Teen and Youth Development Manager

City of Seattle•Seattle, WA

About The Position

Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Teen and Youth Development Manager oversees the Teen & Youth Development Unit and guides a large, diverse workforce in delivering safe, high-quality programs and services. The manager serves as a convener, project manager, and team lead, indirectly supporting more than 20 regular employees and 45 temporary employees and contracted partners, and directly supervising at least four supervisors. Reporting to the Recreation Division Deputy Director, the manager is part of a team of six Section Managers and plays a key leadership role on the Recreation Division Leadership Team. The position leads program operations, partnerships, staff development, strategic planning, performance measurement, and fiscal management. It works across Seattle Parks and Recreation and with community organizations, school districts, advisory councils, other City departments, elected officials, and community members to advance responsive services and increase participation among underserved communities, including immigrant and refugee communities. The manager also supports citywide responses to issues such as homelessness, youth gun violence, emergency response, and economic recovery as they relate to recreation programs and facilities. The role emphasizes excellent customer service, operational consistency, accountability, collaboration, equity, and antiracism. The manager develops staff and supervisors through coaching, supports a respectful workplace culture, and helps lead the City’s Race & Social Justice Initiative within business units. The position requires in-person engagement with employees and community members at various work sites.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Park Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, Social and Human Services, Public Health, or a related field; equivalent education, training, and/or experience may qualify.
Three years of experience in youth and teen development and programming.
Experience in youth development.
Experience managing recreation programs, facilities, staff, budgets, and related resources.
Experience managing projects and issues while navigating competing deadlines.
Experience working with first-generation and racially and ethnically diverse populations.
Experience building trust with frontline staff and community stakeholders and engaging staff and partners to lead change.
Experience working with community organizations, school districts, elected officials, and advocacy groups.
Experience supervising people and managing large teams.
Strong written and oral communication, facilitation, delegation, and decision-making skills.
Management and leadership skills.
Experience facilitating meetings and delivering presentations.
Skills in strategic analysis, planning, development, and implementation.
Experience with performance-based management tools to manage the work of others.
Ability to work in diverse communities and conduct effective outreach.
Ability to stay organized across projects and meet tight deadlines.
Ability to generate creative solutions by identifying available resources and working collaboratively.
Ability to navigate and adapt to a dynamic political environment.
Commitment to leading with equity and being antiracist.
Ability to leverage funding from city, state, and federal agencies and private grants.
Ability to work under pressure with multiple deadlines.
Ability to be present and engage in person with employees and the community at various work sites.
Commitment to listening, making space for diverse perspectives, and pursuing inclusive and just outcomes.
Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively at all levels, preferably in cross-cultural contexts.

Nice To Haves

Experience across education, youth development, juvenile justice, recreation, leisure services, public administration, business, or related fields.
Written and oral communication skills in a cross-cultural context.

Responsibilities

Oversee activities and operations of the Teen & Youth Development Unit and manage high-quality, safe teen and youth programs.
Collaborate with Unit and Section Managers to coordinate teen programs in alignment with the Teen and Youth Program Framework.
Lead, assign, and curate training for the Teen and Youth Unit; develop training materials and support systems that help staff establish effective partnerships.
Monitor and evaluate service delivery, operational efficiency, technology, staff workload, and program outcomes; recommend and implement improvements to policies and procedures.
Develop, implement, and evaluate performance measures, baselines, goals, and outcomes for programs, drop-in activities, and partnerships.
Develop strategic plans, goals, policies, procedures, and priorities for community center management; promote consistent operations and excellent customer service.
Coordinate with other divisions and business units, including Accounting and the Business Service Center, and help resolve facility issues that cannot be addressed at lower levels.
Build relationships with staff at all levels and incorporate frontline experiences into division decision-making.
Engage community-based organizations, school districts, advisory councils, City departments, and other stakeholders to advance responsive services.
Connect Recreation with other SPR divisions, including facility maintenance, capital planning, human resources, and business intelligence, to address community needs.
Develop and distribute strategic communications to staff, leadership, the Superintendent, elected officials, and community members in a variety of formats.
Oversee day-to-day program operations, make decisions related to emergency management, and serve as an operations expert and problem solver.
Facilitate unit work planning, workflow management, and results-based meetings.
Monitor the efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of facilities and programs; recommend improvements and oversee their implementation.
Manage fiscal resources, monitor expenditures and revenues, adjust operations to remain within budget, and identify revenue-generation opportunities.
Collaborate with Recreation Division Strategic Advisors on budget development and related work.
Directly supervise at least four supervisors, emphasizing coaching, leadership development, accountability, and staff development.
Lead and manage the City’s Race & Social Justice Initiative within business units and support racial equity and antiracist practice.
Increase participation and use of programs among underserved communities, including immigrant and refugee communities and people from diverse backgrounds.
Collaborate within SPR and across City departments on citywide issues affecting recreation facilities and programs.