The Parks and Recreation Director is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic direction, and operations of the City of Champlin’s Parks and Recreation programs, facilities, amenities, and special events. The position oversees and coordinates planning and development of parks, recreation programs, and the trail system, while setting goals, policies, and programming in collaboration with the City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission, and community organizations. The position is responsible for the operations and maintenance at the Mississippi Crossings (MC) Event Center, Community Center, and Ice Forum.
- ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Serves as staff liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Develops, recommends, and evaluates goals, objectives, and policies to identify community needs and interests related to the operation of the Parks and Recreation Department.
- Oversees management, maintenance, and upkeep of Parks and Recreation Department’s buildings, facilities, fleet, equipment, and supplies.
- Promotes and publicizes Park and Recreation activities and community events and programs, press releases, brochures, newsletters, and other methods of community engagement in keeping with the City’s brand guidelines.
- Responsible for supervising and evaluating parks and recreation staff to ensure staff are fully trained and knowledgeable of goals, objectives, City policies, desired performance, and strategic outcomes.
- Actively manages and pursues department revenue, including grants, endowments, community sponsorship, and revenue-producing programs.
- Responsible for managing future referendums and working with special appropriations at the state level for allocated funding.
- Serves as primary liaison to civic groups actively involved in sponsoring athletic and recreational programs in the City of Champlin.
- Evaluates and directs all policies, programs, and facility schedules on a continual basis and recommends action for improvements.
- Directs and supervises the annual budget and capital improvement plan for the Parks and Recreation Department, ensuring optimum cost-benefit ratio to the residents.
- Coordinates with the Public Works management team to evaluate and assign parks, recreation, facilities, and trail system maintenance.
- Responsible for overseeing construction and reconstruction projects related to parks, playgrounds, trails, and park facilities in partnership with the Engineering management team
- Proactively and professionally resolves grievances and conflicts internally and externally.
- Prepares and maintains program records and reports in accordance with the city’s adopted records retention schedule.
- Research initiatives to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of programs, facilities, and maintenance.
- Responsible for negotiating contracts and establishing fee structures for programs and facilities.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
- KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and precisely orally and in writing, including presentations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and related software.
- Comprehensive knowledge of recreation management principles, practices, and policies.
- Knowledge of and experience in recreation programming from program development through implementation and evaluating results.
- Knowledge of equipment, materials, tools, maintenance, and standard practices used in parks and recreation departments.
- Knowledge to apply federal, state, and local safety and code requirements as they apply to municipal playgrounds, trails, and recreational facilities.
- Ability to work as part of a team and establish and maintain good working relationships with the general public, City Council, contractors, businesses, staff, and other government agency personnel, displaying political agility and discretion.
- Strong sense of initiative and integrity; ability to work independently, follow through with projects, and provide self-direction.
- Exceptional leadership and team-building capabilities with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Proven ability to organize, supervise, and motivate staff that allows them to perform their duties, make decisions, and hold them accountable for their work and ensure safety in the workplace.
- Ability to formulate, manage, and evaluate budget requests, and project future expenditures.
- Ability to identify issues and proactively address them to position the City in a positive manner.
- Availability to work or be reachable on nights and weekends for emergencies, events, and other City business.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:- Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Parks and Recreation Management, Leisure Studies, Sports Administration, or related field.
- 5+ years of progressively responsible supervisory experience.
- 5+ years of parks and recreation experience.
- Must be able to physically perform all essential duties of the position.
- Valid Driver’s License.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:- Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Parks and Recreation Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Prior municipal Parks and Recreation experience.
- Experience with budgeting and handling capital equipment requests and purchasing.
- Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), or related certification.
WORK SCHEDULE:
The typical work hours for this position are 8 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Additional hours may be required on nights and weekends to attend Park Commission meetings, City Council meetings, events, and other Park and Recreation-related meetings or events as needed.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Environmental and Physical Conditions:
Indoor and outdoor environments; exposure to computer screens; working closely with others; frequent interruptions. Possible exposure to inclement weather conditions, exposure to working with moving objects/vehicles. Duties require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, standing, walking for prolonged periods of time; kneeling, climbing, bending, and stooping, moderate lifting and carrying; general manual dexterity; adequate hearing, vision, and speech required; and must be able to operate assigned equipment and vehicles.