Park Coordinator

Effingham County Board of Commissioners; Springfield (GA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Effingham County Board of Commissioners is seeking a Park Coordinator to manage day-to-day park coverage, perform patrols, assist visitors, monitor facilities, and support events. The role includes on-site supervision of Park Attendants and documenting maintenance and safety concerns.

Regular night and weekend work is required, with possible holiday and special-event assignments. A valid Georgia driver’s license and the ability to operate county vehicles are preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred; equivalent education or experience may be considered.
• Two years of experience in parks, recreation, groundskeeping, or related fields preferred.
• Valid Georgia driver’s license or ability to obtain one for operating County vehicles.
• Ability and willingness to work nights and weekends; may include holidays and special events.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates daily park coverage and communicates work assignments to staff and volunteers.
• Patrols park areas, facilities, and common areas to observe conditions and deter vandalism.
• Greets visitors and provides information on park rules, hours, reservations, and amenities.
• Monitors park activity and coordinates setup/closing for events and rentals.
• Provides reminders about park rules and escalates as needed to ensure safety.
• Performs routine maintenance checks and documents issues; requests repairs as needed.
• Operates County vehicles and tools safely; reports equipment concerns.
• Maintains records, logs, and incident reports using available systems.

Skills

Communication

Independent work

Public interaction

Park knowledge

Education

High school diploma or GED

2 years related experience

Tools

Radios

Mobile work-order systems

Computer applications

Job description

The Park Coordinator coordinates day-to-day park coverage and performs park patrols, visitor assistance, facility monitoring, event support, and general upkeep of County parks, athletic areas, restrooms, playgrounds, pavilions, trails, and related public spaces. The position helps maintain a safe, clean, orderly, and welcoming park environment; communicates assignments to Park Attendants; documents maintenance and safety concerns; and serves as an on-site point of contact when assigned. Regular night and weekend work is required. Holiday, inclement-weather, and special-event assignments may also be required.

Essential Functions: The following duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. Incumbents may be assigned additional responsibilities as organizational needs evolve.

• Coordinates daily park coverage and communicates work assignments, priorities, and operating information to Park Attendants, temporary staff, or volunteers as directed by the Parks and Landscape Director. This task coordination does not include independent authority to hire, discipline, evaluate, or terminate employees.
• Patrols assigned park areas, facilities, parking areas, restrooms, playgrounds, trails, athletic fields, pavilions, and common areas to observe conditions, identify hazards, deter vandalism through visible presence, and promote appropriate public use.
• Greets park visitors, answers routine questions, provides information about park rules, hours, reservations, amenities, and facility use, and refers complex questions to the appropriate County staff.
• Monitors park activity, programs, athletic events, rentals, and community events; coordinates routine setup and closing activities; and communicates operational issues to the Parks and Landscape Director.
• Provides calm, respectful reminders regarding posted park rules and expected conduct; documents unresolved issues and requests assistance from the Parks and Landscape Director, emergency responders, or law enforcement when circumstances require escalation.
• Conducts and documents routine visual checks of playgrounds, athletic areas, restrooms, picnic areas, gates, signs, lighting, fences, fields, and equipment; reports or initiates work requests for damage, unsafe conditions, repairs, vandalism, and supply needs.
• Performs and coordinates general park and facility upkeep, including litter removal, trash collection, restroom cleaning and restocking, sweeping, blowing walkways, cleaning bleachers or dugouts, and minor custodial tasks.
• Coordinates and assists with athletic field and facility preparation, including dragging, marking, or painting fields; setting up or taking down equipment; arranging spaces for games, practices, meetings, rentals, or community programs; and returning facilities to usable condition.
• Provides access to first-aid supplies when appropriate, contacts emergency responders when needed, protects the immediate area from further risk when safe to do so, and documents incidents according to County procedures.
• Operates County vehicles, utility carts, hand tools, power tools, small equipment, and other assigned equipment safely; performs basic cleaning and inspection; and reports equipment concerns.
• Maintains schedules, coverage notes, records, logs, checklists, work orders, incident reports, supply requests, and other documentation using paper forms, radios, mobile devices, computers, or other assigned systems.
• Follows and reinforces County safety practices, department procedures, posted rules, equipment instructions, chemical safety requirements, and personal protective equipment requirements. Performs related duties as assigned that are reasonable extensions of the essential job functions.

Non-Essential / Secondary Duties

• May assist other Parks and Landscape staff with seasonal maintenance, special projects, inventory, supply pickup, storm preparation, or post-event cleanup.
• May provide basic orientation and task guidance to Park Attendants, temporary or seasonal staff, and volunteers. The position does not have formal personnel authority unless separately designated in writing.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of basic park, facility, custodial, athletic field, and grounds maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of safe operation and routine care of hand tools, power tools, small equipment, vehicles, and assigned park maintenance equipment.
• Knowledge of basic workplace safety practices, hazard recognition, PPE use, and procedures for reporting maintenance or safety concerns.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with park visitors, coworkers, supervisors, vendors, program participants, and the general public.
• Ability to provide calm, respectful, and firm rule-compliance reminders and to recognize when a matter should be escalated.
• Ability to read and follow written instructions, posted procedures, safety labels, work orders, schedules, maps, and basic maintenance documentation.
• Ability to complete basic written or electronic records, checklists, incident notes, and supply or maintenance requests.
• Ability to perform basic math needed for time records, supply counts, field measurements, and routine work documentation.
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks while exercising sound judgment and seeking guidance when situations exceed established procedures.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and contribute to a safe and welcoming public environment.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Attributes and Qualification Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED preferred; equivalent education, training, or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
• Two years of experience in parks, recreation, groundskeeping, facility operations, athletic field preparation, event support, public contact, or a closely related field preferred. Experience coordinating work assignments or facility coverage is also preferred.
• Valid Georgia driver’s license, or ability to obtain one within the timeframe established by the County, if assigned to operate County vehicles. Must meet County motor vehicle and insurability requirements for assigned driving duties.
• Ability and willingness to work a schedule that regularly includes nights and weekends. Early mornings, holidays, inclement-weather response, and special-event assignments may also be required.
• Any required background, driving, or other pre-employment screening must be job-related, consistent with County policy, and administered consistently for similarly situated positions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current First Aid, CPR, or AED certification, or ability to obtain within the timeframe established by the department.
• Experience working in a public-sector park, recreation, athletic facility, grounds maintenance, or public-facing field operations environment.
• Experience using radios, mobile work-order systems, basic computer applications, or electronic incident/documentation tools.
• Familiarity with playground safety checks, athletic field preparation, event setup, restroom/restock procedures, and visitor-service expectations.
• Bilingual communication skills may be preferred when supported by operational need.

Performance Aptitudes

• Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. This includes discretion in determining data classification and referencing such analysis to established standards to recognize actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.

Human Interaction

• Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization:
• Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Requires utilizing various references, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude

• Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include the ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may consist of the ability to compute discount, interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion; may consist of the ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning

• Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

Situational Reasoning

• Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving evaluating information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

ADA Compliance

Physical Ability:

• Tasks require moderate physical effort, including prolonged walking and standing; climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, and pulling; and lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 50 pounds, with assistance when appropriate.

Sensory Requirements

• Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals, and some require the ability to communicate orally.
• Performance of essential functions occurs primarily outdoors and may require exposure to dirt, dust, pollen, insects, cleaning products, wetness, humidity, temperature extremes, inclement weather, noise, and traffic or equipment hazards. Appropriate personal protective equipment must be used as required.

To comply with regulations by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the principal duties in job descriptions must be essential to the job. To identify essential functions, focus on the duties' purpose and result rather than how they are performed. The following definition applies: a job function is essential if removing that function would fundamentally change the job.