Maintenance Leader

Work where you play!

Join our team at Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.

Who We Are

Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70 parks, 80 miles of trails, 1,000 acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.

Why You’ll Love it Here

Come work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Parks Tacoma are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. You’ll receive a competitive wage, along with an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, retirement, vacation, holidays, and much more. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.

Position Information 

Under the direction of a Parks Supervisor/Manager, oversee and participate in the maintenance of Park District grounds, buildings and facilities in an assigned division or area; prioritize, assign, and inspect completed work; interview, train and provide direction to assigned maintenance staff; perform duties of the supervisor in the absence of the supervisor.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, customers and suppliers.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards.

Oversee and participate in the care and maintenance of Park District grounds, buildings, exhibits, handling structures and facilities in an assigned division or area; assure the safe and timely completion of assigned work; perform skilled maintenance duties as necessary.

Prioritize, assign, review the work, train, provide work direction and assist in the performance evaluation of assigned full-time and seasonal maintenance staff; complete time cards; participate in personnel selection process and recommend personnel action as required.

Evaluate and inspect park conditions and maintenance needs; assure proper grounds, buildings and facilities and efficient completion of assignments.

Assist in the design, oversee and participate in the construction and renovation of exhibits, park grounds, natural area landscapes and facilities.

Oversee activities to assure proper safe operation of equipment and machines in compliance with safety practices, procedures, and standards

Monitor and participate in the work of playground, parking lot, athletic field, forestry, pasture, roads and trails preparation, maintenance and renovation.

Communicate with other departments and personnel, vendors, suppliers and outside organizations to coordinate maintenance activities; attend a variety of meetings as required.

Monitor and maintain water supplies, sewer system operation and animal support systems as necessary in particular area of assignment.

Prepare and maintain a variety of records and reports related to assigned work projects, purchasing equipment, materials and supplies and personnel; submit related reports to appropriate personnel or department as required. Assist in design and implementation of habitat restoration site plans, monitor and produce reports on mitigation and restoration sites

Oversee and participate in the preparation for special projects and permitted events, such as rentals, concerts and races.

Oversee and participate in the care of annual beds including the design, planning, ordering of materials and ground preparation for planting.

Perform duties of the supervisor in the absence of the supervisor or manager.

Monitor and inspect non-Park District contract employees and projects for compliance with District standards and policies as directed.

Perform related duties as assigned

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Any combination equivalent to graduation from high school and five or more years of progressively responsible experience in park maintenance including two years guiding the work of subordinate career and/or seasonal-temporary employees.

Two or more years of post-secondary academic coursework or vocational training in subjects relevant to assigned area is desired.

LICENSE & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid driver's license with acceptable driving record.

• Pesticide applicators license if appropriate to assigned work area.

• Must be able to obtain a valid First Aid, CPR, and Flaggers Card within probationary period.

This position is a represented position with the International Union of Operating Engineers.

HOURS

40 hours per week. Initial schedule is anticipated to be Sunday - Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

ENVIRONMENT

Indoor, outdoor and shop work environment .Fumes, dust, pollen, and noise from equipment operation. Emergency call-out

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

Heavy lifting objects weighing up to 60 pounds. Bending at the waist. Stooping. Kneeling or crouching to conduct inspections. Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a variety of specialized equipment and hand and power tools. Sitting for extended periods of time while operating grounds equipment. Reaching overhead and horizontally to prune trees. Standing and walking for extended periods of time. Walking over rough or uneven surfaces.

HAZARDS:

Working with machinery having sharp moving parts. Exposure to fertilizer fumes and chemicals. Tree clearing and logging operations.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Methods, equipment and materials used in building, water quality, facilities, grounds, roads and trail maintenance and care.

• Methods and best management practices for removal and eradication of invasive plant species

• Native plant species identification and their use in restoration of native habitats

• Methods of turf and landscape maintenance including the use of pesticides and agricultural chemicals.

• Care of annual beds including design, planning, ordering materials and ground preparation for planting.

• Proper methods, materials, tools, terminology and equipment used in the building maintenance trades.

• Requirements of maintaining buildings and facilities in good repair.

• Technical aspects of the building maintenance trades.

• Methods, equipment and materials used in skilled maintenance work.

• Operation and use of hand and power tools and equipment.

• Principles of training and providing work direction.

• Applicable laws and regulations governing operations.

ABILITY TO:

• Oversee and participate in the maintenance of park grounds, buildings and facilities.

• Perform skilled park maintenance duties.

• Train and provide work direction to others.

• Operate a computer terminal and hand held mobile devices.

• Determine equipment, materials and supplies needed for maintenance assignments.

• Conduct inspections of work sites.

• Observe legal and defensive driving practices.

• Interpret rules and regulations.

• Perform emergency first aid and CPR as needed and according to established guidelines.

• Communicate clearly verbally and in writing.

• Assess and evaluate situations effectively.

• Exert optimal effort in successfully completing tasks.

• Take initiative with minimal supervision.

• Extract and record data and carry out calculations accurately.

• Set up and operate equipment that can require selection from options or different settings.

• Manage time efficiently and effectively through scheduling and prioritizing.

• Work within and contribute to the effectiveness of a team, respecting differences.

• Report for work regularly and on time.

PARKS TACOMA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability or any other merit factor. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

Parks Tacoma employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Parks Tacoma is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resources at hr@tacomaparks.com.

Employment is subject to a national background check.