Parks & Community Services Program Manager

About the Department

The Parks & Community Services Department is seeking an experienced and dynamic manager with a proven ability to inspire and support staff while bringing creative, innovative approaches to achieving program goals and community outcomes. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader who values teamwork, embraces continuous improvement, and is motivated to help deliver high-quality and equitable services to the community.

The selected candidate will also support the City’s One City approach by fostering collaboration across department work groups and division, city departments, building strong partnerships, and contributing to a culture of high performance that advances organizational priorities and community impact.

 The Community Recreation division comprises 13 distinct workgroups, 12 of which operate within community centers or recreation facilities.  The division includes 5 community centers, an aquatic center and tennis center, Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue Youth Theatre, golf course(s) and the Parks Scheduling Office. 

You’ll be responsible for the overall management and performance of recreation programs and community services, including assigned recreation facilities and programs. In this role, you will ensure that programs, services, and events align with the City’s strategic plans, City Council vision, and Parks & Community Services Department priorities while meeting the evolving needs of the community.

You will also be responsible for developing and implementing short- and long-range plans for the respective program areas; balancing overall cost recovery goals while maintaining service levels and performance standards; ensuring equitable and inclusive community access; and providing overall leadership, support, supervision, and professional development of staff, including regular and part-time employees.

This position works collaboratively with one other Parks & Community Services Program Manager to oversee and support the teams responsible for providing programs and services to the community, establish divisional goals, develop and enforce operational policies and standards, and solve issues and concerns that may impact the entire division.

The position reports directly to the Assistant Director, Parks & Community Services and represents the department in public forums, including interactions with City Council, the Parks & Community Services Board, program-specific advisory groups, City management, community partners, and the public.

  At The City of Bellevue you'll be part of a team committed to providing exceptional customer service, upholding the public interest and being a part of the community vision. Our people bring unique skills and qualities to the table, embrace the values of honesty, accountability and commitment to service, and take pride in the work they do. You'll work in an environment where being innovative, collaborative, and future focused are the status quo.

City Council Vision Statement: Bellevue welcomes the world. Our diversity is our strength. We embrace the future while respecting our past. 
Bellevue Parks & Community Services Vision:  In Bellevue everyone can connect to each other and to nature through experiences that help them to live, grow, and thrive.
Bellevue Parks & Community Services Mission:  We build a healthy community through an integrated system of exceptional parks, natural areas, recreation, arts and culture, and a broad base of community services.

Equity: Equity means everybody in our community can access, participate in and benefit from services, resources and opportunities that contribute to a high quality of life, no matter an individual’s identities. Put simply, in an equitable society, one’s identities are not accurate predictors of one’s outcomes. Different from equality, equity considers how the unique identities, circumstances, and histories of different people may impact experiences within institutions and systems.

Position Duties

• Develops and implements short and long-range plans for assigned recreation facilities and program areas.  Establishes performance outcomes and goals.
• Provides strategic guidance based on Parks & Community Services and city planning documents, and community feedback.
• Provides overall supervision to employees, including direct reports, program and administrative staff, and temporary staff. Works with program areas on all areas of Human Resource management, including hiring, performance issues, mentoring, and staff training/development.
• Provides financial development and management of budget and revenues for assigned recreation facilities and programs.
• Participates in team and group projects at various levels, serving as both a team leader or professional member responsible for directing group work and outcomes.
• Responsible for providing leadership to recreation programs and services on issues including marketing, promotions, technology, equitable and inclusive program access, program evaluation and customer service.
• Corresponds with program participants, City Council, boards, commissions, City management, and residents regarding policies, procedures, service levels, and program goals.  Provides written reports and presentations on program area.
• Develops, reviews, and implements policies and procedures related to program area, including equitable access and inclusion, program pricing, service offerings, operating procedures, legal and risk management, facility maintenance, and building security.
• Meets with outside vendors, prospects new customers, and negotiates partnerships.
• Position requires attendance at off-site scheduled or unscheduled events or meetings on a timely basis including assisting at department special events as assigned.
• Position requires the ability to respond to and support the needs of facilities, events, programs, and staff in-person if needed within a reasonable timeframe.   

Supervision Received and Exercised:

• Works under the general supervision of the Assistant Director of Parks & Community Services.
• Exercises supervision over Community Services Supervisors and Managers, and either directly or indirectly over program coordinators, administrative support staff and temporary employees, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business, public administration, recreation management, or related field(s).

• Five or more years of related professional experience in recreation management, program planning and/or project management.
• Supervisory and personnel management experience required.
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Must pass a criminal background check prior to hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of modern principles, practices, and planning of recreation program development and administration.

• Knowledge of public administration principles, including municipal governance, inter-agency, collaboration and the legal framework impacting park and recreation services.

• Extensive knowledge of access, inclusion, and modification of general recreation programs to support and provide opportunities for everyone to participate.
• Extensive knowledge of budget development, review and analysis.
• Skill in conflict resolution, negotiating and customer service, proactively addressing inquiries and resolving concerns and complaints.
• Ability to relate to and experience in working with a broad and varied population.
• Strong ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures to ambiguous situations.
• Strong professional communication (oral, written) and analytical skills required.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Ability to develop effective teams and to coordinate efforts across work groups, adapting communication styles and management approaches as needed.
• Proficiency in office skills, including use of Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, recreation registration programs; ability to master new technology.
• A demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning of diversity, equity & inclusion principles and a commitment to implement these principles in your work.

Other Qualifications

Physical Demands

• The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work involves walking, talking, hearing, using hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reaching with hands and arms. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work is performed in a variety of settings and conditions both in a typical office setting as well as field situations.
• May be outdoors and in various weather conditions.
• Frequently required to visit facilities and programs in the community.

Provides municipal services and governance for the Bellevue community.