City of Redmond Director of Parks and Recreation Recruitment Announcement

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1 City of Redmond Director of Parks and Recreation Recruitment Announcement ABOUT THE COMMUNITY The City of Redmond is home to 58,000 residents and more than 83,000 employees who work at a mix of internationally recognized corporations such as Microsoft, Nintendo of America, SpaceX, Aerojet/ Rocketdyne, Physio-Control, and Genie Industries, or at one of the many small businesses in Redmond. Located less than 20 minutes from downtown Seattle and the neighboring communities which make up the Eastside (Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville and Sammamish), Redmond has become a city of choice for many newcomers looking to find high quality living and recreational environments paired with excellent public school systems. Incorporated in 1912, Redmond has evolved into a thriving city that promotes its sense of community through events and programs designed to celebrate its heritage and cultural diversity, enhance its neighborhoods, and preserve natural environment. Its twelve distinct neighborhoods offer choices of views of the Cascade Mountains, Lake Sammamish and extensive wooded areas, access to parks and open spaces, and more than 40 miles of local/county trail systems. Redmond takes pride in its strong community orientation. Redmond is the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest and celebrates with Derby Days, an annual community festival, which celebrated its 75 th anniversary in Numerous arts and cultural events, such as So Bazaar, Ananda Mela and Redmond Lights, and the Redmond Saturday Market combine with activities at nearby King County s Marymoor Regional Park to offer something for everyone. Redmond residents value their connection to nature in the City s urban environment. For the more active, Redmond is at the center of 40-plus miles of improved, multipurpose trails for walkers, equestrian and bike enthusiasts. These trails include the awardwinning Redmond Central Connector, Bear Creek Trail, and Sammamish River Trail/Burke Gilman, which extends for 27 miles through Redmond, passing by the elegant St. Michelle Winery, the Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome and extensive sports complexes in Marymoor Park, and adjacent to the municipal campus in Downtown Redmond.

2 CITY GOVERNMENT The City s vision is a community of connected neighborhoods with two vibrant urban centers inspired by nature, powered by innovation, and committed to excellence. Its mission is to deliver the community s priorities in support of a dynamic Redmond where all can live, work, play and invest. Redmond s values are: commitment to service; integrity; and accountability. Redmond operates under the strong mayor form of government with the Mayor serving as the full-time Chief Executive. Seven Council members and the Mayor are elected at-large for four year, overlapping terms. The Mayor s immediate staff consists of two Deputy City Administrators to the Mayor and seven Department Directors who report to the Mayor. The Director of Parks and Recreation is an integral part of the City s Strategic Leadership Team. Redmond is committed to being a high performance and continuous learning organization, focused on efficiently and innovatively delivering quality customer service to the community. The City of Redmond has 654 regular employees and a biennial operating budget of $470 million. A majority of City employees have recognized collective bargaining rights and are represented by such organizations as the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Redmond Police Association (RPA), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the Redmond City Hall Employees Association (RCHEA).

3 PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT The mission of the Parks and Recreation Department is to be leaders in providing sustainable parks, innovative recreation services, unique art and cultural experiences that continue to build a high quality of life in Redmond. Redmond s Parks and Recreation Department features extensive recreational facilities, sports complexes and award winning art, trails and park design. These facilities are operated in conjunction with regional parks, waterfront sites and an extensive trails/open space preserve program. The City has 40 developed parks consisting of over 1,000 acres and 7 undeveloped parks comprising another 300 acres. In addition, Redmond has 29 miles of developed and managed trails. Downtown re-development has presented the opportunity to create attractive space and gathering places for the planned higher population density. Redmond s Parks, Arts, Recreation, Culture and Conservation (PARCC) Plan provides strategies and guidelines for investing in future parks and recreation needs. The Downtown Park is currently in design, with construction to be completed in The Recreation Building Master Plan is a current project which plans for replacement of the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center and pool at Hartman Park with a new aquatics and recreation facility. The Teen Center and Senior Center are aging facilities in need of renovation. Also, as part of the PARCC Plan update, the Department is also conducting a Public Art Plan and a Cultural Facilities Feasibility Study. The Parks and Recreation Department also provides support for, and gains strategic advice from several Boards and Commissions, which include: Parks and Trails Commission, Arts and Culture Commission, Redmond Youth Advisory Partnership, and the Senior Advisory Committee. The Department maintains close liaisons with such organizations as Forterra, Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Advisory Committee, Youth Eastside Services (YES); the Greater Redmond Little League, W.A.V.E. Aquatics, and the Lake Washington School District. The Parks and Recreation Department has a full time staff of 61 employees and over 200 seasonal/ parttime personnel. The Department s budget operating budget is $27 million, with estimated biennial earned revenue of $5 million. The approved two-year Capital Facilities Plan is $9.3 million. The Department has three operating divisions including Recreation Services, Park Planning/Administration and Cultural Arts, and Park Maintenance and Operations.

