Parks & Recreation Director

Lake County Government•Leadville, CO

1d•$85,000 - $95,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Parks & Recreation Director provides strategic and operational leadership for the Parks & Recreation Department, overseeing staff, programs, facilities, budgets, partnerships, and long-term planning, while maintaining focus on providing inclusive access to indoor and outdoor recreation programs and amenities. Ability to cultivate collaborative partnerships with state, federal, and local partners. This is a critical leadership position responsible for guiding the department through a period of organizational transition and renewal. The successful candidate will be a steady, collaborative, and accountable leader who can build trust within a team that has recently experienced organizational change, strengthen morale and performance, and establish a culture of professionalism, consistency, and service. The Director will bring strong financial and operational discipline to the department while positioning Parks & Recreation as a visible, valued, inclusive, and innovative community resource. This includes improving the consistency and visibility of programming; strengthening partnerships with Colorado Mountain College, the City of Leadville, Lake County School District, nonprofit partners, recreation providers, and community organizations; evaluating the condition and future needs of aging infrastructure; and aligning department resources with community priorities and long-term financial capacity. This position requires a leader who can balance people, finances, operations, community expectations, and long-term strategy while maintaining a clear focus on inclusive recreation opportunities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation, Public Administration, Business Administration, Recreation Management, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Significant progressively responsible experience in parks and recreation, municipal operations, public administration, or related fields.
Demonstrated experience managing employees, budgets, programs, facilities, and/or public services.
Demonstrated experience developing and managing departmental budgets and making financially responsible operational decisions.
Experience leading teams through organizational change, restructuring, or other significant transitions is strongly preferred.
Experience developing community partnerships and working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Strong written, verbal, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
Travel to conferences or events within and outside of the state of Colorado may be required.
Proficiency in Spanish preferred.
Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) Certification or the ability to obtain one within 12 months of hire.
Supervisory experience of five years or more.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in Spanish

Responsibilities

Provide clear, consistent, and accountable leadership to the Parks & Recreation Department.
Establish clear expectations, roles, responsibilities, performance standards, and lines of accountability.
Develop staff through coaching, mentoring, professional development, and regular performance feedback.
Address performance, communication, and workplace issues promptly, fairly, and consistently.
Foster a culture that values teamwork, professionalism, innovation, customer service, and personal accountability.
Lead a comprehensive review and modernization of department operations, staffing practices, workflows, service standards, improve Recreation and GOL! programs to improve organization, accountability, responsiveness, and community impact.
Build strong working relationships with employees, County departments, elected officials, community leaders, residents, and external partners; maintain a visible, engaged leadership presence across programs, facilities, and field operations.
Maintain a firm and comprehensive understanding of departmental budgets, expenditures, revenues, contracts, and financial commitments.
Develop, manage, and monitor the annual Parks & Recreation budget in alignment with county leadership.
Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs, improve efficiency, increase revenue, and maximize the value of existing resources.
Regularly evaluate programs and services based on cost, participation, community benefit, and available resources.
Develop a diversified revenue and cost-recovery strategy using grants, community sponsorship programs, user fees, partnerships, and other appropriate revenue sources, with clear targets for improving the department's ability to offset program and operating costs while preserving equitable access.
Ensure that staffing, programming, facilities, and capital investments are financially sustainable over the long term.
Evaluate the department's current programming and establish a clear, consistent, and sustainable approach to program development and delivery.
Improve the visibility, communication, marketing, and accessibility of Parks & Recreation programs and services.
Use participation data, community feedback, and demographic information to identify who is and is not being served and develop practical pathways to broaden participation across Lake County.
Establish measurable goals and performance indicators for programs, facilities, and services.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with community organizations, schools, nonprofits, businesses, recreation providers, civic organizations, and other partners.
Represent the department effectively in community meetings, public events, and regional initiatives.
Seek community input and incorporate meaningful feedback into departmental planning and decision-making.
Position Parks & Recreation as a strong community partner and a trusted steward of public resources.
Serve as an engaged departmental partner in the County's Capital Asset Management Plan, working alongside the Natural Resources Manager, Community Planning & Development (CPD), Facilities, Finance, and other departments to inventory assets, assess condition and lifecycle needs, prioritize investments, and establish realistic maintenance standards.
Benchmark Lake County's parks, recreation facilities, amenities, and service levels using meaningful measures such as facilities and acreage per capita, utilization, operating cost, condition, and community benefit; clearly present findings and tradeoffs to County leadership and the Board of County Commissioners.
Develop recommendations that align the County's recreation portfolio with available staffing, operating revenue, maintenance capacity, and capital resources, including when appropriate consolidation, partnerships, repurposing, or changes in service delivery. The department should not add or retain facilities and services beyond what can be responsibly operated and maintained.
Evaluate creative and sustainable approaches to addressing aging facilities and infrastructure, including partnerships, grants, phased improvements, alternative funding models, and changes in service delivery where appropriate.
Ensure facilities and public spaces are maintained to appropriate standards for safety, accessibility, functionality, and community use.
Develop and implement a clear strategic direction for the Parks & Recreation Department.
Identify opportunities to modernize departmental practices and improve efficiency.
Balance immediate operational needs with long-term planning and sustainability.
Work collaboratively across County departments, including Natural Resources, CPD, Facilities, Finance, Public Works, and Administration, planning, land use, asset management, capital projects, grants, community engagement, and other shared priorities.
Regularly communicate departmental priorities, progress, challenges, and results to organizational leadership and the community.
Oversee the entire Parks and Recreation Department, which consists of seven full-time and two part-time positions.