resource Management, Public Administration, or related field, and five (5) years of professional experience, including two (2) years in Washington State, planning and developing parks, managing open space initiatives and land acquisitions, and assuring zoning compliance. Previous experience as an Assistant or Deputy Director in a Washington State municipality is highly desirable.

KNOWLEDGE OF

Principles, practices, regulations, and techniques related to the planning and development of parks, open space, and facilities.
Modern landscape construction design and materials trends and methods and the ability to evaluate proposals and administer contracts.
Growth Management Act and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Skills And Abilities

Skill in planning, organizing, and managing the activities and operations of a Capital Improvement Program (CIP).
Skill in conceptualizing open and/or repurposed spaces and evaluating existing facilities, defining deficiencies, and designing or contracting for the design of new facilities.
Skill in reading, analyzing, and interpreting program related laws and regulations and establishing necessary work processes and procedures.
Skill in applying project management techniques, with ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
Skill in negotiating and administering contracts and ability to formulate, initiate, and administer policies and procedures for effective fiscal control.
Skill in complex analysis and public speaking, and ability to comprehend, interpret and explain rules, legal requirements and policies to a diverse audience and advocate for the interests of the city and the department in a variety of forums.
Skill in Microsoft Office Suite and applicable department / organization specific software and ability to learn and become skilled in the use of other specialized software and online meeting platforms as may be required.
Skill in clearly communicating and understanding information in English, both orally and in writing, and ability to use professional composition, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Skill in responsive and flexible handling of work assignments and prioritizing work to complete assignments accurately and timely
Skill in maintaining a customer service orientation and positive image of the city to the public, courteous and professional approach to exchanging information, and adhering to strict confidentiality requirements.
Ability to regularly attend work and arrive punctually for designated work schedule, including when working remotely per an approved hybrid schedule.

Additional Information

Physical Requirements

Depending onthe functionalarea of assignment, tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort usually involving some lifting, carrying,pushingand/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (up to 20 pounds). May involve some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, walking, or standing. Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation and extended periods of time standing and/or walking.

Environmental Requirements

Tasks are regularly performedinside and/or outside withexposure to adverse environmental conditions (e.g., dirt, fumes, temperature, weather, and noise extremes).

Sensory Requirements

Some tasks require manual dexterity, in addition to visual and hearing acuity.Some tasks may involve identifying and distinguishing colors.Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals.Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally and in writing.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from any background. The City will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set.

The City of Sammamish is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with United States Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act, this organization provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Benefits

In addition to offering competitive salary, City of Sammamish is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our employees. When you join our team, you'll enjoy these benefits:

Health and Wellness (*eligibility applies*): Your well-being is important to us. We provide affordable health insurance plans that include:
- Regence HealthFirst® 250 Medical Plan: Free preventive vistis; $250 deductible for individuals/$750 for families; 10% coinsurance for primary and specialist care with in-network providers; $3,000 out-of-pocket limit for individuals/$6,000 for families; affordable prescription drug coverage starting at $5 copay for generic meds and insulin costs are capped at just $35 per month; OR
- Kaiser 200 Medical Plan: Free preventive visits $200 individual deductible/$400 family deductible; $2,500 out-of-pocket maximum per individual / $5,000 for families; no lifetime maximum on essential health benefits;10% coinsurance on most services after deductible; mental health, emergency services, and urgent care; access to advanced care at home for eligible conditions
- Delta Dental plans inlcuding both comprehensive and orthodontic coverage
- VSP Vision coverage, providing annual WellVision Exams and hardware allowances
Retirement Savings (*eligibility applies*): We believe in helping our employees build a secure financial future, in addition to offering a pension plan through DRS, we have two other retirement savings plans.
Work-Life Balance (*eligibility applies*): We understand the importance of work-life balance, in addition to 14 paid holidays, we also have remote work options for eligible positions, and paid time off to help you achieve a healthy balance between your professional and personal life.
Professional Development (*eligibility applies*): We invest in our employees' growth. Take advantage of our professional development opportunities, including training programs and tuition assistance.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): We care about your mental and emotional well-being. Our EAP provides confidential counseling and support services to help you navigate life's challenges.

City of Sammamish

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Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation