THE CITY OF ARLINGTON (TX) PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES AN OUTSTANDING CAREER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE:

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1 THE CITY OF ARLINGTON (TX) PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES AN OUTSTANDING CAREER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE: ASSISTANT Director-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS A CAPRA ACCREDITED AGENCY 2014 NRPA GOLD MEDAL FINALIST (CLASS II) TEXAS RECREATION AND PARK SOCIETY GOLD MEDAL WINNER (CLASS I 2015, 2012) N AT U R A L LY F U N.O R G ARLINGTONTX.GOV

2 MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department is to provide quality facilities and services that are responsive to a diverse community and sustained with a focus on partnerships, innovation and environmental leadership. The Parks and Recreation Department oversees a diverse range of programs, projects and services with one thing in common: people. We work with the community to create and operate beautiful, accessible public spaces and facilities for all to enjoy. We also produce programs and events that enrich the lives of community members - culturally, socially, and physically. The department is structured into four primary business units: Park Operations, Community Programs, Enterprise Programs and Business Services. A progressive, industryleader in the Parks and Recreation field, the APRD believes in a worklife balance, flexible scheduling opportunities and committing the necessary tools and resources for long-term employee success. VISION STATEMENT Arlington is a vibrant city that enjoys a high quality of life through great parks and exceptional recreational opportunities. These services provide a foundation for the physical, social, economic and environmental viability and well-being of the community. ARLINGTON PARKS & RECREATION The City of Arlington (pop. 373,698) is seeking an innovative and results oriented leader to serve as Assistant Director - Community Programs for the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department. ARLINGTON, TEXAS Located in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Arlington is a full-service city supported by a total budget of $431 million and a full-time staff of 2,477. With a land area of approximately 100 square miles, Arlington is easily accessible by highway, rail and air. The City of Arlington offers superior, affordable housing; an outstanding park and linear trail system; educational excellence in our local schools (served by four Independent School Districts: Arlington, Kennedale, Mansfield, Hurst/Euless/Bedford), the Tarrant County College Southeast Campus, and is home to the University of Texas at Arlington. Arlington has a diverse local economy evidenced by our major employers; General Motors, Texas Health Resources, AmeriCredit, Siemens, Lear, Aetna and Chase Bank. Arlington is a regional destination for retail shopping as well. The City s Entertainment District hosts premiere attractions including amusement parks, the Texas Rangers Baseball Club and AT&T Stadium, drawing over 6.8 million visitors a year. In close proximity to DFW Airport, Dallas and Fort Worth, residents have access to world-class orchestras, theaters, and some of the finest museums in the world, all within a 30 minute drive. To learn more about the City of Arlington, visit the City s website at Arlington-TX.gov. ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT The Arlington Parks and Recreation Department manages an outstanding park and trails system that includes 90 parks, 82 sports fields, 49 playgrounds and 53 miles of trails. Major facilities include: Five recreation centers; including two senior centers Elzie Odom Athletic Center Meadowbrook and Bob Duncan Center (event/rental facilities) Six outdoor pools and the Hugh Smith Indoor Pool Arlington Tennis Center (26 outdoor courts) Four golf courses; three 18-hole and one 9-hole River Legacy Parks River Legacy Living Science Center Lake Arlington The system includes a 1,200 acre floodplain forest and nine miles of trail known as River Legacy Parks. This premiere park is part of the long-term vision for a 75 mile wide Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex trail system, and is home to the Living Science Center. The Parks and Recreation budget responsibility includes a General Fund budget appropriation of almost $14 million and a Performance Fund appropriation of over $12 million. The capital program includes park bonds, gas revenue, park fees and grants, and totals approximately $5 million annually. The department currently has 181 authorized full-time positions, and typically employs as many as 700 part-time and seasonal positions each year. EXCITING TIMES AHEAD... In November 2014, the citizens of Arlington voted to approve the largest bond program in the City s history. The five-year, $236 million program contained $60,000,000 for Parks and Recreation improvements. Major APRD projects include a rebuild of the Hugh Smith Recreation Center (FY2017)* and construction of a new Southeast Recreation Center and Aquatic Facility (FY2018)*. *Based on preliminary dates set in tentative project sequencing. Awaiting finalization and approval by City Council.

3 COMMUNITY PROGRAMS DIVISION The Community Programs Division provides recreation, aquatic, athletic and active living programs at the City s parks, athletic fields, aquatic centers and recreation facilities. The Division manages the City s adult and youth sports leagues; the Elzie Odom Athletic Center, the Meadowbrook Center, the Hugh Smith, Dottie Lynn and Cliff Nelson Recreation Centers, two aquatic centers, and five pools. This position will oversee a workforce of 98 FTE s which equates to 25 FT and several hundred pt and seasonal employees. The Division collaborates with the Enterprise Programs Division to offer a wide array of camps, leisure classes, swim lessons and afterschool programs as well as trending activities including bubble soccer and FootGolf. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS APRD is seeking a highly qualified Assistant Director to lead our community programs division. We are looking for an experienced executive with a documented track record of success in enterprise management, entrepreneurial innovation, continuous improvement through data analytics and metrics, community building and best practices. The need is for a unique individual that has strong technical skills to achieve specific performance goals relative to cost recovery and efficiency of resource allocation while also having the ability to assess and respond proactively to changing demographics and resulting programmatic demands. The Assistant Director will be responsible for planning, organizing, and managing all activities within the Community Programs Division by working with three direct reports to lead a staff of over twenty-five full time employees and several hundred part time and seasonal staff. The desirable candidate will be an innovative and strategic manager who is a demonstrated leader and has considerable experience in the development and administration of recreation or fitness programs requiring program planning and development. In addition to managing all activities within the Community Programs Division, the Assistant Director should be able to effectively lead and motivate staff, analyze and evaluate programs, policies and operational needs, establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with staff, City Council, Boards, community groups, diverse interest groups and the public, analyze programs and develop effective and realistic solutions, policy alternatives and recommendations and have the ability to implement and facilitate organizational change. The Assistant Director needs to be flexible, adaptable, visionary and committed to enhancing the overall wellbeing of Arlington s residents and visitors. ARLINGTON PARKS AND RECREATION NATURALLYFUN.ORG