4 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Director of Parks and Recreation is responsible for the effective and efficient oversight of all department activities and for overall leadership of the City as a member of the Strategic Leadership Team. The Director provides expert guidance, advice, and counsel to the Mayor, City Council, Strategic Leadership Team, and develops department staff with regard to the innovative and cost effective management of all related facilities, programs and plans. The Director is responsible for the management of the physical assets, revenues, programming, and services provided under the broad auspices of the Department. In addition the Director is responsible for: Coordination and evaluation of all budget and fiscal matters; Development of current and long-range strategic plans; Maintenance and upgrade of all administrative and supporting systems; Establishment and implementation of work-plan initiatives in support of the Mayor and Council s goals and objectives; Compliance with the City and Department s mission of delivering high quality service to the public; Preservation and stewardship of the City s natural environment and beauty in the community; Promotion of programs and activities which are consistent and compatible with Redmond s community character; Continuation of the principles and values of a community-oriented government, which ensure Redmond is a safe, quality, dynamic place to live, work, and play. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES The business of parks, arts and recreation has become increasingly more complex with fluctuations in the economy, rising operating and maintenance costs, aging infrastructure and shifts in societal demands. As backyards shrink and people (and their pets) look for more places to gather, find solitude and recreate, parks are becoming more populated. As with many communities, Redmond faces the challenge of balancing the public s enjoyment of natural resources with the conservation of these assets, and finding the optimum mix of land acquisition, development, preventative and proactive maintenance. Employees born between 1946 and 1964 are set to retire in large numbers by the end of the decade. Like many other jurisdictions, the City of Redmond, and the Parks and Recreation Department is rethinking recruitment, retention, productivity, and technology in an effort to address succession planning. DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS The City is looking for an individual with strong leadership skills, who has significant experience working in parks, recreation and the arts within the public sector. Successful candidates will have a bachelor s degree and at least 5 years progressively responsible management experience in an organization with a mixture of union and non-union employees. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate experience working in a collaborative team environment. A master s degree and Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification is an advantage.

5 THE IDEAL CANDIDATE For this important role the City of Redmond seeks an experienced, unifying leader who is deeply committed to the success of the City and is a strategic big-picture thinker. The ideal candidate will have a passion for public service and will lead by example to gain the confidence of the public and staff. Integrity that aligns with the City s organizational values is essential. The new Director must have the desire and capability to lead a team in implementing innovative programs that care for the spaces, places and active lifestyles that define the City s identity and quality of life. The preferred candidate will have experience and demonstrated success in the following areas: Visionary and strategic leadership Customer service and the ability to mentor, coach and direct the work of staff Thorough knowledge of the objectives and philosophy of public recreation, including a comprehensive understanding of the successful year-round community recreation for all ages, with programming decisions that are informed by a business approach Knowledge of available outdoor recreation and related human service grants, and other funding approaches to leverage city resources Knowledge of the principles and practices of park management, including forestry and landscape design Knowledge of performance and program measurement Knowledge of capital planning and facility development Ability to anticipate trends in parks, arts and recreation and develop a creative strategy for maintaining high quality programs and services Cultural competency that enables effective working relationships in cross-cultural situations Successful planning and implementation of change management strategies Forming and maintaining public-private partnerships and knowledge of innovative funding approaches Champion of workforce equity and diversity Integrity, honesty, compassion, courage, optimism, and good judgment - particularly in situations characterized by disagreement, conflict, tension, and uncertainty Creative problem solver, bringing fresh ideas and a progressive approach

6 TOTAL COMPENSATION The City of Redmond offers a salary of $115,080 to $161,952 dependent on experience. A competitive program of Employee Benefits exists including participation in the Municipal Employee s Benefit trust (MEBT), a high yield supplemental retirement program; participation in the Washington State Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) with both plans having a 5-year vesting schedule; and no social security contribution. Department directors are granted 21 days vacation on January 1st each year and receive an additional 6 days of administrative leave annually (both are prorated the first year). Redmond self-insures for medical, dental and vision benefits. The opportunity to live and work in a world class community and the ability to enjoy the overall benefits of living in the Pacific Northwest make this an outstanding career opportunity. APPLICATION PROCESS Persons Interested in this position should submit the following information: Cover letter Salary history Current resume If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at This position will remain open until filled. In order to be considered for the first round of interviews please submit your application materials to marissa@karrasconsulting.net by December 15, 2015.