Director of Parks and Recreation

Position: Director of Parks and Recreation

Department: Parks and Recreation

Status: Exempt, Full Time

Salary: Up to $80,000 Yearly

The Director of Parks and Recreation will be responsible for developing, planning, promoting, maintaining, and supervising department recreational programs, special events, and all park facilities. The position also manages the day-to-day operations of the Town’s 84,000 square-foot community center that offers basketball, volleyball, running track, rock-climbing wall, fitness center, event center, and various community rooms for all Merrillville residents and visitors.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree with major coursework in parks and recreation, sports management, or related field.
• Must be a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) or obtain within 90 days.
• Prior experience in recreation programming and leisure activities is required.
• Prior managerial experience is required.
• Experience working for a municipal Parks and Recreation Department is preferred.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Ability to communicate with the Town Council, Parks Committee, and the Dean and Barbara White Community Center Committee, and must be able to discuss policies, plans, and budget matters effectively.
• Must have scheduling flexibility as this is not a set Monday through Friday position. There will be weekend and evening events, tournaments, games, and other programs that will require attendance.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance plan - effective day one;
• Employer-paid life insurance policy, as well as short-term and long-term disability;
• Vacation, sick, and personal paid time off;
• Fifteen paid holidays;
• Longevity pay after 5 years of service;
• AFLAC;
• 457 Plan (Deferred Compensation) including a Roth option;
• Town vehicle;
• Participates in the State of Indiana PERF program, which provides for a hybrid annuity and defined benefit pension.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Plan capital expenditures for the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Responsible for department budget, including general and grant funds, monitoring revenues and expenditure records, and ensuring cost-effective operations within assigned budget.
• Assist in the research and development of alternate funding sources, such as grants, advertising, sponsorships, donations, and public/private partnerships.
• Develop appropriate parks and recreation programs to fit the needs of the community.
• Design and operate all recreation programs by national standards as set by the National Recreation and Park Association.
• Receive and investigate public complaints regarding recreation programs, park facilities, and personnel, and initiate appropriate action to resolve valid complaints.
• Prepare the department’s annual budget.
• Prepare annual report of recreational activities and department budget, including projecting payroll and other costs, and making recommendations to the Town Manager.
• Create and present regular reports for the Town Council, Parks Committee, and the Dean and Barbara White Community Center Committee on budgeting and other department matters.
• Oversee marketing and publicity pertaining to the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Promote recreation programs throughout the community by making public speaking presentations, developing marketing brochures/flyers, and providing information for news media releases.
• Serve as the department liaison with other recreation service agencies, and Town Council at various community events.
• Supervise and monitor policy compliance by other Parks and Recreation Department Managers.
• Supervise and direct personnel, assign work tasks, evaluate performance, and provide training and corrective instruction.
• Ensure sufficient staffing for anticipated usage of facilities.
• Develop, plan, schedule, and coordinate diversified recreation programs, Sincluding assessing resident needs/interests, developing long-range plans, evaluating programs/activities, and making policy and procedure changes as needed.
• Coordinate all off-site programming areas and assist in scheduling and coordinating the use of park facilities.
• Upkeep and recognize post-construction issues by working with maintenance, custodial staff, outside contractors, and other town departments to maintain the facility.
• Other duties as assigned by the Town Manager or Town Council.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the position.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

· Must be able to pass a background check and a drug screening.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Must be able to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, push, pull, lift, finger, grasp, feel, bend, sit, stand, walk, carry, reach, talk, and hear as needed.
• Occasionally lift and move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform accounting tasks, operate a computer terminal, read extensively, drive a motor vehicle, and be able to inspect the work of others.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

· Indoor and outdoor work environment.

· Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but there will be instances where the noise level is loud to extremely loud.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Holidays
• Weekends as needed

Education:

• Master's (Preferred)

Experience:

• City/Town Parks & Recreation Department: 1 year (Required)
• recreation programming and leisure activities: 1 year (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $70,000 - $80,000