Summary:  The Deputy Director serves as a key member of the organization’s executive leadership team and is responsible for overseeing and advancing a broad portfolio of natural resources and conservation, operations, grounds and facility maintenance, planning and capital projects, business development, and customer service. This role ensures the effective stewardship of the park district’s physical assets, natural areas, and infrastructure while enhancing the overall visitor experience through improvement of parks, facilities, amenities, and service.

The Deputy Director promotes and implements the policies and regulatory requirements, while ensuring the timely resolution of operational issues, proactively identifying, and mitigating potential challenges, and formulating strategies to reduce their impact. 

The Deputy Director of Operations and Strategic Development serves as a key advisor to the Executive Director and plays a critical role in long range planning, capital improvements, land acquisition, strategic initiatives, and revenue generation, while advancing alignment with MetroParks’ mission, values, and strategic goals.  

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities – Essential Functions:

• Provides leadership to assigned management teams through regular interaction and communications and provides guidance, support, and professional development opportunities.
• Develops and implements departmental goals pursuant to organizational objectives, measures achievement levels and reports Coordinates resources to maximize overall organizational efficiencies and to ensure that park district quality, safety, and legal requirements are met. Delegates and prioritizes tasks and functions to reach short and long-term organizational goals.
• Drives long-range development plans across the park district, including capital improvements and land acquisition by sourcing partners and funding to reach objectives.
• Manages MetroParks’ capital improvement plan.
• Prepares and monitors budgets and authorizes the expenditure of funds, ensuring adherence to purchasing, budgetary and administrative procedures and policies.
• Oversees Operations which manages all aspects of park properties including grounds and facility maintenance to ensure safety, cleanliness, and compliance with all applicable codes.
• Provides oversight of Natural Resources and Conservation, which plans and implements resource management strategies that support biodiversity, ecological restoration, and land stewardship.
• Directs the Planning division that ensures completion and implementation of long-term infrastructure, asset management, and capital improvement plans.
• Oversees Business Development to ensure the pursuit of opportunities for revenue generation that meets organizational objectives, values, and mission.
• Advances the highest and best use of the Voice of America Athletic Complex for maximum exposure, economic impact and revenue generation.
• Provides strategic leadership for all customer service functions across the organization and ensures alignment of customer experience initiatives with district goals, programming, and public feedback.
• Projects an approachable, energetic, and dynamic persona that aids in the establishment of early and lasting credibility throughout the community. Attends community meetings and gatherings of affiliated organizations as a representative of MetroParks; conducts meetings and makes presentations as needed to further the interests of MetroParks.
• Operates motor vehicles and other equipment as necessary to fulfill assigned job functions and duties.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Provides positive interaction, creates connections and values teamwork with staff at all levels.
• Understands the importance of community collaboration and actively supports the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
• Strives to seek opportunities and has a willingness to bring ideas forward.
• Ability to consistently provide positive and unique experiences for guests.
• Understands and provides good customer service and is welcoming to all members of the public and staff.
• Understands financial responsibility and has a commitment to being personally accountable for how work is performed.
• Ability to work unsupervised, to organize and coordinate, to prioritize and self-initiate, and to manage tasks.
• Ability to effectively and appropriately deal with confidential information.
• Collects, synthesizes, analyzes, and interprets complex data to inform strategic decision-making.

• Demonstrated proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.  Forward thinker who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.

• Leadership skills (individual and team): coaching, team building, goal setting, decision-making, handling conflict, systems-building and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of federal and state employment law, regulations, and procedures within public organizations.
• In-depth interpersonal skills: demonstrated emotional intelligence; proven track record of establishing and maintaining critical relationships internally and externally; demonstrated trust and integrity. Accountability in all areas of responsibility.
• Computer proficiency: understanding and proficiency in the operation of business information systems, as well as Microsoft Office products.

Required Education and Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree in public administration, parks and recreation, business administration, urban planning, or a related field.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive leadership experience in public administration, organization management, natural resource management, or a related field.
• A minimum of two years of budgeting experience in the public sector.
• A valid driver’s license with an acceptable motor vehicle record allowing insurability by MetroParks’ current vehicle insurance carrier under existing coverage provisions. Candidates for employment may not have more than 4 total points (or equivalent penalty) issued by a recognized licensing authority for driving-related violations on their driving record at the time of employment.
• No history of felony convictions.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Natural Resource Management, Public Administration or a related field.

• Certified Parks and Recreation Professional

Work Environment & Schedule:

This position is a full-time, exempt position that performs supervisory, administrative, and confidential tasks, has the authority to recommend and approve personnel actions, and requires the regular use of independent judgment. Employee generally works in an office environment during regular office hours but may be required to work occasionally for evening or weekend events.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stay in a stationary position and constantly operate a computer and other office machinery.  This employee may occasionally move up to 25 pounds.  Reasonable accommodation will be made for known physical limitations of qualified employees and applicants with disabilities.

The position functions and responsibilities are illustrative only and do not represent all the duties or tasks to be assigned or performed by an employee with this position title.

Alternates to the above qualifications may be acceptable as approved by the Executive Director.

About MetroParks of Butler County

MetroParks is Butler County’s local large greenspace provider, connecting people to over 4,000 acres of preserved land in 10 accessible quality parks, open daily to park customer/owners, from 8:00 a.m. until dark, thanks to your support!As a land management conservation agency MetroParks promotes many opportunities to explore life outdoors by protecting at least 80% of all land holdings and managing them as a natural landscapes. In doing so MetroParks protects valuable outdoor resources is able to increase native plant and wildlife diversity to enhance your experience in these beautiful open spaces and breath taking views. By protecting this land, it enhances the quality of life for all and provides the potential to provide a positive economic impact for the entire region MetroParks serves.

Connections working at MetroParks of Butler County