PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Job Description:

PARK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Description

DESCRIPTION

THE COMMUNITY
Ideally located on the Pacific Ocean south of Los Angeles, adjacent to Orange County, the City of Long Beach, California (population 470,000) is frequently described as a series of strong, diverse interwoven smaller communities within a large city. Enjoying an ideal Southern California climate, Long Beach is home to an abundance of cultural and recreational options. The Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, plus a wide variety of other attractions (two historic ranchos, three marinas, and five golf courses), serve to draw 6.5 million visitors a year. The City is also home to California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College. Cal State Long Beach is the second largest university in the state and was recently ranked the No. 3 best-value public college in the nation. Covering approximately 50 square miles, Long Beach is supported by a wide mix of industries with education, health and social services, manufacturing, retail trade, and professional services comprising the highest representation. Known for its livable and desirable neighborhoods, Long Beach was named by America’s Promise Alliance as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People two years in a row. While it offers all the amenities of a large metropolis, many say Long Beach offers the added benefit of having maintained a strong sense of community and cohesiveness despite its growth. A superb climate, quality schools, a vibrant downtown, and a wide variety of neighborhoods help make Long Beach one of the most livable communities in the country.

CITY GOVERNMENT
Long Beach, a charter city formed in 1897, is governed by nine City Council Members elected by district and a city-wide elected Mayor. Other elected officials include the City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Prosecutor. The elected officials are elected to staggered four-year terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Clerk. The City Manager is responsible for the efficient administration of all City departments, excluding those under the direction of a separately elected official, Board or Commission. Long Beach is one of only three cities in California with its own Health Department and one of the very few municipalities with its own Utilities Department (Water and Gas) and Energy Resources Departments.

The City is supported by a FY 2024 total budget of approximately $3.3 billion with a General Fund budget of $719 million. More than 6,000 full and part-time employees support municipal operations with the vast majority being represented by twelve employee associations. To learn more about the City of Long Beach, go to: www.longbeach.gov .

THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine is a nationally recognized and award-winning organization with 1,100 full-time/part-time staff and a budget of $85 million that makes our parks and beaches safe, welcoming spaces for all residents and visitors, putting people at the center of all that we do - including our park users, partners, and team members - to create inclusive, enriching, healthy communities for all to thrive. The Department provides stewardship of 3,200 acres of land, and offers extensive recreational, social, and cultural programs at 166 parks in nearly every one of Long Beach’s diverse neighborhoods for all ages. Long Beach’s parks system and services are unique including 27 community centers, 3 public pools, 2 historic ranchos, 5 municipal golf courses, 11 dog parks, 9 lakes and wetlands, 6 miles of beach, and the largest municipally operated marina with 3 marinas and 3,300 boat slips.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

THE POSITION
The Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine Department is seeking an enthusiastic community-oriented Park Development Officer who can strategically collaborate and leverage synergies to build relationships and develop partnerships that strengthen equitable park outcomes. The Park Development Officer is responsible for the development and maintenance of master plans; capital budget plans and cost estimates; grant applications and grant compliance; and new, rehabilitated, and expanded parks, open space, facilities, and habitat.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, who oversees the Business Operations Bureau, the Park Development Officer is responsible for:

• Overseeing Park master planning for the City’s parks system which includes functional and master planning, acquisition, and design and development of land for parks, recreation, open space, and beach, short- and long-term planning and project tracking, developing funding plans, and collaboration with Public Works for project design and construction.
• Reviewing development projects for design conformance and accuracy and performs complex professional planning assignments requiring knowledge of land development, planning, design standards and regulations, construction, and maintenance.
• Assisting in implementing the Department’s Strategic Plan, the City’s Open Space Element and the annual Capital Improvement Program that includes community and neighborhood facilities, bicycle and hiking trails, and open space preservation.
• Serving as a liaison to the Department’s internal and external stakeholders for all park planning, community engagement, development, and capital projects.
• Building strong relationships with possible partners, community groups, educational institutions.
• Providing project specific coordination with internal/external stakeholders to development activities, including design, plan check, construction, tracking and reporting, and community facilitation.
• Providing oversight for the Department’s grant activities, including grant writing, grant administration, coordination with granting agencies, and grant closeout.
• Managing the Department’s CIP budget, including short-term and long-term CIP plans, scope of work, cost estimates, and coordination with Financial Management and Public Works Departments;
• Preparing, presenting, and facilitating written and oral reports for various audiences, including commissions, City Council and community groups.
• Selects, trains, motivates, and disciplines subordinate employees.
• Oversees a work unit featuring one (1) Administrative Analyst III and one (1) Clerk Typist III.
• Performs other related duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS TO FILE

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Public Administration, or a closely related field (proof required) however, candidates may substitute experience offering specific and substantial preparation for the duties of the position for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible project management and/or planning experience in a public sector environment; one (1) year of the required experience must have been at a lead or supervisory level.
• Candidates must possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license at the time of selection.

