Parks Planning Manager

City of Santa Barbara•Santa Barbara, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Santa Barbara is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as Parks Planning Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to oversee the planning, development, and delivery of major park and recreation capital improvement projects while helping shape the long-term vision for parks, open spaces, trails, and recreation facilities. As a key member of the Parks and Recreation leadership team, you will lead multidisciplinary teams, manage complex capital programs, secure grant funding, oversee staff and consultants, and work closely with City leadership, community stakeholders, and regional partners to create exceptional public spaces that enhance quality of life for residents and visitors. The position will oversee a wide range of Parks and Recreation planning and policy initiatives, provide leadership for planning park and recreational facility redevelopment projects, and address park management needs. Key initiatives include implementation of a forthcoming Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Golf Capital Reinvestment Program. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and experienced project manager with strong leadership skills, community planning and policy knowledge, exceptional communication abilities, strong administration and project management skills, and a passion for creating vibrant parks and public spaces.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in public policy, urban planning, architecture, engineering, natural resource management, or related field.
Five (5) years of environmental policy, urban and park planning, natural resource management, and public capital infrastructure professional-level experience involving public policy or public agency management.
At least three years of supervisory and/or lead experience.
Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations as they relate to land development, wetlands, permitting, and wildlife.
Knowledge of General laws, regulations, and ordinances pertaining to parks and recreation programs, safety practices, and field operations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
Knowledge of Principles and practices of natural resource protection and restoration in a local government environment.
Knowledge of Federal, state, and local natural resource protection and restoration programs, environmental resources management and permit processing.
Knowledge of Operational characteristics, services and activities of a comprehensive municipal parks and recreation program, including horticultural and arborist services.
Knowledge of Project management principles, processes, and techniques.
Knowledge of Principles and practices for purchasing, contract development and administration.
Knowledge of Grant preparation and administration.
Knowledge of Advanced practices of municipal budget preparation and administration.
Knowledge of Principles of staffing, selection, training, supervision, evaluation and discipline.
Knowledge of Research and survey techniques including data collection methodologies and statistical principles.
Knowledge of Principles of performance management, program evaluation, and benchmarking.
Knowledge of Community outreach and engagement techniques to encourage and foster community involvement in development of park renovation and facility enhancement projects and programs.
Knowledge of Supervisory principles and performance evaluation practices; employee motivation techniques.
Skill in Operating computer hardware and using applications such as word processing, databases, spreadsheets, GIS and mapping programs.
Skill in Coordinating and monitoring the work of others.
Skill in Independent decision making.
Skill in Preparing clear and concise reports.
Ability to Provide exemplary customer service.
Ability to Oversee and direct the planning and implementation of annual small scale facility management and park enhancement projects, large scale park reinvestment projects, and development of long-range plans to provide community recreation services.
Ability to Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work, identifying the best staff member for the tasks.
Ability to Plan, organize, and implement parks construction, maintenance, and development plans and identify and recommend program development needs and priorities given available resources.
Ability to Prepare and administer large and complex budgets for capital and operating expenditures related to resource management and grant programs.
Ability to Write and review complex staff and agenda reports related to resource protection and environmental management programs, laws, and issues.
Ability to Secure grant funding for capital projects and research programs.
Ability to Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
Ability to Interpret and apply Federal, State and local policies, laws and regulations.
Ability to Research, analyze and evaluate new service delivery methods and techniques.
Ability to Select, train, supervise, coordinate and evaluate the work of staff.
Ability to Prepare clear, concise, and complete administrative and financial reports.
Ability to Work cooperatively with staff, management, committee representatives, contractors, vendors, regulatory officials, Commissions, committees and advisory groups, and the general public.
Ability to Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to Make effective public presentations.
Ability to Work independently.
Possession of a valid California Driver’s License is required.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in a related field is desirable.
Professional experience in planning, architecture, engineering.
Project management including planning, design, permitting and implementation.
Public speaking and community engagement.
Experience working with diverse stakeholders and building partnerships.

Responsibilities

Oversee the planning, development, and delivery of major park and recreation capital improvement projects.
Shape the long-term vision for parks, open spaces, trails, and recreation facilities.
Lead multidisciplinary teams.
Manage complex capital programs.
Secure grant funding.
Oversee staff and consultants.
Work closely with City leadership, community stakeholders, and regional partners.
Oversee a wide range of Parks and Recreation planning and policy initiatives.
Provide leadership for planning park and recreational facility redevelopment projects.
Address park management needs.
Implement a forthcoming Parks and Recreation Master Plan and Golf Capital Reinvestment Program.
Exercise full supervision over technical, professional-level, and supervisory staff.