Safety Manager - Denver Parks & Recreation

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

3d • Onsite

About The Position

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver. What We Offer The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $109,134 and $145,000. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to: A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service 457B Retirement Plan 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date Location & Schedule In this position you can expect to work on site at the Emerson Street building located at 1849 Emerson Street and requires work at various locations throughout the City & County of Denver as operational needs dictate. The standard work schedule is Monday-Friday, however, evening and weekend hours may be required to support programs, events, or emergency response activities. Who We Are & What You’ll Do Denver Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides a broad range of programs, services, facilities, and park amenities that enrich life in the City and County of Denver. Our system includes more than 290 urban parks, parkways, and natural areas totaling over 7,000 acres, along with 14,000 acres of mountain parks, eight golf courses, 24 lakes, and over 300 athletic fields, serving approximately 2.25 million visitors annually. Powered by passionate employees, DPR serves a vibrant and diverse community of children, youth, adults, active older adults, and adaptive participants through programs that promote connection, growth, and well-being. With busy, multi-generational and multicultural recreation centers, our team creates welcoming spaces full of energy and opportunity, guided by a vision of sustainability, equity, and strong economic stewardship. We are seeking an experienced Safety Manager to report directly to the Director of DPR. This role is essential in developing and implementing safety and health procedures across our diverse divisions, including Forestry, Mountain Parks, and Planning/Construction. You will apply technological and scientific methods to reduce worker exposure to hazardous conditions and lead accident investigations and prevention efforts.

Requirements

• Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree in Safety Engineering, Safety Management, Architecture, Construction Management, Industrial or Environmental Health and Safety, a physical science, or a related field.
• Experience Requirement: Five (5) years of professional level experience, performing lead work developing and implementing safety and health procedures, applying technological and scientific methods towards reducing worker exposure to hazardous conditions and environments, and performing accident investigations and prevention.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post high school education. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
• Licensure: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience with OSHA safety regulations, including confined spaces, fall protection, lockout/tagout, excavation, respiratory protection, emergency response, and bloodborne pathogens.
• Knowledge of identifying workplace hazards, evaluating risk, and implementing effective safety controls.
• Experience supervising staff, managing daily operations independently, and working with a diverse workforce.
• Ability to communicate clearly with leadership, public officials, frontline employees and patrons.
• Experience or training in emergency management, including response, continuity planning, and sheltering operations.
• Experience supporting security, threat assessment, and drug and alcohol testing programs in coordination with internal partners.
• Knowledge of de-escalation techniques, personal safety practices, the Standard Response Protocol, and employee support resources.
• Background in industrial, manufacturing, utilities, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or similar field-based environments preferred.
• Prefer candidates with professional certification such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and/or Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH).

Responsibilities

• Strategic Safety Leadership: Develop, implement, and maintain department-wide health and safety programs, policies, and procedures that support DPR operations and strategic goals.
• Regulatory Compliance: Work with DPR field, engineering and maintenance staff to ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal safety regulations (OSHA, NFPA, etc.).
• Hazard Identification & Control: Identify workplace hazards using scientific (e.g. NIOSH) and industrial (OSHA) regulations and implement effective controls to reduce employee risk across diverse environments.
• Incident Investigation & Prevention: Lead accident and incident investigations, conduct root cause analyses, and implement corrective and preventive measures.
• Training & Safety Culture: Design and deliver safety training and outreach to foster a strong safety culture among office staff, recreation centers, field crews, and mountain operations.
• Emergency Management Leadership: Develop and implement DPR safety and emergency management systems, including response to incidents, emergencies, and evolving citywide conditions.
• Executive & Stakeholder Communication: Serve as a primary liaison to DPR leadership during safety, emergency, and security matters, ensuring clear communication and appropriate stakeholder involvement.
• Security & Investigations: Manage security-related incidents and investigations in coordination with law enforcement, Human Resources, and the City Attorney’s Office, including documentation, evidence management, and testimony as required.
• Public Interaction & De-escalation Support: Support staff safety during public interactions by providing guidance on de-escalation, personal security, and response to critical incidents involving unhoused individuals, substance use, or behavioral health crises.

Benefits

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager