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Recreation Program Director Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Howard County, MD

Inclusion Companions

Ellicott City, MD · On-site

$17 - $24/hr

Recreation & Parks, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia, MD Job Type: Contingent Job Number: 9995 ... Coordinate with the program director/leaders to adapt activities whennecessary; assist the ...

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Recreation Program Director information

What does a recreation program director do?

A Recreation Program Director is responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing recreational programs and activities for community centers, parks, schools, or other organizations. They manage staff, create schedules, budget for resources, and ensure that programs meet the needs and interests of participants. Additionally, they may collaborate with local agencies, promote events, and evaluate program effectiveness to enhance community engagement and well-being.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a recreation program director?

To thrive as a Recreation Program Director, you need expertise in program planning, budgeting, and a background in recreation management or a related field, often supported by a bachelor’s degree. Familiarity with scheduling software, facility management systems, and, in some cases, CPR/First Aid certification is typically required. Strong leadership, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills help you work effectively with staff, participants, and community partners. These abilities are vital for creating engaging programs, ensuring safety, and meeting the diverse needs of the community.

What are some common challenges faced by recreation program directors when managing multiple programs simultaneously?

Recreation Program Directors often juggle several programs at once, which requires strong organizational and time-management skills. Common challenges include balancing limited resources, ensuring programs meet community needs, and adapting to last-minute changes such as staff shortages or facility issues. Directors must also coordinate with various stakeholders, including instructors, vendors, and community members, to keep programs running smoothly. Effective communication and flexibility are key to overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Recreation Program Director vs Recreation Coordinator?

AspectRecreation Program DirectorRecreation Coordinator
CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor's degree in recreation, leisure studies, or related field; certifications like CPR, First AidOften requires a high school diploma or associate degree; certifications like CPR, First Aid
Work EnvironmentLeads multiple programs, manages staff, oversees budgets in community centers, parks, or recreation departmentsAssists with program implementation, interacts directly with participants, supports program staff
ResponsibilitiesDevelops and manages recreation programs, supervises staff, plans budgets, evaluates program successCoordinates activities, assists with event setup, provides customer service, supports program delivery

The Recreation Program Director and Recreation Coordinator roles share some credentials and work environments, but the director typically has broader responsibilities, manages staff, and oversees multiple programs, while the coordinator focuses on supporting specific activities and participant engagement.

What are the most commonly searched types of Recreation Program jobs in Washington?

The most popular types of Recreation Program jobs in Washington are:

What are popular job titles related to Recreation Program Director jobs in Washington?

For Recreation Program Director jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Recreation Program Director jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Recreation Program Director jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Recreation Program Director jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Recreation Program Director job openings:

