Park Services Division Director

Job Announcement

Fairfax County is a dynamic community with 1.1 million residents, an award‑winning park system, a top‑notch school system, safe neighborhoods, and bustling town centers. At the heart of the community is the nationally recognized leader, the Fairfax County Park Authority. A large and complex park system encompassing over 24,000 acres of land, 422 parks, an estimated 18 million park visitors, 500 full‑time employees, 2,500 seasonal employees and over 2,000 volunteers.

The Fairfax County Park Authority has been the recipient of the prestigious Gold Medal Award for the best park system in the country and is accredited by the Commission of Park and Recreation Accreditation (CAPRA) four times with 100 % compliance for every review.

The Park Authority is seeking an innovative, collaborative, business‑minded and highly experienced individual to lead the Park Authority’s Park Services Division. Reporting to the Park Authority’s Deputy Director/Chief Operating Officer, this position provides leadership, direction, and oversight to nine Recreational Centers, outdoor aquatic facilities, thousands of programs, camps and events, centralized registration and park permits, and agency‑wide inclusion and ADA services.

In addition, the role provides leadership, management, and direction to the agency’s primary enterprise division that includes five branches and more than $50 million in revenue and expense budgets; 12 park/recreation facilities (including recreation centers, parks and outdoor aquatic facilities); 100 merit staff, 2,000 exempt limited‑term staff, 1,000 volunteers; division‑wide programming (classes, camps, events and tournaments); youth services, fitness and aquatics, and central customer services, as well as agency‑wide ADA compliance for all park facility development, access and programming.

This position develops and leads the implementation of annual operational plans, human resource and organizational development plans, procedures, and policies to ensure the needs of the Fairfax County community are addressed.

As a key member of the executive director’s senior management team, the incumbent participates in the development of a variety of agency‑wide plans and initiatives. The position is responsible for the execution of components of the Park Authority’s Strategic Plan and CAPRA accreditation, identifying, assigning, and tracking workload assignments to ensure on‑time completion. The role helps develop internal and external policy and ensures compliance with all policies and procedures that govern, regulate, or guide the Park Authority.

The incumbent also publicly represents the Park Authority as the face of the agency and presents relevant information at board, council, community, and homeowners association meetings and to staff. This job is varied in nature, and the incumbent must exercise considerable leadership and independent judgment. Business acumen is essential as well as effective skills in communication, political astuteness, team building, process evaluation, supervision, managing, and working in a diverse environment.

The assigned functional areas are Recreation, Park Management, Business Management, Facility Management, or a closely related field.

A Realistic Job Preview will be held on January 12, 2026, at 1:00 PM (EST). Please utilize the link  to join the meeting to access the Realistic Job Preview meeting.

The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all‑inclusive list.

• Extensive knowledge of the principles, methods, and challenges of organization and management
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of the assigned functional area
• Oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated skills in needs assessment and strategic planning
• Ability to plan and direct the activities of a large staff
• Ability to plan and conduct staff development programs
• Ability to evaluate programs against pertinent standards
• Ability to prepare and present clear, concise financial and administrative reports
• Ability to…