Manager – Programs & Events, Riverfront Fort Wayne

Manager - Programs & Events, Riverfront Fort Wayne

Parks and Recreation
Schedule: 40 hours per week; evenings, weekends, and holidays required

Have you turned your degree in Event Management, Parks and Recreation, or Marketing, experiences people remember? Can you lead a team, manage budgets and rentals, build partnerships, and bring large community programs and events to life? Riverfront Fort Wayne is looking for a creative, hands-on leader to turn great ideas into memorable experiences along Fort Wayne's rivers.

Lead the programs, events, rentals, staff, and daily operations that make Riverfront Fort Wayne a welcoming and engaging destination. This position manages approximately seven full-time, three part-time, and eight seasonal employees while balancing programming, customer service, safety, financial performance, and community needs.

• Plan, develop, promote, and evaluate year-round recreational programs, educational activities, special events, and private rentals.
• Recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and develop full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees and volunteers.
• Oversee budgets, contracts, purchasing, program expenses, revenue, attendance, facility use, and performance measures.
• Coordinate facility operations, event logistics, maintenance needs, vendors, permits, safety requirements, and emergency response.
• Build partnerships, sponsor ships, grants, fundraising opportunities, and relationships with community organizations, businesses, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as a working manager who can step in to support programs, events, rentals, setup, teardown, and other operational needs.

• Bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation, Public Administration, Communications, Marketing, Event Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Two to three years of progressively responsible experience developing, coordinating, and evaluating public programs, special events, and community activities.
• Experience with both fee-based and publicly supported programs.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, budgeting, problem-solving, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to manage changing priorities and work effectively with employees, volunteers, contractors, community partners, and the public.

• Valid Indiana driver's license.
• Ability to obtain First Aid and CPR certification within the first year of employment.
• Ability to frequently lift or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Spanish or Burmese language skills are a plus.

This is an opportunity to lead programs and events that strengthen our community and help residents and visitors experience Fort Wayne's riverfront. City employees also receive a competitive benefits package that includes health coverage, paid time off, holidays, and participation in Indiana's public employee retirement program.

Equal Opportunity Employer.