Recreation Program Director jobs near you

Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation

Town of Vienna, VA

Vienna, VA • On-site

$117K - $188K/yr

Full-time

Posted 12 days ago

Job description

Salary : $117,310.00 - $188,868.00 Annually
Location : Community Center, Vienna, VA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Job Number: 00623
Department: Parks and Recreation
Division: Administration
Opening Date: 08/24/2026
Closing Date: 9/13/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
General Statement of Job
TOWN OF VIENNA
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION
About Parks & Recreation
The Town of Vienna's Parks & Recreation Department is a small team with a big impact. We are a group of dedicated professionals who care deeply about our community, take pride in our work, and genuinely enjoy working together. We work hard, support one another, celebrate successes, and believe that doing excellent work should not come at the expense of enjoying the people you work alongside.
Our work is guided by five values: Exceptional Service, Continuous Improvement, Sustainability, Inclusivity, and Health & Wellbeing. These values shape how we serve the community, how we work with one another, and how we make decisions about the future of our parks, programs, facilities, and services. We believe there is always an opportunity to make something better, while also recognizing and building upon the many things our team already does exceptionally well.
We are looking for a Deputy Director who will bring curiosity, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine appreciation for people to this work. This is an opportunity to join an accomplished team, build strong relationships, develop talented staff, and help shape what comes next for a department that takes its responsibility to the community seriously and has a lot of fun along the way.
The Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation provides department-wide operational, professional, and administrative leadership in the planning, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Parks & Recreation programs, services, facilities, parks, maintenance, and operations. The position provides leadership and oversight across four functional areas: Parks Maintenance, Horticulture, & Urban Forestry; Programs, Fields, & Teen Center; Events & Culture; and Operations & Historic Preservation, as well as administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team.
The Deputy Director serves as a key member of the Department's leadership team, working closely with the Director and staff to advance the department's mission, vision, and strategic priorities while fostering a culture grounded in exceptional service, continuous improvement, sustainability, inclusivity, and health and wellbeing.
The Deputy Director supports department-wide operational and fiscal planning, capital improvement planning, program and service evaluation, personnel development, project management, and implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and other long-range initiatives.
Working under the administrative direction of the Director of Parks & Recreation, the Deputy Director exercises considerable independent judgment in developing and implementing programs, services, policies, procedures, and operational improvements. The position evaluates practices, resources, and service delivery; considers operational, financial, personnel, and community impacts; and develops recommendations that strengthen organizational capacity, improve efficiency, and respond to the evolving needs of the community.
The Deputy Director fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable workplace by supporting staff development, encouraging employees to contribute their strengths and perspectives, and promoting teamwork, professional growth, and a positive work environment. The position builds effective relationships across the Department, Town, and community and represents the Department with Town management, elected officials, community organizations, boards and commissions, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.
The Deputy Director serves as Acting Director in the Director's absence and performs related work as necessary.
Work Schedule:
Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Night Meetings as Necessary
All new employees must satisfactorily complete a background check. A conditional offer of employment may then be made contingent upon the successful completion of a drug test.
This is an Exempt Position.
Duties and Responsibilities
The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this class. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the class as necessary.
Essential Functions:
Department Leadership
  • Provides leadership and oversight for the department's four functional areas: Parks Maintenance, Horticulture, & Urban Forestry; Programs, Fields, & Teen Center; Events & Culture; and Operations & Historic Preservation as well as administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team.
  • Assists the Director in establishing and implementing department goals, priorities, policies, and operational practices that advance the department's mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities.
  • Evaluates departmental programs, services, facilities, procedures, staffing, and resource allocation to identify opportunities for continuous improvement; considers operational, financial, personnel, and community impacts; and develops recommendations to improve efficiency, service levels, and overall effectiveness.
  • Supports implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and other long-range departmental initiatives.
Fiscal, Capital and Asset Management
  • Assists with development, preparation, presentation, and administration of the annual operating budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP), including identifying and prioritizing departmental needs and resource requirements.
  • Monitors revenues and expenditures and recommends adjustments to maintain compliance with adopted budgets, Town financial policies, and established service levels.
  • Evaluates programs and services to identify opportunities to improve cost recovery and develops recommendations regarding fees, rates, and pricing.
  • Assists with identifying, prioritizing, scoping, budgeting, and coordinating capital improvement projects and major facility, park, infrastructure, and asset needs.
Project Management & Continuous Improvement
  • Provides oversight for the effective operation, maintenance, programming, and use of department facilities, parks, fields, and other public assets.
  • Ensures departmental operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, accessibility requirements, Town policies, and established standards and best practices.
  • Coordinates with staff, Town departments, contractors, consultants, and other partners to address facility, park, infrastructure, program, and service needs.
