Recreation Deputy Division Director

Position Description

About Seattle Parks And Recreation

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens and swimming pools. Our mission is to equip employees and the public for well-being as we support healthy people, a thriving environment and vibrant community. We provide safe and accessible spaces for residents and visitors to work, recreate, rejuvenate and enhance quality of life and wellness for children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Delivering excellent customer service to all is a core value.

Equity & Inclusion

Seattle Parks and Recreation commits to advancing equity and social justice in our department and in every neighborhood by growing a dynamic and diverse workforce, developing strong investments, growth opportunities and beneficial partner strategies as we acknowledge and pledge to close disparities created by historical practices which often hindered workforce development, environmental justice, access to quality open spaces, programs and facilities.

About The Division

The Recreation Division eliminates barriers through responsive, exceptional recreation services. We operate over 50 recreation facilities (community centers, teen centers, pools, school-based learning centers, environmental learning centers, and boating and sailing centers) and provide opportunities for people to play, learn, and lead healthy, active lives. Our programs and events include fitness and athletics, licensed childcare and preschool, swimming and boating, youth development and job preparation, academic enrichment, and more -- including programs designed for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as grant and partnership programs designed and implemented with immigrant and refugee communities. With nearly 300 regular employees and a budget of nearly $40 million annually, Recreation is a major operation with significant impact on the communities we serve. In addition to our current operations, we also strive to constantly improve the ways we serve Seattle’s residents, specifically through implementation of the SPR Strategic Plan, innovation in our facility staffing and programming approaches, and learning from national best practices and quality standards.

About The Position

Seattle Parks and Recreation is searching for a dynamic and passionate leader to serve as the Deputy Director of Recreation. This position serves as the Deputy Director for the Recreation division, facilitating the work of the Leadership Team in consultation and collaboration with the Recreation Division Director. It will serve as convener, project manager, and day-to-day operations lead, supervising 8 direct reports and supporting a large and diverse workforce of nearly 300 regular employees and many temporary employees and contracted partners. It will serve as the acting Recreation Director as needed.

About The Leader We Are Seeking

Leading with Equity and Being Anti-Racist. This leader will be an effective and unapologetic champion of racial equity, with a demonstrated history of strategically applying the principles of anti-racism to organizational development, resource allocation, operations, and team leadership.

Delivering Results and Maintaining Relationships. We take our work seriously, because we know that our programs have the power to change people’s lives. This leader will facilitate the division work plan and ensure accountability for the agreed upon results identified by the team in partnership with community. This leader will have a proven track record in work planning, strategic planning, results-based facilitation, and operational management. We also understand that strong relationships matter – whether between our programs and their customers, between our frontline staff and our Leadership Team, or between the division and our external partners. We seek a leader who can drive results while building and maintaining collaborative relationships.

Servant Leadership and Team Building. This leader will have experience in leading and encouraging diversity of thought on the team. Create a culture of trust. Have an unselfish mindset. Foster leadership in others. The division also engages large numbers of temporary City staff and contracted partners. This leader will have demonstrated success in developing relationships at all levels of an organization, maintaining accountability, operationalizing vision and strategic direction through on-the-ground change that balances differing priorities towards collective vision, and building capacity of individuals and teams to achieve shared goals.

Managing Change. The Recreation Division is going through a transformation as we modernize, train, and work to empower our team to identify barriers to accessing our services using data and community engagement, and then co-creating solutions and opportunities for our neighbors to improve services. This leader will need to have a deep understanding of change management and process improvement.

Job Responsibilities

Here Is What You Will Be Doing

Relationships, Communication & Connections

• Connect with, learn from, and build relationships with staff at all levels of the division. Seek to inform division decision-making with the experiences of frontline staff, and to understand the impacts of leadership decisions on frontline services.
• Engage external stakeholders, including community-based organizations, advisory councils, and other City departments, to advance the division’s vision of responsive, exceptional services.
• Connect the dots between Recreation and other divisions within SPR (from facility maintenance and capital planning to human resources and business intelligence) to ensure our programs and facilities can meet community needs.
• Develop and distribute strategic communications to a variety of audiences (frontline staff, the Leadership Team, the Superintendent, elected officials, community members) in a variety of formats (email, briefing papers, team and division-wide meetings, City Council presentations).
• Support the department's vital partnership with the Associated Recreation Council and its 37-member Advisory Councils.
  
