Director of Parks and Recreation
Position Summary:
The Director of Parks and Recreation is a highly responsible administrative professional who
manages, directs, supervises and coordinates the programs and services of the North Riverside Parks and Recreation Department. Work involves responsibility for developing and administrating a comprehensive, year-round recreation program, complete with special events, to meet the growing needs of the community and for managing the maintenance of parks, playgrounds and other recreation facilities. Exercises direct supervision over all department personnel and community volunteers. Work is performed under the general administration of the Village Administrator.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in recreation administration, business administration or a certified Parks and Recreation professional with a record of ongoing participation in continuing education.
- At least five (5) years of progressive management experience in the Parks and Recreation profession, with a minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates all recreational programs and services for effectiveness
and efficiency and recommends and implements changes as appropriate.
• Develops and recommends policies and procedures to effectively and safely operate, organize
and maintain the Village’s recreational facilities, playgrounds and parks.
• Prepares and administers the department’s annual operating budget and capital improvements
plan; supervises the maintenance of required records; prepares or supervises the preparation
of regular and special reports.
• Evaluates the feasibility of new recreation programs and facilities to meet department
objectives and standards and reviews recommendations with the Village Administrator where
appropriate.
• Supervises all full-time, part-time and seasonal recreation staff. Recruits, trains, motivates and
evaluates work performance of department personnel.
• Plans, organizes and administers an annual golf outing and fundraising event for the North
Riverside Youth Scholarship and Educational Fund, a separate 503(c) corporation affiliated
with the Village.
• Provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Village Administrator
and Board of Trustees, including contract administration, grant writing and administration and
procurement activities as it relates to the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Provides staff support to the North Riverside Citizen’s Recreation Committee; advises civic and
special interest groups regarding the parks and recreation programs and services; acts as
village liaison for the Neighborhood Services Program.
• Promotes park and recreation programs, facilities, and special events through various media,
school and government agencies, civic and special interest groups, and professional
organizations.
• Effectively markets recreation programs and events; manages the preparation of professional
quality flyers, brochures, and other publications; develops and maintains a public education
and awareness campaign.
• Responds orally and/or in writing to a variety of requests and correspondences from community groups, state and local officials, and the general public. Represents the Village on various intergovernmental boards and commissions.
• Promotes and maintains responsive community relations.
• Follows safe work practices; participates in the Village’s safety committee to ensure established loss control and risk management practices are followed and implemented within all recreation programs and services.
• Plans, schedules and operates various special community events and activities throughout the
year, including Concerts in the Park, July 4th festivities, Autumn Fest, Biggest Block Party,
various holiday celebrations, etc.
• Performs related duties as assigned.
Peripheral Duties:
• Provides backup for other functions within the department.
• Works special events, activities and trips as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications:
Training, Education, and Experience Requirements
• Possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid State of Illinois driver’s license.
• Pass and maintain CPR and First Aid Certifications as provided by the Village.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in
recreation, recreation administration, business administration, or a closely related field; a
Master’s Degree or a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) with a record of
ongoing participation in continuing education is preferred.
• Five (5) years of progressive management experience in the administration of recreational
programming, social and cultural programs and services or event planning, including three (3)
years of administrative and supervisory experience.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Any equivalent combination of training and experience that would likely provide the following
knowledge, abilities, and skills is qualifying.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Thorough knowledge of the modern principals and objectives of parks and recreation
administration and management.
• Thorough knowledge of a wide variety of recreational, social and leisure activities for children
and adults.
• Thorough knowledge of the principals and objectives of event planning.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of playground and park design,
construction, and maintenance requirements.
• Knowledge of the legal aspects and laws relating to recreation and leisure services.
• Ability to plan, initiate, direct, and supervise a comprehensive recreation program.
• Ability to evaluate and organize diverse data into sound program recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to supervise and oversee a qualified coaching certification program.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision; a self-starter.
• Ability to perform responsible and difficult work involving the use of independent judgement and personal initiative.
• Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
• Excellent verbal and oral communication skills.
• Excellent character, integrity and adaptability.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to be a visionary and dynamic leader who has a strong presence in the NR community working closely with local elected officials and community leaders.
• Inclusive and collaborative management style.
• Keen sense of customer relations.
Hours of Work:
The typical hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, with additional work and
appearances required at Board of Trustee, committee and citizen advisory board meetings,
professional networking events, and special community events outside of the traditional forty-hour
work week.
Work Location:
This position reports to work daily at the North Riverside Village Commons, 2401 S. DesPlaines
Avenue, North Riverside. Will work at various locations as needed for job and daily duties.
Contact with Others:
This position involves extensive contact with elected officials, community leaders, other village
employees and the general public; acting as a public liaison to various boards and committees,
citizen groups and organizations and professional associations. This position is required to speak in
front of a large audiences and is responsible for leading group training instructions.
Working Considerations:
The physical demands and working environment described in this section are representative of those
an individual will encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions.
• Work is generally performed in an inside office environment that is smoke free with controlled
temperature and fluorescent lighting. Hand eye coordination is necessary to operate computers and various pieces of office equipment.
• Required to occasionally stand, walk and sit for extended periods of time.
• Required to occasionally use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls;
reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; and smell.
• Required to occasionally ride in chartered buses or other vehicles used to transport groups of
people to destinations of interest.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision,
peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work may be required in an outdoor environment with weather conditions and temperatures
experienced in the extremes or exposure to airborne particles.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate in office settings and
moderate in the field or outdoors.
Selection Considerations:
Formal application, rating of education and experience, oral interview and reference check, and job
related tests may be required
How to Apply:
To access a full job description, please visit the Village of North Riverside website
www.northriverside-il.org/employment_opportunities.
Interested candidates should submit a
completed employment application with cover letter, resume and at least five professional references
by email to administration@northriverside-il.org.
This position will remain open until filled. Initial review of applications begins September 3, 2024
The Director of Parks and Recreation is a highly responsible administrative professional who
manages, directs, supervises and coordinates the programs and services of the North Riverside Parks and Recreation Department. Work involves responsibility for developing and administrating a comprehensive, year-round recreation program, complete with special events, to meet the growing needs of the community and for managing the maintenance of parks, playgrounds and other recreation facilities. Exercises direct supervision over all department personnel and community volunteers. Work is performed under the general administration of the Village Administrator.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in recreation administration, business administration or a certified Parks and Recreation professional with a record of ongoing participation in continuing education.
- At least five (5) years of progressive management experience in the Parks and Recreation profession, with a minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates all recreational programs and services for effectiveness
and efficiency and recommends and implements changes as appropriate.
• Develops and recommends policies and procedures to effectively and safely operate, organize
and maintain the Village’s recreational facilities, playgrounds and parks.
• Prepares and administers the department’s annual operating budget and capital improvements
plan; supervises the maintenance of required records; prepares or supervises the preparation
of regular and special reports.
• Evaluates the feasibility of new recreation programs and facilities to meet department
objectives and standards and reviews recommendations with the Village Administrator where
appropriate.
• Supervises all full-time, part-time and seasonal recreation staff. Recruits, trains, motivates and
evaluates work performance of department personnel.
• Plans, organizes and administers an annual golf outing and fundraising event for the North
Riverside Youth Scholarship and Educational Fund, a separate 503(c) corporation affiliated
with the Village.
• Provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Village Administrator
and Board of Trustees, including contract administration, grant writing and administration and
procurement activities as it relates to the Parks and Recreation Department.
• Provides staff support to the North Riverside Citizen’s Recreation Committee; advises civic and
special interest groups regarding the parks and recreation programs and services; acts as
village liaison for the Neighborhood Services Program.
• Promotes park and recreation programs, facilities, and special events through various media,
school and government agencies, civic and special interest groups, and professional
organizations.