  • Evaluates program participation, events, facility and park utilization, service levels, staffing capacity, workload, and operational capacity to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure services align with community needs and available resources. community needs and available resources.
  • Leads and manages department projects from planning through completion, establishing appropriate scopes, schedules, responsibilities, resources, and measures of success.
  • Leads research, benchmarking, and data analysis to evaluate programs, services, and operational practices, and emerging opportunities, including practices used by other jurisdictions and the parks and recreation profession.
  • Develops and implements procedures, systems, and performance measures that promote sustainability, accountability, operational efficiency, proactive planning, and continuous improvement.
  • Ensures departmental operations comply with applicable laws, regulations, accessibility requirements, Town policies, and established standards and best practices.
Personnel Leadership and Development
  • Supervises, coaches, mentors, and evaluates professional staff and subordinate supervisors.
  • Establishes clear expectations and provides ongoing guidance and feedback.
  • Identifies opportunities and encourages staff to participate in ongoing professional development to support staff growth.
  • Promotes a collaborative, inclusive, and respectful work environment that values diverse perspectives, teamwork, accountability, and employee wellbeing.
  • Addresses employee performance and workplace concerns in accordance with Town policies and recommends personnel actions as appropriate.
Communication and Community Relations
  • Communicates effectively with employees at all levels of the organization, Town management, elected officials, community members, boards and commissions, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
  • Prepares and presents clear, concise reports, budget materials, Council and board agenda materials, correspondence, policies, procedures, presentations, recommendations and other administrative documents.
  • Represents the Department and provides professional expertise at meetings, public events, community meetings, boards and commissions, and professional organizations.
  • Builds and maintains productive relationships with Town departments, community partners, professional organizations, and other stakeholders and facilitates collaboration to advance departmental and organizational priorities.
Administration and Department Support
  • Provides administrative coordination with the Office Manager and Customer Service Support team to support consistent department-wide operations, information flow, and customer service.
  • Maintains knowledge of and uses departmental or Town systems, including RecTrac and Munis, to support reporting, revenue accountability, program analysis, facility utilization, and operational decision-making.
  • Assists with grants, awards, policies, special reports, special events, and other department initiatives as assigned.
  • Attends meetings, conferences, training, and professional development activities necessary to maintain current knowledge of parks and recreation practices, regulations, and emerging industry trends.
  • Serves as Acting Director in the Director's absence.
Additional Duties
Performs related work as necessary.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
  • Principles, industry best practices, professional standards, and current trends of parks and recreation administration, including parks, recreation programming, facilities, events, maintenance, horticulture, urban forestry, and community services.
  • Principles and practices of municipal government administration, including public-sector budgeting, fiscal management, personnel administration, procurement and operations.
  • Capital improvement planning, project management, facility and asset management, and long-range planning.
  • Program evaluation, data analysis, cost recovery, fee development, and operational performance measurement.
  • Applicable laws, regulations, accessibility requirements, Town policies, and professional standards affecting Parks & Recreation operations.
Skill in:
  • Strategic and operational planning, project management, prioritization, problem-solving, and follow-through.
  • Analyzing and interpreting data and information to evaluate programs, services, staffing, pricing, revenues, expenditures, utilization, and operational capacity.
  • Developing practical recommendations, policies, procedures, systems, and performance measures that improve organizational effectiveness and service delivery.
  • Developing and improving policies, procedures, systems, and processes.
  • Supervising, coaching, mentoring, developing, and supporting employees and subordinate supervisors through effective methods of feedback and evaluation.
  • Building productive working relationships and facilitating collaboration among employees, Town departments, elected officials, community partners, vendors, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.
  • Communicating complex information clearly and effectively through written, verbal, and presentation formats, including reports, recommendations, budget materials, policies, and Council and board materials. Using technology and departmental systems, including recreation management and registration software, to support operations, reporting, accountability, and decision-making.
Ability to:
  • Lead and support organizational change while maintaining trust, engagement, accountability, and effective working relationships.
  • Think strategically while maintaining attention to operational details, implementation, and follow-through.
  • Assess the interrelationship among departmental functions and balance operational, financial, personnel, community, and organizational considerations when making decisions.
  • Exercise sound judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism in complex, sensitive, and high-visibility situations.
  • Establish clear expectations, provide constructive feedback, and foster employee growth, confidence and professional development.
  • Recognize and leverage diverse strengths, experiences, and perspectives to develop effective solutions and support a collaborative work environment.
  • Balance competing priorities, available resources, service expectations, organizational capacity, and community needs.
  • Promote continuous improvement while recognizing and building upon existing organizational strengths.
  • Work independently and collaboratively while maintaining alignment with the Director, Town management, adopted policies, and organizational priorities.
  • Represent the Department professionally and effectively with employees, Town leadership, elected officials, community members, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities, Requ

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