At the center of the Silicon Valley is the City of Santa Clara, with a population of about 129,488, just 45 miles south of San Francisco. This 170-year-old city is rich with history. For example, Santa Clara University is the oldest institution of higher learning in California and is home to the eighth California mission. Recently named one of the ten safest cities in America, the City has also been named as one of the most livable American cities because of its outstanding quality of life and opportunities for individual and business success.

The City of Santa Clara enjoys over 300 days of sunshine annually and beautiful tree-lined streets offer residents a wide array of pleasant neighborhoods. Santa Clara’s amenities include an award-winning Convention Center, retail shopping, restaurants, medical facilities, and numerous community and recreation centers, including an International Swim Center attracting world-class swimmers and divers. All this coupled with award-winning schools and a low crime rate help make Santa Clara a very attractive place to live and work. For more information on this dynamic city, please visit the City of Santa Clara’s website at www.santaclaraca.gov.

The City seeks an accomplished professional with a strong “service-first” orientation and a proven performance record in working collaboratively with staff and community partners to deliver high-quality parks, programs and facilities. Innovative, yet pragmatic, the new Director will have an exceptional ability to engage residents and external agencies representing different interests and perspectives, and will be a strategic thinker, politically astute but not political, technically competent with a “can-do” attitude. The next Director will value the traditions that make the Santa Clara community unique while embracing a sense of innovation, inclusion and diversity. An advocate for staff development, the Director will inspire employees to seek greater efficiencies and continuously improve the department, earn the trust and respect of the staff through training and mentoring, while maintaining the highest standards of service delivery.

The ideal candidate will understand what it takes to be successful in a large, complex organization and bring a spirit of collaboration to the Executive Team. Adept at developing relationships, the next Director will demonstrate an ability to influence others through well-reasoned explanations, be an exceptional presenter, comfortable speaking before different groups – from Santa Clara residents at neighborhood gatherings to City Council meetings or advisory committees.

Candidates with a strong background in park development, public/private partnerships, aquatics and other facets of recreational programming are encouraged to apply.

The annual salary range is $229,158 to $296,537. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications.

Filing Deadline: October 1, 2023
Resumes are acknowledged within 2 business days.