What are the responsibilities and job description for the Equine Specialist position at the Rockford Park District?

POSITION SPECIFICS
Title	Equine Specialist
Department	Lockwood Park
Status	Full Time
Office Location	Perks Family Equine Center
Reports To	General Manager, Lockwood Park and Trailside Equestrian Center
Grade Level	T6
FLSA Status	Exempt
Position Description	Serves as the equine assisted services (EAS) expert, working together with the other EAS team members and horses to provide participants with experiential and/or social emotional learning through equine assisted learning. Develops EAS curriculum to focus on the healing power and connection of the horse. Acts as the equine expert working in conjunction with a licensed contracted therapist for Equine Assisted psychotherapy to ensure program safety, the right selection of equine based on behaviors for best anticipated outcomes. Act as Manager on Duty for the facility.

ROCKFORD PARK DISTRICT VISION, MISSION AND LEADERSHIP BY VALUES
Agency Vision	To be the best urban parks and recreation system in North America, as measured by national standards and the citizens we serve.
Agency Mission	The Rockford Park District is in business to “help people enjoy life” by providing a quality park and recreation system.
Vision & Planning System	The District aligns itself and all its resources to achieve its purpose, vision, mission, and priorities. This successfully drives the strategic plan, operational plans, and performance goals.
Policy Management & Operations System	Every team member serves as an active contributor in the development of the team’s operational plan; develops job strategies and plans that support the team’s operational goals; identifies timetables for completion; plans daily work activities in an organized manner ensuring effective utilization of time and resources in the completion of job tasks.
Leadership by Values System	Leadership by Values can only be achieved if all team members believe in and live by these shared values: accountability, integrity, passion, agility, relationship oriented, results driven, service oriented, respectful, and innovative. While all team members share these essential values, our culture is enriched by and welcomes the diverse supporting values of its team members.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Statement	The Rockford Park District is committed and accountable to being a place where everyone is invited and belongs, as demonstrated by being an inviting, equitable, and inclusive environment, respectful of all people, embracing diversity, creating accessibility and valuing all team members, partners and community members for their unique experiences and backgrounds.

RELATIONSHIPS TO RESULTS CULTURE
Definition	Sustained by long-term, positive, exceptional relationships with stakeholders and team members as our hallmark of success.

ONE TEAM, ONE GOAL COMMITMENT
Definition	To work together to achieve the mission, vision, and shared values of the Rockford Park District.
Connectedness	Departments are truly interconnected to support the mission and vision of the Rockford Park District.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assigned

Leadership by Values

Establish and maintain a high level of citizen confidence and support.
Assist with establishing and maintaining exceptional relationships with internal team members and external stakeholders.
Create a work atmosphere that is safe, healthy, secure, and is conscious of work-life balance as well as the Park District’s goals.
Support and ensure a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging exists in all areas of the Rockford Park District.
Contribute to the success of the organization by following local, state, and federal standards. Works with teams to engage in industries best practices to continue to develop and keep abreast of industries standards and best practices.

Operational Excellence

Responsible for the facilitation and coordination of equine-assisted services (EAS), ensuring the physical and emotional safety of both participants and horses.
Collaborates closely with mental health professionals and operations staff to deliver therapeutic and experiential programming grounded in best practices and Lockwood’s team approach.

Program Facilitation & Participant Support

Develop program curriculum as needed
Facilitate equine-assisted therapy and learning sessions in collaboration with the treatment team.
Develop and implement experiential arena activities tailored to individual and group needs.
Maintain accurate records of sessions, including equine-participant interactions and equine observations.
Track and manage participant outcomes for reporting to grant agencies.
Recruit and meet with potential customers
Assist with the facilitation of additional Lockwood programs as needed

Equine Welfare & Arena Management

Ensure the safety and welfare of equine team members during and outside of sessions.
Evaluate equine behavior consistently to identify potential safety concerns.
Continually assess the health and wellness of equine partners, working closely with the Equine & Animal Manager and Program & Operations Manager.
Select appropriate horses for programming based on participant needs and goals.
Develop and implement systems for logging equine behavior and work performance.
Prepare horses and arena for EAS sessions to support smooth operations.
Provide equine training and exercising as directed by the Equine & Animal Manager.

Training, Leadership & Staff Support

Train and support team members and collaborative agency staff on horse care, handling, and Lockwood facilitation techniques.
Recruit, hire, train, supervise, mentor, and evaluate part-time and seasonal EAS staff and volunteers.
Act as Manager on Duty when assigned.

Professional Development & Compliance

Stay current on EAS best practices through continuing education.
Maintain working knowledge of Lockwood’s team approach to ensure program compliance and uphold safety and welfare standards.
Collaborate with the Program & Operations Manager to align programming with industry standards and continually improve facilitation techniques.

Customer Satisfaction

Provides quality customer service to all patrons, guests, and other District employees.
Ensures a superior customer experience in all interactions through outstanding service capabilities, knowledge, flexibility, and thoroughness.
Quickly and effectively solves customer problems to ensure total satisfaction.

Compliance

Maintain a working knowledge of department safety procedures.
Attend safety training programs and educational in-service trainings as required.

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