  

Operations & Innovation

• Oversee the day-to-day management of facility and /or program operations, supporting and amplifying the great work of staff, making on-the-spot decisions related to emergency management, and serving as operations expert and problem solver.
• Facilitate the Recreation Leadership Team’s work, including workplan development, workflow management, results-based meeting facilitation, and more.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of our facilities and programs, identify opportunities for improvement, recommend changes in policies and procedures, and lead or otherwise oversee implementation of those changes.
• Implement fiscal management strategies to maximize resource utilization; oversee current year expenditures and revenues and analyze this data for budget monitoring; and adjust as needed to stay within the allocated budget. Think creatively about opportunities for revenue generation and grow division resources over time. Collaborate with Recreation Division Strategic Advisors in the budget development process, and other related work.
• Support the development of solutions to citywide challenges by occasionally leading or taking part in cross-functional or interdepartmental teams on large and complex citywide issues (homelessness, public health, pandemic response, job training and economic development, for example).
  
  

Supervision & Leadership Development

• Directly supervise 8 managers. Provide supervision with an emphasis on coaching and leadership development.
• Proactively identify opportunities to develop the skills, talents, and leadership of your direct reports and frontline staff.
• Emphasize accountability in your leadership and in our Leadership Team. Keep your commitments, be transparent in your decision-making, and nurture these qualities in others.
• Support SPR’s work for racial equity by continuously refining your own knowledge and skills in antiracism and by supporting the development of an equity lens in the Leadership Team and our frontline.
• Participate in fiscal management, budgetary planning and staffing analysis.
• Work closely with the Division’s Executive Team and Department leadership to develop policies, priorities, goals, procedures, and operational standards.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal teams, executive leadership, community partners and other stakeholders, particularly during any period in which the Director is out of office to ensure continuity of leadership and division functions.
• Perform other duties as needed to ensure that the goals and objectives for the Division are achieved.
  
  

Qualifications

You will be most successful if you have experience in a broad set of areas, including Recreation, Leisure Services, Public Administration, Public Health, Business, or related fields AND Five years of experience developing and coordinating recreation programs, including three years of management-level supervisory experience (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience, which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work). A commitment to listening, creating space for diverse perspectives and the pursuit of inclusive and just outcomes must be at the center of your professional practice. The ability to communicate at all levels tactfully and effectively will also contribute to your success. Specifically, you will be prepared to take on this role if you have:

Experience In

• Managing recreation programs, facilities, staff, budgets, and related resources
• Managing projects and issues while navigating competing deadlines
• Working with first-generation and racially/ethnically diverse populations
• Building trust with frontline staff and community stakeholders, and in engaging staff and partners to lead change
• Working with community, elected officials, and advocacy groups
• Supervising people and managing large teams
  
  

Substantial Skills In

• Written and oral communication, strong facilitation, delegation, and decision-making skills
• Management and Leadership
• Meeting facilitation and presentations
• Strategic analysis, planning, development, and implementation
• Performance-based management tools to manage the work of others
  
  

The Ability To

• Work in diverse communities and conduct effective outreach
• Demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills, preferably in a cross-cultural context
• Stay organized through projects, successfully meeting tight deadlines
• Generate create solutions to problems by identifying available resources and working collaboratively
• Navigate and adapt to a dynamic political environment
• Demonstrate commitment to leading with equity and being anti-racist
• Leverage funding from a variety of sources including city, state, federal agencies, and private grants
• Work under pressure with multiple deadlines
• Be present and engage in person with employees and the community at work sites in various parts of town in a single day
• Proven ability to plan, manage, communicate and lead a major change initiative while serving in an executive capacity.
  
  

Additional Information

Please Submit The Following With Your Online Application

• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the job announcement
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience.
  
  

We recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, automated response generators, or language models, can be helpful during the job search process. If you choose to use them, please carefully review all materials before submission to ensure accuracy, as you will be required to affirm that your responses are true and correct during the application process. Submitting inaccurate or misleading information may result in disqualification. Please also note that relying on AI to complete text-based supplemental questions or during interviews may not accurately represent your skills and experiences, which are critical to applicant success. In some cases, you may be instructed not to use AI tools during the selection process. Learn more about the City of Seattle AI Policy here.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle Parks and Recreation values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Seattle Parks and Recreation encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA , people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

This position is classified as a Manager 3, Parks & Recreation. The full salary range for this position is $61.90-$92.48 per hour.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits

SPR's Core Competencies For Managers

• Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions, decision-making and promoting high quality standards.
• Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity.
• Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information.
• Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City.
• Teamwork: Participating as an engaged member of a team to achieve group goals. Effectively working with internal and external people to complete tasks and achieve work group goals.
• Aligns Performance for Success: Collaboratively guiding and engaging the team to accomplish defined work goals.
• Direction and Delegation: Sharing authority and responsibilities with others to distribute decision-making and accountability throughout the organization enabling individuals to stretch their capabilities; and accomplishing the organization’s strategic priorities.