• Effectively markets recreation programs and events; manages the preparation of professional
quality flyers, brochures, and other publications; develops and maintains a public education
and awareness campaign.
• Responds orally and/or in writing to a variety of requests and correspondences from community groups, state and local officials, and the general public. Represents the Village on various intergovernmental boards and commissions.
• Promotes and maintains responsive community relations.
• Follows safe work practices; participates in the Village’s safety committee to ensure established loss control and risk management practices are followed and implemented within all recreation programs and services.
• Plans, schedules and operates various special community events and activities throughout the
year, including Concerts in the Park, July 4th festivities, Autumn Fest, Biggest Block Party,
various holiday celebrations, etc.
• Performs related duties as assigned.
Peripheral Duties:
• Provides backup for other functions within the department.
• Works special events, activities and trips as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications:
Training, Education, and Experience Requirements
• Possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid State of Illinois driver’s license.
• Pass and maintain CPR and First Aid Certifications as provided by the Village.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in
recreation, recreation administration, business administration, or a closely related field; a
Master’s Degree or a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) with a record of
ongoing participation in continuing education is preferred.
• Five (5) years of progressive management experience in the administration of recreational
programming, social and cultural programs and services or event planning, including three (3)
years of administrative and supervisory experience.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Any equivalent combination of training and experience that would likely provide the following
knowledge, abilities, and skills is qualifying.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Thorough knowledge of the modern principals and objectives of parks and recreation
administration and management.
• Thorough knowledge of a wide variety of recreational, social and leisure activities for children
and adults.
• Thorough knowledge of the principals and objectives of event planning.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of playground and park design,
construction, and maintenance requirements.
• Knowledge of the legal aspects and laws relating to recreation and leisure services.
• Ability to plan, initiate, direct, and supervise a comprehensive recreation program.
• Ability to evaluate and organize diverse data into sound program recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to supervise and oversee a qualified coaching certification program.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision; a self-starter.
• Ability to perform responsible and difficult work involving the use of independent judgement and personal initiative.
• Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
• Excellent verbal and oral communication skills.
• Excellent character, integrity and adaptability.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to be a visionary and dynamic leader who has a strong presence in the NR community working closely with local elected officials and community leaders.
• Inclusive and collaborative management style.
• Keen sense of customer relations.
Hours of Work:
The typical hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, with additional work and
appearances required at Board of Trustee, committee and citizen advisory board meetings,
professional networking events, and special community events outside of the traditional forty-hour
work week.
Work Location:
This position reports to work daily at the North Riverside Village Commons, 2401 S. DesPlaines
Avenue, North Riverside. Will work at various locations as needed for job and daily duties.
Contact with Others:
This position involves extensive contact with elected officials, community leaders, other village
employees and the general public; acting as a public liaison to various boards and committees,
citizen groups and organizations and professional associations. This position is required to speak in
front of a large audiences and is responsible for leading group training instructions.
Working Considerations:
The physical demands and working environment described in this section are representative of those
an individual will encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
functions.
• Work is generally performed in an inside office environment that is smoke free with controlled
temperature and fluorescent lighting. Hand eye coordination is necessary to operate computers and various pieces of office equipment.
• Required to occasionally stand, walk and sit for extended periods of time.
• Required to occasionally use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls;
reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; and smell.
• Required to occasionally ride in chartered buses or other vehicles used to transport groups of
people to destinations of interest.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision,
peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work may be required in an outdoor environment with weather conditions and temperatures
experienced in the extremes or exposure to airborne particles.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate in office settings and
moderate in the field or outdoors.
Selection Considerations:
Formal application, rating of education and experience, oral interview and reference check, and job
related tests may be required
How to Apply:
To access a full job description, please visit the Village of North Riverside website
www.northriverside-il.org/employment_opportunities.
Interested candidates should submit a
completed employment application with cover letter, resume and at least five professional references
by email to administration@northriverside-il.org.
This position will remain open until filled. Initial review of applications begins September 3, 2024