DESIRABLES:

• A Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Status as a licensed Landscape Architect or licensed Civil Engineer.

The successful candidate will possess the following:

• Ability to be sensitive to the needs of the community and community leaders.
• Strong public speaking skills, with the ability to address complex topics.
• Ability to proactively manage a high volume of outbound and inbound activities across team members and contacts in a deadline-driven environment.
• A flexible and creative approach to work and ability to thrive in a fast-paced and constantly-shifting environment.
• Ability to initiate, develop and maintain productive working relationships with the wide variety of stakeholders who are critical to the success of our work.
• Ability to identify opportunities and synergies where partnerships can be developed for mutual benefit.
• Ability to use data to make data-driven decisions and process improvements.
• Ability to creatively solve problems while adhering to policies and procedures amidst differing public scrutiny and complex environmental factors.
• Experience navigating bureaucracy, managing programs and budgets, and interacting with and influencing various staff across the organization to move work through implementation steps to achieve progress or completion.
• Ability to lead staff effectively while focusing on customer service and communication with partners, lessees, and contract providers.
• Understanding of issues of equity, how it impacts the Department’s operation and can use equity tools to influence outcomes.
• An appreciation of positive community impact and the ability to relate how their work is tied to outcomes that make Long Beach better.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

This recruitment will close at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on November 22, 2024. To be considered, applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and proof of education (if qualifying with a degree) in PDF format. Applications will be reviewed for depth and breadth of experience, and for level and relatedness of education. The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in further selection procedures.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered.

The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are. Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners. We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act .

The City of Long Beach is committed to maintaining fairness and transparency in our hiring practices. We believe in providing equal opportunities to all applicants and ensuring that every applicant is evaluated based on their qualifications and merit. If you believe that you have been unjustly disqualified based on minimum qualifications for an unclassified job opportunity, you have the right to appeal the decision. Find out more about the Unclassified Applicant Appeal Process by visiting Applicant Appeal Process (longbeach.gov) .

The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call (562) 570-6314.

In support of the City’s Language Access Policy, bilingual skills (Spanish, Khmer and/or Tagalog) are desirable for positions interacting with the public.

For technical support with your governmentjobs.com application, please contact (855) 524-5627.

The City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally.As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:

Retirement:California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. The benefit is 2.5% or 2.7% (depending on hire date) @55 for "Classic" members and 2% @62 for new members as defined by PEPRA, subject to the compensation limitations set by PERS. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The city also participates in Social Security.

Health and Dental Insurance:The City offers the choice of HMO and PPO plans. The city pays major portion of the premium for employee and dependents depending on the health/ dental plan selected.

Life Insurance:City-paid term life insurance policy equal to three (3) times annual salary to a maximum of $500,000.

Disability Insurance:City-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.

Management Physical:Annual City-paid physical examination.

Vacation:Twelve (12) vacation days after the first year of service; 15 days after four years, six months of service; 20 days after 19 years, six months of service.

Executive Leave:Forty (40) hours Executive Leave per year. The City Manager has discretion to grant an additional 40 hours each year.

Sick Leave: One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums, or to pension credits.

Holidays:Eleven (11) designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays to be used at the employee's discretion.

Transportation Allowance:Monthly allowance is allocated by classifications below;

• Department Head $650.00
• Deputy Director/Manager/Director (Harbor/Utilities) $550.00
• Division Officer/Superintendent/ Chief of Staff / Administrator / Principal DCA $450.00
• Assistant to Executive / Executive Assistant / Executive Secretary/ Executive Support Staff $300.00

Deferred Compensation Plan:Optional for employee contribution to a supplementary retirement savings program available through Mission Square Retirement formerly ICMA-RC Retirement Corporation).

• Classic CalPERS Members: The City will contribute a maximum of up to two percent (2%) of base salary* for all qualified Classic CalPERS members.
• Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) CalPERS Members: Effective the second full pay period following City Council adoption, the City contribution will increase from two percent (2%) to three percent (3%) of base salary* for all qualified PEPRA CalPERS members.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA):Optional election for employees to reduce taxable income for payment of allowable childcare or medical expenses.

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule:Available (subject to City Manager approval).

Paid Parental Leave: The City provides one hundred and sixty (160) hours of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of salary, for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child, regardless of the gender, marital status or sexual orientation of the parent.

Closing Date/Time: 11/22/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$106,051.90 - $151,501.52 Annually