Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation

Town of Vienna•Vienna, VA

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Town of Vienna's Parks & Recreation Department is a small team with a big impact, comprised of dedicated professionals who care deeply about their community, take pride in their work, and enjoy working together. The department operates under five core values: Exceptional Service, Continuous Improvement, Sustainability, Inclusivity, and Health & Wellbeing. These values guide their service to the community, internal work dynamics, and decision-making regarding parks, programs, facilities, and services. The department seeks a Deputy Director who will bring curiosity, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine appreciation for people to this role. This position offers an opportunity to join an accomplished team, build strong relationships, develop staff, and contribute to the future of a department that is both responsible to the community and enjoyable to work within.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in parks and recreation, business administration, public administration, health, physical education or closely related field.
Six years of progressively responsible experience in public administration or recreation/facility management, including at a minimum of three years at the supervisory or managerial level.
Valid State Driver’s License.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in a related field.
CPR/First Aid Certification
Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) Certification or Certified Parks and Recreation Executive Certification
Active membership and participation in the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS) or National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
Certificate of Incident Command Systems (ICS) – 100, 200, 700, and 800.

Responsibilities

Provides department-wide operational, professional, and administrative leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Parks & Recreation programs, services, facilities, parks, maintenance, and operations.
Provides leadership and oversight across four functional areas: Parks Maintenance, Horticulture, & Urban Forestry; Programs, Fields, & Teen Center; Events & Culture; and Operations & Historic Preservation, as well as administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team.
Serves as a key member of the Department's leadership team, working closely with the Director and staff to advance the department's mission, vision, and strategic priorities while fostering a culture grounded in exceptional service, continuous improvement, sustainability, inclusivity, and health and wellbeing.
Supports department-wide operational and fiscal planning, capital improvement planning, program and service evaluation, personnel development, project management, and implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and other long-range initiatives.
Evaluates practices, resources, and service delivery; considers operational, financial, personnel, and community impacts; and develops recommendations that strengthen organizational capacity, improve efficiency, and respond to the evolving needs of the community.
Fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable workplace by supporting staff development, encouraging employees to contribute their strengths and perspectives, and promoting teamwork, professional growth, and a positive work environment.
Builds effective relationships across the Department, Town, and community and represents the Department with Town management, elected officials, community organizations, boards and commissions, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.
Serves as Acting Director in the Director's absence and performs related work as necessary.
Provides leadership and oversight for the department's four functional areas: Parks Maintenance, Horticulture, & Urban Forestry; Programs, Fields, & Teen Center; Events & Culture; and Operations & Historic Preservation as well as administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team.
Assists the Director in establishing and implementing department goals, priorities, policies, and operational practices that advance the department's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
Evaluates departmental programs, services, facilities, procedures, staffing, and resource allocation to identify opportunities for continuous improvement; considers operational, financial, personnel, and community impacts; and develops recommendations to improve efficiency, service levels, and overall effectiveness.
Supports implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and other long-range departmental initiatives.
Assists with development, preparation, presentation, and administration of the annual operating budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP), including identifying and prioritizing departmental needs and resource requirements.
Monitors revenues and expenditures and recommends adjustments to maintain compliance with adopted budgets, Town financial policies, and established service levels.
Evaluates programs and services to identify opportunities to improve cost recovery and develops recommendations regarding fees, rates, and pricing.
Assists with identifying, prioritizing, scoping, budgeting, and coordinating capital improvement projects and major facility, park, infrastructure, and asset needs.
Provides oversight for the effective operation, maintenance, programming, and use of department facilities, parks, fields, and other public assets.
Ensures departmental operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, accessibility requirements, Town policies, and established standards and best practices.
Coordinates with staff, Town departments, contractors, consultants, and other partners to address facility, park, infrastructure, program, and service needs.
Evaluates program participation, events, facility and park utilization, service levels, staffing capacity, workload, and operational capacity to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure services align with community needs and available resources.
Leads and manages department projects from planning through completion, establishing appropriate scopes, schedules, responsibilities, resources, and measures of success.
Leads research, benchmarking, and data analysis to evaluate programs, services, and operational practices, and emerging opportunities, including practices used by other jurisdictions and the parks and recreation profession.
Develops and implements procedures, systems, and performance measures that promote sustainability, accountability, operational efficiency, proactive planning, and continuous improvement.
Ensures departmental operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, accessibility requirements, Town policies, and established standards and best practices.
Supervises, coaches, mentors, and evaluates professional staff and subordinate supervisors.
Establishes clear expectations and provides ongoing guidance and feedback.
Identifies opportunities and encourages staff to participate in ongoing professional development to support staff growth.
Promotes a collaborative, inclusive, and respectful work environment that values diverse perspectives, teamwork, accountability, and employee wellbeing.
Addresses employee performance and workplace concerns in accordance with Town policies and recommends personnel actions as appropriate.
Communicates effectively with employees at all levels of the organization, Town management, elected officials, community members, boards and commissions, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
Prepares and presents clear, concise reports, budget materials, Council and board agenda materials, correspondence, policies, procedures, presentations, recommendations and other administrative documents.
Represents the Department and provides professional expertise at meetings, public events, community meetings, boards and commissions, and professional organizations.
Builds and maintains productive relationships with Town departments, community partners, professional organizations, and other stakeholders and facilitates collaboration to advance departmental and organizational priorities.
Provides administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team to support consistent department-wide operations, information flow, and customer service.
Maintains knowledge of and uses departmental or Town systems, including RecTrac and Munis, to support reporting, revenue accountability, program analysis, facility utilization, and operational decision-making.
Assists with grants, awards, policies, special reports, special events, and other department initiatives as assigned.
Attends meetings, conferences, training, and professional development activities necessary to maintain current knowledge of parks and recreation practices, regulations, and emerging industry trends.
Serves as Acting Director in the Director's absence.
Performs related work as necessary.