Parks Director - Unclassified (Open)

Job Description:

Parks Director - Unclassified (Open)

Description

Description

The County of San Mateo is currently seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of

PARKS DIRECTOR

Please view the online brochure for a detailed description of this position and instructions on how to apply.

The Role:

San Mateo County is seeking an innovative, collaborative, and visionary leader to serve as its next Parks Director.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a nationally recognized parks system encompassing more than 16,000 acres of parkland, approximately 200 miles of trails, historic sites, recreational facilities, and environmentally sensitive habitats spanning the Pacific Coast to San Francisco Bay.

The next Parks Director will guide the long-term stewardship of the County's natural resources while expanding access to parks and recreation facilities, strengthening community partnerships, advancing sustainability initiatives, mitigating the threat of wildfires, and ensuring an exceptional visitor experience for residents and visitors alike.

Reporting to the County Executive, the Director oversees all operations, planning, resource management, capital projects, recreation services, and strategic initiatives for the County's parks system. The Director partners closely with the Parks Commission, Friends organizations, community organizations, elected officials, volunteers, environmental stakeholders, and regional agencies to advance the County's vision for parks and open space, and meet the diverse recreational needs of County residents. The Director manages a $41.6 million budget and leads a staff of 85, including an Assistant Director, Parks Superintendent, Natural Resources Manager, County Arborist, 63 Rangers, and various maintenance, finance, and administrative staff.

Note: The Parks Director position is unclassified and not governed by Civil Service Rules.

Strategic Priorities:

• Ensure delivery and completion of complex infrastructure and parks improvement projects that will modernize the parks facilities and services requiring strategic thinking, political astuteness, and balancing competing demands.
• Maintain Department’s commitment to innovation, the expansion of recreation amenities to meet the public’s evolving interests, and delivery of quality services to residents and visitors.
• Lead climate resilience and natural resource management efforts to address forest health conditions, habitat protection, sea level rise, and other environmental challenges.
• Continue to develop, permit, and implement critical wildfire mitigation projects including reducing fuel loads in county parks, creation of fuel breaks in strategic locations, and improving ingress and egress for first responders.
• Balance public access and recreation with science-based stewardship of sensitive habitats, protected species, and unique resources, including San Bruno Mountain, Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve, and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and adaptable workforce prepared to meet growing public demands for outdoor recreation, conservation, and visitor services.
• Strengthen partnerships with the San Mateo County Parks Foundation and other supporters to expand funding through donor engagement; and pursue grants, and state and federal resources.
• Build upon strong relationships with volunteers, community organizations, advocacy groups, and regional partners to advance the Department's mission and strengthen long-term support for parks.

The Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate is an experienced public sector executive and relationship builder who combines strategic vision with operational excellence and has a sound understanding of parks systems, operations, management and funding; understands field staff needs and provides clear direction relative to department goals and objectives.

They will bring:

A demonstrated commitment to public service, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Experience leading complex organizations, budgets, capital projects, and multidisciplinary teams. Political acumen and the ability to build productive partnerships with elected officials, commissions, community organizations, and regional stakeholders. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with a leadership style that fosters trust, accountability, and inclusion. The ability to navigate competing priorities and make thoughtful, data-informed decisions. A track record of driving organizational improvement, innovation, and sustainable long-term results. A passion for parks, recreation, conservation, and creating meaningful community experiences.

Application/Examination
To apply for this opportunity, please submit the required application materials by clicking on the APPLY button above. Email submissions will not be accepted.

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter that is no more than 3-pages long that highlights the following:
   • Why you are interested in this position;
   • What relevant leadership experience you would bring to this role; and
   • A recent and significant professional accomplishment that demonstrates your ability to successfully implement complex projects while navigating internal and external stakeholder relationships.

The examination process for this recruitment will consist of a Resume/Cover Letter Screening, and a multi-panel interview process which may include a writing component. Applicants must successfully pass the Resume/Cover Letter Screening to move forward to the interview process. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

Recruitment Timeline (subject to change)

Final Filing Date July 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST

Application Screening Week of August 3, 2026

Panel Interviews (in person) Week of August 17, 2026

Finalist Interviews (in person) Week of August 24, 2026

The Parks Director position is unclassified and is not governed by Civil Service Rules.

About San Mateo County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 770,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities. The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

If you have questions regarding this position, please send an email to Lisa Yapching at [email protected].