Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services

PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR

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Employer:

City of Culver City, CA

Salary Up To: $194,358 - $237,234 DOE/DOQ

The City of Culver City, CA (City) is seeking a transformative Director who is prepared to push beyond traditional parks and recreation models, embrace innovation, and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to programming, partnerships, financial sustainability, and large-scale park development delivery to guide its Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department (PRCS) into its next era. As the City transitions from planning to implementation of its newly adopted 2025 Citywide Parks Plan, this is a rare opportunity to shape the next chapter of a highly visible and community-centered department.

The Director will lead an organization responsible for parks, recreation programming, community services, and civic facilities that define quality of life in Culver City. The City is looking for an executive who is prepared to push beyond traditional parks and recreation models, embrace innovation, and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to programming, partnerships, and financial sustainability. The ideal candidate will combine strong leadership, political acumen, and creative resource development to position PRCS as a modern, high-performing civic enterprise.

Qualified leaders who are prepared to drive implementation, strengthen performance, and bring entrepreneurial energy to public service are encouraged to apply.

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The Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services (Director) reports directly to the Assistant City Manager and serves as a key member of the City’s executive leadership team. This unclassified executive-level position provides overall leadership and strategic direction for park development and maintenance, recreation facilities and programming, senior and social services, community events, and civic facility operations.

The Director oversees PRCS’s approximately $14.1M FY26 budget, five (5) direct reports, thirty (30) indirect reports, and a significant seasonal and part-time workforce. This role requires strong fiscal stewardship and disciplined organizational leadership.

With adoption of the Citywide Parks Plan, the next Director will lead PRCS into an important implementation phase. The City is seeking a leader who can translate vision into execution while strengthening operational performance and financial sustainability.

The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:

• Experience leading park development or capital improvement initiatives from planning through implementation
• Demonstrate advanced financial management acumen, including long-range forecasting, revenue diversification, cost recovery strategies, and alternative funding models.
• A proven track record on leveraging regional opportunities, corporate sponsor ships, and community partnerships.
• Strengthening accountability and reinforcing performance standards
• Modernizing programming and service delivery models
• Serving as a confident and strategic advisor to the City Manager, Council, and Commission

Beyond technical qualifications, this role demands a strong and steady leader. PRCS includes diverse personalities and operational complexities, and success will require clear expectations, consistent accountability, and the ability to align the organization around shared priorities. The Director must also be comfortable engaging with passionate and highly invested community members. PRCS services are deeply valued, and the ability to navigate vocal public input with professionalism and balance is essential.

Culver City is also seeking a charismatic and influential leader with an entrepreneurial mindset. The ideal candidate understands how to creatively expand resources, cultivate corporate and community partnerships, and effectively market programs and assets to maximize community impact. Equally important is executive maturity. The Director must be comfortable operating in a collaborative executive environment, providing candid and well-reasoned guidance to the City Manager, and offering thoughtful, professional input to elected and…