Parks Operations Manager

Kinsley Power Systems; Aspen (CO); On-site; USD 106,642 - 159,994; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedules

Paid time off & holidays

Wellness bonuses

Tuition reimbursement

Transportation benefits

Retirement options

Job summary

City of Aspen seeks a Parks Operations Manager to direct parks, athletic fields, ditches, irrigation, and related facilities. Lead staff, set safety programs, and align with departmental goals to maintain high-quality city assets.

The role supervises Parks Field Supervisors, the Park Mechanic, and Field Superintendent, with strong emphasis on planning, event coordination, and collaboration with other departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Parks Management, Business Administration, Horticulture, Forestry or related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible parks, trails, or open space maintenance or operations including supervisory experience.
• Valid Colorado Driver’s License (or ability to obtain within 30 days).
• Experience developing or implementing staff training programs and safety initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership for maintenance and management of the City’s parks, playgrounds, gardens, and recreational assets.
• Establishes maintenance standards and work programs for summer and winter operations.
• Oversees irrigation systems, ditches, and water usage auditing with utilities.
• Plans and implements small to medium capital improvement projects; ensures project completion.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Safety

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Parks Management, Business Administration, Horticulture, Forestry or related field

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Word

Excel

ERP (Oracle)

CMMS

SAAS

Job description

Job Postings Closing Dates: A job posting may close before the listed deadline if the number of applications reaches the limit for that position. If the original deadline produced fewer applications than expected, the posting may remain open longer.

Application: The application must be filled out completely; stating \"see resume\" anywhere in the application, is not an acceptable substitute for a completed application.

Application Notification: Please note that some communications from the Human Resources department may be sent from [e-mail].

Pay Ranges:
Hiring Range: The hiring range covers the starting segment of the pay scale, from the entry point up to the first quartile (Q1). Starting pay is determined based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
Salary Range: The salary range reflects the full pay range for the position, from the minimum rate to the maximum rate. This represents the earning potential employees can achieve over time while in the role.

Serve Your Community, Grow Your Career, and Enjoy Great Benefits:

Up to $3,000 Sign On Bonus may be available.

• Be part of a collaborative, supportive team in a positive work environment
• Make a real impact in the Aspen community through meaningful public service
• Enjoy flexible schedules and a collaborative, supportive team environment
• Access generous paid time off, holidays, and wellness bonuses
• Take advantage of free or discounted transportation around Aspen and the Valley
• Grow your skills with professional development and tuition reimbursement
• Protect your health with medical, dental, vision, and employee assistance programs
• Earn monetary wellness bonuses for healthy lifestyle choices
• Plan for the future with competitive retirement options (Social Security, 401a, 457b, Roth IRA) and life/disability insurance
  

The City of Aspen is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Title: Parks Operations Manager
Department: Parks and Open Space
Classification: Exempt

Hiring Range: $106,642/annual - $119,995/annual (DOE)
Salary Range: $106,642/annual - $159,994/annual

Position Summary: Performs professional and technical level work in directing and managing the operations of the City parks, athletic fields, ditches, irrigation systems, downtown core and pedestrian mall, as well as the Parks Department campus and related facilities. This position provides leadership in staff training, operational best practices, and implementation of department-wide safety programs and programs consistent with the organization’s values and mission statement.

Supervision Exercised and Received: Position works under the direct supervision of the Parks and Open Space Director. Exercises direct supervision over Parks Field Supervisors (4), the Parks Mechanic, and the Field Superintendent.