4 QUALIFICATIONS 1. Ability to provide operational direction for Performance Fund facilities and programming. Ability to analyze and measure the effectiveness of facilities and resources with respect to long and short-range objectives. Ability to supervise auditing functions focused on compliance with standardized operational practices and procedures. 2. Ability to direct and supervise the performance of a diverse team of service unit managers over human resources, budgeting, auditing, and revenue based programming and facility management. Ability to lead organizational learning and improvement based on the establishment, tracking, and interpretation of performance measures. 3. Ability to prepare strategic, business and work plans on customer requirements and priorities to serve the needs of a demographically diverse community. Ability to communicate plans and resource priorities to staff and community stakeholders. 4. Ability to prepare and track complex budgets accurately reflecting organizational needs and priorities. Ability to prepare new program, feasibility and financial reports to justify and support service unit programs and operations. 5. Ability to manage and audit payroll processes and procedures, and serve as a liaison with Human Resources on employee selection, retention, and development issues. RESPONSIBILITIES Intergovernmental Coordination 1. Through coordination with the Department Senior Management team, Community Programs Division managers and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board ensure management and leadership of the Community Programs Division in a manner consistent with best practices; City Council priorities, and department business plans. Develop consensus for goals and objectives and obtain their assistance with implementing these goals and objectives; provide leadership in choosing which tasks to undertake to achieve the goals and objectives and assigns priorities to those tasks. 2. Support inclusive strategic planning and ensure planning decisions are used in setting annual program goals; promote an organizational culture that fosters passion for the mission, cooperation, open and frequent communication, teamwork, and a common organizational vision. 3. Serve as staff support to the Director providing regular updates and recommendations. Fiscal Management 1. Optimize the park performance fund goals relative to cost recovery of programs and services. 2. Obtain and manage contributions, sponsorships, contracts, grants, and in-kind donations to support division projects and services. 3. Ensure the preparation and management of the annual division budget, quarterly budget updates and maintains rigorous accountability for division finances based on city financial policy and procedure. Partnerships, Communications and Community Outreach 1. Assure professional relationships with community stakeholders, elected and appointed officials, non-profit and other governmental organizations that share a stake in recreation, athletics, active adults, aquatics, and environmental sustainability. 2. Represent the APRD at appropriate public functions and make effective public presentations. Establish and maintain contact with key individuals in both the public and private sectors. 3. Ensure strong communication with community partners including the Arlington, Kennedale and Mansfield school districts, The YMCA, the Boys and Girls Club and UTA. New Product Development 1. Research emerging programmatic trends and apply to the department s business plan. 2. Research demographic trends in the city and respond with program and/or business model changes to address these trends.

5 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The City of Arlington offers a competitive salary, based on the salaries paid for similar positions among the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex cities. Changes to compensation are determined annually as part of the budget process and generally become effective the first payroll in October, which is the start of our fiscal year. As a City Employee, you will be provided with an excellent benefit package at a cost to the employee that is far less than other area companies and public entities. All employees have 11 paid holidays each year, and accrue both sick leave and vacation leave based on years of service. The benefit package includes one of the best savings program in the industry (401K deferred compensation program with an employer matching contribution, 457 deferred compensation program with an employer contribution, and/or Roth IRA) and retirement through the Texas Municipal Retirement System (a hybrid plan with a 2x employer match that offers a lifetime annuity after vesting and guaranteed return). Also offered is a variety of insurance programs (health, dental, vision, disability, life and employer sponsored executive life insurance). City of Arlington employees do not contribute to the social security system (but do contribute to Medicare) and the State of Texas does not levy a state income tax. The City sponsored Wellness for Life program for City employees highlights the City s commitment in fostering the overall wellbeing of employees, as well as embracing an environment of health. All full-time employees are eligible to participate and are automatically enrolled in the wellness program. There are activities built in the program that employees can participate in as they strive to meet their health goals. Participation in the program may qualify you for a $200 payout and Wellness Medical Rates. APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS For a complete job posting and to apply visit and follow the prompt to apply on line. EOE. Reasonable accommodations available upon request. DIVERSITY The City of Arlington recognizes that drawing on the diversity of a high performing workforce is key to creating and maintaining a safe and thriving community for a diverse population. A diverse workforce can yield innovative solutions, increase productivity, and thus enhance our overall effectiveness. We strive for an inclusive culture that is defined by our organizational philosophy of: being responsive and respectful to our customers and co-workers; innovation to explore options and create unique solutions; commitment to excellence; and relating to our customers and each other with integrity. Each day we work to bring these values to life by valuing the whole range of human differences, including age, ethnicity, education, sexual orientation, work style, race, gender and more. The City of Arlington aims to hire and retain the best talent by offering a work environment where every individual is respected, supported, and valued on the basis of personal achievement. By respecting and including different viewpoints, we are better able to serve our customers, employees, business partners and communities. The City will make reasonable accommodations upon request for qualified individuals with disabilities.