Director of Park and Recreation Planning (Senior-level/Leadership)
We are excited to be growing our parks and recreation planning team and are seeking to fill a leadership role with an experienced Director of Park and Recreation Planning. We are seeking a senior-level professional who has a minimum of fifteen (15) years of experience and the passion and skills to develop equity-based park system plans for cities, counties and park districts. You would join our diverse team of professionals in one of the following offices: Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; San Antonio, TX; Brooklyn, NY, or any of our Northern or Southern, CA offices.
MIG supports a hybrid work-from-home/remote and in-office schedule and encourages in-person work for learning and team-building opportunities. Leaders at MIG should plan to work in the office at least twice per week to lead teams, provide mentorship, and contribute to office culture. Proof of up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination is required for in-person work.
Responsibilities
Collaborative Teammate: You will work as part of a cross-office, cross-disciplinary team that brings together staff interested in in supporting park equity and access, urban planning, park and play area design, active transportation, historic preservation, and public engagement for public and private-sector clients across the U.S.
Project Types: You will be involved in many aspects of developing park, recreation, and open space plans for cities, counties, and park districts; plus conducting needs assessments; recreation facility studies; trail plans; and strategic plans for park agencies.
Project Work: This work involves writing, developing, and analyzing content to create forward-thinking plans, reports, materials, and presentations. You will coordinate with and guide other planners, designers, and project specialists in producing graphically-illustrated reports and plans; preparing and making presentations; facilitating or attending meetings; conducting project research and synthesizing data; conducting site visits or assessments; and leading outreach and engagement activities. The position requires analyzing and developing recommendations related to park condition, demographics, trends, community needs, level of service, park access, recreation programs and events, maintenance and operations, capital projects, and funding/implementation strategies.
Project Management and Oversight: Directors and Principals at MIG work hands-on on our projects by contributing to high-quality planning documents and other deliverables; maintaining client relationships; identifying the correct course of action to the client; representing clients at public hearings and meetings; and set the standards for excellence, responsiveness, and accountability. As a Project Manager, you would be leading planning teams to create bold, innovative, and equitable park planning and design solutions. You will oversee the development of work products; lead internal and external subconsultant and client teams; and develop and manage projects including scopes of work, budgets, and schedules. In addition, Project Managers at MIG maintain client relationships; represent clients at public hearings and meetings; and set standards for excellence, responsiveness, and accountability.
Client Relationships: You will help build and maintain strong, responsive client interactions by developing and maintaining relationships, developing and implementing marketing strategies, preparing proposals, and helping to define market gaps and new opportunities.
Leadership Role: Directors and Principals are leaders at MIG, working together with staff to: mentor and train, ensure effective project management, conduct business development, and keep an eye on MIG’s vision, purpose, and reputation in the professional and regulatory community. You will also help facilitate firmwide collaboration for the team, level workloads, lead team meetings, and may supervise staff and complete performance reviews.
MIG works on projects nationwide. Some travel, evening, and weekend work will be required for meetings, engagement activities, and site evaluations. We encourage a healthy work-life balance, and these excess hours can be offset during the week when possible.
Qualifications
To accomplish the responsibilities, you will be able to deliver quality work products, manage competing priorities, think critically and creatively, work as part of a collaborative team in an open environment, and maintain a sense of humor and camaraderie. In addition, you have some combination of the following qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree in planning, urban design, parks and recreation management, recreation and tourism, geography, landscape architecture, or related field. (A Master’s degree is a plus.)
- This is a senior-level leadership position which typically requires a minimum of fifteen (15) or more years of experience in urban park system planning, including developing need assessments and park system master plans. Experience producing park plan documents is required. (Consulting/private-sector experience is a plus).
- Demonstrated experience managing and overseeing private-sector projects, including maintaining compliance with project contracts, drafting and managing scopes budgets, maintaining schedules, as well as working with clients and partners to execute project work.
- The ability to prepare and deliver effective public presentations, lead working meetings, and speak easily and clearly in front of groups and facilitate client and stakeholder meetings.
- The ability to actively participate in marketing and business development opportunities, create proposals for prospective projects, participate in interviews, and develop and maintain potential client and partner relationships.
- An ability to develop collaborative, productive, and respectful relationships with community members, organizations, and partners.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. (Graphics skills are a plus.)
- The ability to participate in or lead meetings, speak easily and clearly in front of groups, and facilitate or support public presentations, client and stakeholder meetings.
- Software proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Creative Suite.
- Familiarity with park and recreation systems planning, trends, metrics and/or services.
- A willingness to join one of MIG’s identified offices to work directly with our teams and clients.
- As a plus, you are bilingual.