Essential Job Functions:

Operations

• Provides strategic leadership for the maintenance and management of the City's parks, playgrounds, gardens, and recreational assets and collaborates with park leadership to establish goals for those programs.
• Establishes maintenance standards, operational procedures, and work programs and organizes teams to ensure that maintenance standards are met for both summer and winter operations.
• Provides oversights of irrigation system functionality and ditches, and work in partnership with the utilities department to track and audit water consumption in line with conditions and values.
• Responsible for planning and implementation of small to medium capital improvement projects and ensures project completion.
• Actively coordinates with internal design teams, design consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders throughout project development, serving a key role in the transition from park construction to ongoing maintenance to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of City assets.
• Acts as department lead in special event planning, permitting, and oversight of events, including planning logistics in partnership with special events staff.
• Works collaboratively with the Downtown Business Liaison to promote downtown core and pedestrian mall maintenance, upkeep, and business support.
• Responsible for the inspection program and maintenance of City playgrounds.
• Participates in the development and implementation of an Integrated Pest Management plan in partnership with other department staff, specifically for turf and athletic fields.
• Performs site inspections, audits, or other field visits in order to ensure quality and safety standards are met. Responds decisively to unforeseen or emergent tasks.
• Encourages innovation, distributes work based on available resources and priorities, and assists team members when needed or in difficult or unfamiliar work assignments.

General Administration

• Regularly communicates and collaborates with other city departments, stakeholders, the general public, vendors and contractors.
• Manages parks operations materials, services and seasonal and full-time labor budgets. Authorizes purchases and expenditures for assigned department staff. Monitors and tracks inventory, orders, and purchases supplies to maintain adequate inventory.
• Assists the Parks and Open Space Director with capital project planning and budgeting, as well as operational budget preparation.
• Negotiates and administers a variety of service and supply contracts. Manages annual operating and capital budgets, including tracking and adjusting work programs as required.
• Establishes clear expectations for supervisors and lead staff to conduct regular safety briefings, field coaching, skills verification, and follow-up training to ensure employees are prepared to perform work safely and effectively.
• Executes leadership and supervision responsibilities through sound judgment, focusing on quality improvement, managing and resolving conflict, fostering a culture of accountability, clearly defining responsibilities and expectations, setting goals, providing motivation and performance feedback, recognizing contributions, and actively coaching staff through training, development, and safe work practices.
• Responds to concerns and complaints associated with all aspects of maintenance operations in a timely manner.

Fleet Management

• Manages the Parks and Open Space department fleet, including supervision of the mechanic.
• Responsible for long-term budget and planning for fleet vehicles and equipment.
• Act as the lead for vehicle and equipment purchases including procurement and contract preparation.
• Leads vehicle efficiency planning and analysis with goals of reducing emissions and electrification, and coordination within the department for equipment selection with the goal of ensuring vehicle and work efficiency.

City Organizational Values

• Supports and models the City of Aspen organizational values: Service, Partnership, Stewardship, and Innovation. Organizational values are shared principles that guide behavior across the organization. This position is responsible for upholding and applying these values while performing daily work functions.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Core Competencies: Displays the following key competencies and behaviors in the overall job performance to include knowledge, skills and abilities:

Service: Provides service with excellence, humility, integrity, and respect in daily work, builds trust by listening, treats people with respect, acknowledges opportunities for improvement, and follows through with commitments.

Partnership: Actively creates strong, supportive internal and external relationships to attain a common goal and achieve greater impact together.

Stewardship: Balances social, environmental, and financial responsibilities, evaluating the impact of decision making on a thriving future for all.

Innovation: Develops technical expertise to pursue new ideas and creative outcomes, grounded in Aspen’s unique culture, opportunities and challenges.

Communication: Knowledge of effective and appropriate communication. Ability to use knowledge effectively in various contexts which may require oral, written, visual and non-verbal communication.

Interpersonal: Works to develop strength in interpersonal skills. Has the ability to work well with diverse groups of people, both inside and outside the organization.

Technology: Demonstrates technology skills sufficient for the nature and level of position. Demonstrates a willingness to learn new technologies and transition job duties accordingly to support technological advances and innovation.

Maintenance & Construction: Knowledge of the materials, methods, and tools involved in maintenance or construction of turf fields, irrigation systems, ditch systems, playgrounds, hardscapes, natural resources or forestry.

Equipment & Tools: Knowledge of relevant machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Parks & Open Space Operations: Knowledge of the principles and practices of modern parks and open space programs, equipment and facilities required in a comprehensive parks and open space program, and the principles and practices of maintenance, construction, project management and planning and design.

Team Building: Works to build and maintain high performing teams that includes appreciating differences and reinforcing a sense of belonging.

Staff Training & Development: Ability to assess staff training needs, develop and deliver effective onboarding and ongoing training, coach employees in field practices, and support skill development for full-time, seasonal, and temporary staff.

Safety Program Leadership: Knowledge of workplace safety principles, risk identification, safety training practices, incident prevention, documentation, and continuous improvement in a field operations environment.

Accountability & Trust: Follows through on commitments, takes responsibility for outcomes, and values relationships.

Strategic Thinking: Works to bring a strategic focus to daily work, anticipates problems and considers solutions.

Business Acumen: Demonstrates understanding of business processes, objectives, and goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Parks Management, Business Administration, Horticulture, Forestry or related field. Associates degree may be considered in conjunction with other experience or qualifications.

Experience: Five years of progressively responsible parks, trails, or open space maintenance or operations which included three years of supervisory experience, preferably of multiple crews. Experience developing or implementing staff training programs and administering workplace safety practices or safety programs.

Technical Knowledge: Must be proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel. Knowledge of software systems for municipal functions such as ERP (Oracle), CMMS, and other software as a service (SAAS). Technical knowledge of turf science, facilities management, irrigation, green stormwater infrastructure, and horticulture.

Licenses & Certifications: Must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s License or be able to obtain one within 30 days of start date.

Preferred Candidate: Has experience developing and implementing staff training programs and safety initiatives; has STMA certification (CSFM or progress towards), is a Qualified Supervisor or Certified Operator for pesticide chemical use through the Colorado Department of Agriculture, is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector, and has experience with GIS. Has experience managing multiple crews working across a variety of disciplines.

NOTE: Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required abilities, knowledge and skills as determined by the City of Aspen may be substituted for the requirements above.
NOTE: This position requires a Criminal Background Check upon hire. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a Criminal Background Check.

Position Type and Work Hours:

• Regular full time, typically Monday through Friday though hours may vary with workload.
• Evenings/Weekends may be required depending on department needs and special projects.
• Special Events: May be required to work special events and occasionally during holiday periods.
• May occasionally be required to work outside of normal business hours to support operational needs, emergencies, meetings, or special events.

Work Environment:

• Indoors: Work is primarily in office environment.
• Outdoors/Off-Site: Work is occasionally performed outdoors and involves exposure to a variety of temperature and weather conditions. Meetings, trainings, and site visits at a variety of city facilities and areas.

Physical Demands:

Visual Acuity: Ability to bring objects into focus.

Balancing: Maintaining equilibrium.

Bending: Bending or position oneself to move an object from one level to another.

Carrying: transporting or moving an object.

Crouching: Bending body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

Climbing: Ascending or descending stationary objects.

Eye/Hand/Foot Coordination: Performing work through using two or more body parts or other devices.

Gripping/Grasping: Ability to apply pressure with fingers and palm.

Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, through use of hands, fingers, or other means.

Hearing: Perceiving and comprehending the nature and direction of sounds.

Kneeling: Bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees.

Lifting: Moving objects weighing no more than 40 pounds from one level to another.

Pushing/Pulling: Ability to use upper extremities to exert force in order to press, draw, drag or haul objects in a sustained motion.

Reaching: Extending the hands and arms or other device in any direction.

Repetitive motions: Making frequent or continuous movements.

Sitting: Remaining in a stationary position.

Standing: Ability to sustain position for a period of time.

Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.

Talking: Communicating ideas or exchanging information.

Walking: Ability to move to traverse from one location to another.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description is designed to indicate the general nature and level of work. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.