Summary

This position provides strategic direction for one of the City’s largest and most visible departments, overseeing park operations, recreation programs, natural and cultural resource management, planning and design, and major community facilities including golf courses, cemeteries, community centers, aquatics sites, and the Pikes Peak Highway.

Description

Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director is an at-will executive leadership role reporting to the Chief of Staff/Chief Administrative Officer. This position provides strategic direction for one of the City’s largest and most visible departments, overseeing park operations, recreation programs, natural and cultural resource management, planning and design, and major community facilities including golf courses, cemeteries, community centers, aquatics sites, and the Pikes Peak Highway.

Learn more about the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department: https://coloradosprings.gov/PRCS

About the City of Colorado Springs

Nestled at the base of Pikes Peak—America’s Mountain—Colorado Springs is home to more than 506,000 residents and offers 195 square miles of natural beauty, cultural vibrancy, and economic opportunity. With 243 days of sunshine annually, the City features over 150 parks, 375 miles of trails, a thriving downtown, diverse neighborhoods, and a strong military, academic, and nonprofit presence. It is also home to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and a growing aerospace, defense, and cybersecurity industry.

The City operates under a Council-Mayor form of government, led by a popularly elected Mayor and nine-member City Council.

Learn more about the City's Strategic Plan (Download PDF reader) and our Mayor here: https://coloradosprings.gov/mayor

The Position
As the Director, you will guide all aspects of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, ensuring high-quality service delivery, sound financial management, and strong community relationships. You will oversee budgeting and staffing; manage acquisitions and procurement; evaluate departmental performance; and align resources to support strategic goals. This role requires regular engagement with elected officials, advisory boards, outside agencies, and the public, as well as leadership in maintaining national accreditation standards.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading departmental operations, programs, and divisions.
Overseeing financial, personnel, and operational activities.
Managing acquisitions, RFPs, and procurement processes in collaboration with internal partners.
Monitoring service delivery and adjusting resources to meet goals.
Serving as liaison to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and TOPS Working Committee.
Representing the department to elected officials, agencies, and community groups.
Responding to complex community inquiries and advancing positive engagement.
Staying current on trends and best practices in the field.
Other duties as assigned.
Learn more about this job by reviewing the class specification on the City of Colorado Springs Class Specifications page

The Ideal Candidate

The City is seeking a visionary, collaborative leader who brings deep knowledge of parks, recreation, and cultural services; strong analytical and strategic thinking skills; and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences. The ideal candidate excels at managing complex projects and fostering a high-performing, motivated team.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, parks and recreation administration, business administration, or a related field
Seven years of full-time professional parks and recreation program administration experience
Three years of leadership and supervisory experience.

We value a diverse range of qualifications and experiences. Our organization views each year of further education as equivalent to each year of relevant work experience, and each year of additional relevant work experience as equivalent to each year of required education.

Preferred Qualifications

Certification as a Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) is strongly preferred
Certification as a Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE)

Additional Information

Note: This position is subject to budget required furloughs to be implemented in the 2026 calendar year, and any furloughs subsequently approved.

Please contact Kristen Clinton at Kristen.Clinton@coloradosprings.gov for any questions about this position

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Colorado Springs is committed to a culture that values our employees’ unique individual qualities and fosters an inclusive environment where people want to be.

The City of Colorado Springs offers additional compensation depending on the position, area of assignment, and specific job assignments, including shift differential, pay differential, acting or lead, special assignment, hazard pay, longevity, cell phone allowance, uniform allowance, relocation, awards, standby, call out, compensatory time off, tuition, overtime, extra duty, incentive, holiday premium, proficiency, and vacation sell back.

NOTE: This job announcement is not intended to include a complete listing of all responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the position.

The City does not sponsor applicants for work visas of any kind (including but not limited to F-1, H-1B or TN visas). Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Apply to Join Our Team

Please visit the City of Colorado Springs Careers page and review our opportunities. Click on Apply button to complete an online application for any position of interest. All job applicants will need to create a new login and online application (unless you already have a Government Jobs user ID and password).

Completing your application in full, including the entire work experience section, will assist Human Resources in the applicant screening process. Your application may not be considered if all of the information requested for each employer you list is not provided.

Applicants may redact information from their resumes, certifications, transcripts, or any other additional application materials that identify the applicant’s age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

We encourage candidates with out-of-state credentials to inquire about expedited processing of Colorado licensing with the Colorado Occupational Credential Portability Program. More information can be found at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Licensing Portability page

Our Government Jobs application system does not allow you to edit your application after it has been submitted for a position. If you want to make changes, you may submit another application prior to the position’s closing date and time listed in the job posting. HR will review the last application you submit for a position.

The City's job classifications, including physical demands and descriptions, can be found on the Colorado Springs Class Specifications page

You can view the status of your application on the City of Colorado Springs Careers page.

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