Executive Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services (EM)
The City of Santa Ana invites your interest in the position of Executive Director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services.
The Executive Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services reports to an Assistant City Manager and manages the operations of the department. As part of the Executive Management team, the Executive Director works collaboratively with other department executives to achieve Citywide goals and objectives while ensuring mutual success. Oversight of the department includes hundreds of recreation programs annually, parks, community centers, fitness courts, recreational trails, municipal swimming pools, community gardens, senior centers, log cabins, skate parks, lakes, tennis center, stadium, golf course operations, and the Santa Ana Zoo.
Ideal Candidate
The City seeks a polished professional that thrives in a fast-paced collaborative environment with a robust focus on solutions and delivering results. The ideal candidate will have a proven performance record in managing significant recreational and cultural priorities. The Executive Director will be a strategic thinker and a visionary with the ability to work side by side with colleagues to problem solve and execute plans that achieve the City's objectives of developing exciting yet distinctive programs to bring all segments of the community together. The successful candidate will have expertise in the areas of parks and recreation management and have an ability to balance resources while keeping community needs at the center of decision-making.
The Executive Director will have an engaging management style with a successful record of creating and implementing innovative and nontraditional approaches to challenges while maintaining positive energy and enthusiasm within the department. As this is a community-facing position, compassion and skill in providing services to vulnerable communities and creating partnerships with local non-profits and other community based organizations is necessary.
Minimum Qualifications
Candidates must possess a minimum of eight (8) years of experience of progressively responsible administrative and management experience in recreation, parks, community services and cultural programming supplemented by a minimum of Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, recreation administration, or a related field. Knowledge in zoo and golf course administration and/or oversight plus past leadership in a diverse community is a plus. This recruitment is continuous with a first review of application received by Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 11:59pm.
To view our recruitment brochure for this exciting opportunity, please visit www.santa-ana.gov/apply.
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