Career Center

Padre Dam Municipal Water District is seeking a motivated, innovative, and people-centric applicant with a strong entrepreneurial mindset for the position of Director of Park and Recreation at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve.  Santee Lakes is a 190-acre park and campground with 300 campsites and ten rental cabins.  Santee Lakes is a national and regional destination that welcomes 760,000 visitors annually.  Other amenities include fishing, boating, playgrounds, walking trails, facility/picnic rentals, and special events.  

Under policy direction of the Chief Executive Officer/General Manager, incumbent is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all activities associated with the operation of Padre Dam's Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve.  Incumbent is responsible for promoting a variety of park educational and recreational programs with a focus on youth, adult, family, and senior activities.  Incumbent will also promote Padre Dam's Santee Lakes as a resource to the community with an emphasis on preservation initiatives.  The incumbent is responsible for managing all operations at Padre Dam's Santee Lakes in an entrepreneurial manner, including master planning and grant development, and ensures total financial self-support of Padre Dam's Santee Lakes via proactive programming and budgeting.  Duties include: supervising staff to include scheduling, organizing, assigning and conducting performance reviews; overseeing a large unit of seasonal volunteers and workers which comprises more than half of the park workforce; supervising fee collection; planning and coordinating marketing strategies and advertising promotions; developing positive public and community images; monitoring and implementing policies and procedures; developing and managing the operational budget; establishing goals and setting operational standards; developing and managing a comprehensive capital improvement program; approving purchases according to budget allocations; preparing written reports as required; attending various meetings; and other duties as may be assigned.

1. Supervises employees to include scheduling, assisting with goal setting, assigning and monitoring work, ensuring training, resolving conflicts, coaching staff, interviewing applicants, and conducting performance evaluations.  Oversees large unit of seasons volunteer and workers which comprises more than half of the park workforce.
2. Directs the planning, organizing, and scheduling of all activities and events at Santee Lakes, including recreational and community events; coordinates with other organizations (i.e. City of Santee Department of Recreation, area school districts, and San Diego County Department of Public Recreation, etc.).
3. Manages Padre Dam's Santee Lakes Capital Improvement/Construction Projects; prepares public works bid documents; manages the public bid process; coordinates contracts for design and construction support services; processes and coordinates construction documentation including but not limited to Requests for Information and Change Orders.  Directs contractors and consultants in the performance of their contracts with Padre Dam.
4. Conducts master planning for Padre Dam's Santee Lakes with an entrepreneurial focus to ensure financial self-sufficiency.  Coordinates capital improvement and park development projects.
5. Markets Padre Dam's Santee Lakes' services and facilities to the immediate and broader community.
6. Directs and coordinates all park maintenance activities.  Directs the park's preventive and predictive maintenance program using industry best practices.
7. Administers Park policies and procedures, ensuring visitor safety by implementing and enforcing policy and rule compliance, developing operational budgets and initiating regulation changes.
8. Supervises and directs activities related to the operation of the park and the campground such as monitoring revenue collections, usage trends, and operational expenses, coordinating maintenance activities, overseeing general store operations, and establishing priorities for park improvements.
9. Prepares the monthly priority and accomplishment report.
10. Develops and administers the Padre Dam's Santee Lakes budget; develops the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies, replacement and capital projects; performs cost control measures, requisition preparation and approvals, and cash reconciliation; aggressively pursue grant funding for park improvements, including the writing of grants, representation during grant application processes, development of applicable grant projects that improve and enhance recreation at Padre Dam's Santee Lakes.  Maintains complete financial self-sufficiency so that the operation of Padre Dam's Santee Lakes does not receive tax or rate-payer subsidy.
11. Acts as a liaison to the Santee Lakes Foundation in  accordance with the Foundation's mission; participates in the development of a volunteer leadership team to guide the Foundation in creating community awareness of the Foundation; develops long-term funding for the Foundation.
12. Attends and participates in various civic and trade organizations.
13. Serves as chair or co-chair to board committee.
14. Participates in various Padre Dam staff teams and special assignments.
15. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Knowledge (position requirements at entry):

• Park & Recreation Management and business theories and principles;
• Customer service and public relations theories and principles;
• Accounting and budget management practices;
• Advanced capital project management;
• Modern principles and practices of public administration, park & recreation programming, and maintenance management;
• Knowledge of modern park customer service and hospitality practices;
• Knowledge of park/open space stewardship and interpretation strategies;
• Occupancy laws and safety and health codes related to managing a recreational park and campground;
• State Fish & Game and Recreation laws and regulations;
• Nature and basic environmental resource management;
• Administrative processes and regulations in a public agency environment.

 

Skills (position requirements at entry):

• Long-range planning, monitoring and evaluating staff;
• Coordinating volunteer programs;
• Preparation and management of operational budgets;
• Application of customer service techniques;
• Marketing and promoting parks and campgrounds;
• Ability to coordinate a variety of special projects;
• Supervision of park & recreation operations;
•  Interpretation and enforcement of park and camp and rules and regulations;
• Ability to identify safety violations;
• Effective presentation skills, both verbal and written, to management, co-workers, and members of the public;
• Personal computer network systems and applicable software;
• Interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

 

Training and Experience (position requirements at entry):

 

Bachelor's Degree in Parks & Recreation or a related field and three years experience in an administrative or supervisory capacity preferably in a public setting; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.

 

Licensing Requirements (position requirements at entry):

• Valid California Driver's License.

Interviews for this position will be held the first week of April.