Community Services and Special Events Manager

About Us

At the City of Santa Barbara, the best part of our organization is our people. As a City of Santa Barbara employee, you will work in an environment with other motivated individuals who are passionate about their work. We strive to provide employees with the support they need to thrive. Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture here.

Shape the events and spaces that define Santa Barbara. The City of Santa Barbara is seeking a skilled and community-focused professional to serve as its next Community Services and Special Events Manager. This leadership role is at the heart of how the City supports, permits, and produces many of its most cherished public gatherings—while also managing key programs that serve residents of all ages and backgrounds.

Read more about the Parks and Recreation Department here.

The Community Services and Special Events Manager oversees a dynamic portfolio of community-serving programs and high-profile public events. This position manages multiple programs, teams, and facilities that together form the backbone of the City s community services offerings.

With a strong emphasis on event planning, permitting, and interdepartmental coordination, this position plays a central role in delivering City-sponsored events and supporting the safe, successful execution of dozens of large-scale public events each year. It is also a highly visible, public-facing role that requires frequent collaboration and communication with the City Administrator’s Office, Mayor and City Council, senior leadership across City departments, nonprofit and business leaders, and community members of all backgrounds.

The ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics with professionalism, diplomacy, and responsiveness is essential to success in this position.

• Public Special Events
  Oversee coordination, permitting, and City support for large and small public events, including athletic; sporting; commercial; community and cultural events; parades; festivals and concerts. Provide high-level facilitation for major citywide events such as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Juneteenth Santa Barbara Celebration, Summer Solstice Parade and Festival, July 4th, Old Spanish Days Fiesta, the Santa Barbara Half Marathon, Milpas Holiday Parade and more.
• City-Produced Events
  Lead the planning and execution of the City’s signature events, including the Concerts in the Park series, the Children’s Fiesta Parade, and seasonal programming at the historic Plaza del Mar Park Bandshell.
• Private Event Rentals and Outdoor Venues
  Manage staff responsible for weddings, corporate events, and other private rentals at beachfront venues such as the Cabrillo Pavilion and a variety of other City venues. Oversee group picnic area and outdoor rental logistics in community parks and open spaces.
• Neighborhood and Community Services
  Direct operations and staffing for City-run community and neighborhood centers. Ensure spaces are well-maintained, accessible, and aligned with evolving community needs, including rebuilding senior programming at the newly reopened Louis Lowry Davis Center.
• Teen Leadership and Development Programs
  Oversee year-round leadership programs for teens and young adults, including the Santa Barbara Youth Council, the Arts Alliance, and the Job Apprentice Program.
• Community Gardens
  Manage staff responsible for the City s community garden program, including permits and site improvements.
• Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show
  Manage operations, permitting, and compliance for this long-standing weekly tradition that supports over 125 local artists showing and selling their works along Cabrillo Blvd.
• Food Distribution Coordination
  In partnership with the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, support weekly distributions of food and essential supplies to vulnerable populations in partnership with local nonprofits.

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team, including full-time supervisors, coordinators, administrative staff, seasonal employees, and volunteers.
• Provide strategic direction, policy guidance, and operational oversight across all assigned…