Deputy Director - Mission Bay & Shoreline Parks - Parks & Recreation Department - U2520 (Unc)

The Deputy Director oversees, plans, and directs the maintenance and operations of parks located in Mission Bay and along the San Diego Shoreline. Including both land and water acreage, Mission Bay Park consists of 4,400 acres. This includes 2,288 acres of recreational water surface, 1,887 acres of parkland, 1,019 acres of turf, and 134 acres of marsh. The park has 28 public restrooms, 12 playgrounds, numerous park pathways, maintenance of navigational aids, and inspection of public boat moorings. Several hotels and tourist attractions are on the bay, including Dana Resort, Hyatt, Mission Beach Resort, Paradise Point, and SeaWorld. Shoreline parks line the Pacific Ocean from Sunset Cliffs in the south to Torrey Pines in the north. Shoreline parks are located in various coastal communities, including Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla.

Under the general direction of one of the two Assistant Directors, the Deputy Director will:

• Oversee Mission Bay Park, which includes popular visitor-serving attractions such as Bonita Cove, Crown Point, Dana Landing, DeAnza Cove, Fiesta Island, Hospitality Point, Mariners Point, Mission Point, Playa Pacifica, Quivira Point, Sail Bay, Santa Clara Point, Tecolote Shores, South Shores, and Vacation Isle.
• Oversee over 13 miles of beaches and shoreline parks, including Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Ocean Beach, Dog Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Law Street Beach, Palisades Park, Tourmaline Surfing Park, Windansea Beach, Cuvier Park, Children's Pool, E.B. Scripps Park, La Jolla Cove, La Jolla Shores, and Torrey Pines City Park. Activities include turf maintenance, sand management, trash removal, and restroom cleaning.
• Oversee water operations on the Vulcan barge to relocate and replace navigational safety buoys at the direction of the San Diego Lifeguard Service to ensure safe public water activities, including various types of boating.
• Supervise District Managers responsible for daily landscape maintenance, park facilities, comfort stations, navigational and safety buoys, coastal access points, bay areas, coastal bluffs, and beaches.
• Supervise a Senior Planner in charge of coastal development permits and liaison with the California Coastal Commission on coastal planning and permit issuance related to beaches, Mission Bay, and Shoreline Parks.
• Support the Mission Bay Park Committee, which advises the Parks and Recreation Department on the development, utilization, maintenance, and operation of Mission Bay Park. This includes an oversight role assigned in City Charter Section 55.2 for the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund, a multi-year, multi-project effort to improve the park and replace aging amenities such as parking lots, playgrounds, restrooms, water quality improvements, wetland construction, and shoreline enhancements.
• Coordinate park issues with the Mission Bay Park Lessees Association, which represents the park's various hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
• Work directly with a wide variety of beach-area community stakeholders and advocate groups. This includes community planning groups, community recreation groups, town councils, nonprofit organizations, and others interested in beach operations. Examples of some of these groups include Sunset Cliffs Natural Park Council, Ocean Beach Town Council, Mission Beach Town Council, Pacific Beach Town Council, La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc., and La Jolla Shores Association. Stakeholder groups routinely provide feedback on beach and shoreline park operations.
• Manage and complete several initiatives in the beach and shoreline area, including restrictions on overnight parking in beach and shoreline park parking lots, adjustments to hours in which dogs are allowed in these parks, adjustments to overnight park operating hours, adjustments to beach fires, and State of California Coastal Commission compliance.
• Coordinate enforcement activities with Park Rangers, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Lifeguard Service, and others.
• Collaborate with project managers to present and finalize the programmatic environmental impact report for Mission Bay Improvement Fund environmental initiatives.

There's no such thing as a "perfect" candidate. The City is looking for exceptional people who want to make a positive impact through their work, will serve their community proudly, and be excited to come to work every day. Education and experience studies have shown that people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every task listed in the job description. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications and we encourage you to apply if you are interested.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Manage parks, conduct recreational programs, work on environmental restoration and habitat management, provide environmental stewardship, work with leaseholders and community members daily;
• Balance the competing interests of tourism, recreation, public and private development, and resource stewardship/protection;
• Demonstrate experience in park maintenance functions, including horticultural and nursery functions, park forestry, aquatic features, landscaping, and natural resource management;
• Participate in budget development, planning, maintenance and equipment expenses, and managing projects and improvements to complexes;
• Build strong relationships;
• Make politically sensitive decisions;
• Manage a diverse range of staff and working in a unionized environment;
• Make presentations at public meetings, which could include City Council, Parks and Recreation Board, community recreation groups, and nonprofit organization meetings;
• Communicate effectively with the public, department staff, City leadership, and elected officials. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidate must have a Bachelor's Degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field and 
• Five (5) years of professional and management experience would be a typical way to demonstrate these qualifications.

Desirable Qualifications: 

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: 

• Familiarity with managing all aspects of park operations
• Understanding of how to evaluate, vet, and select operational resources, including hiring practices
• Knowledge of existing guidelines, policies, and procedures and the ability to update and create new guidelines, policies, and procedures
• Ability to communicate effectively by managing and resolving complex problems and issues
• Ability to manage a budget and demonstrate financial management skills
• Having excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills
• Highly ethical and objective, with the ability to navigate in a political environment
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Willingness to bring energy, enthusiasm, and motivation with the ability to take on initiatives

Benefits:

The City offers a robust benefits package that includes:

• Defined retirement plan, including pension reciprocity, dependent on an employee's eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.). 
• A wide variety of cafeteria-style health and wellness plans or in-lieu cash waiver.
• Eleven (11) paid City holidays per calendar year and one (1) floating holiday per fiscal year.
• Approximately 176 hours of paid annual leave for an employee's first 15 years of service and approximately 216 hours for 16+ years of service.
• Up to 24 hours of paid discretionary leave per fiscal year.
• Up to 320 hours of paid Parental Leave per childbirth or placement of a child.
• Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave per fiscal year.
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $2,000 per fiscal year and complimentary LinkedIn Learning professional development opportunities.
• Free transit pass (including MTS Trolley, MTS Bus, and all Rapid and Rapid Express bus services).
• Access to premier City golf courses at a discounted rate. 
• Reduced-rate fitness center memberships.
• City-paid life insurance.

For additional details, please review the Benefits Summary for Unclassified Employees  (Download PDF reader) or contact the Benefits Division of the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-5924.

The Department: 

The Parks and Recreation Department is comprised of 1012.54 FTE budgeted positions, total Department expenditures exceed $156 million, and the Department collects over $62 million in revenue.  The size of this Department is equivalent to other large City Departments and has a direct impact on service delivery to the public.  The Parks System is one of the largest municipal systems in the country, with over 42,000 acres of park assets, 25.9 miles of oceanfront and bayfront shoreline, over 30,000 acres of open spaces, and over 60 recreation centers. The department manages Balboa Park, Mission Trails Regional Park, 55 Maintenance Assessment Districts, 15 swimming pools, and the world-famous Torrey Pines Golf Course.

The City:

With more than 1.4 million residents, the City of San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest in California. The City of San Diego's strong economy, diverse population, great educational institutions, unsurpassed quality of life, and world-renowned location make it the ideal place to work, live, and play. With its great weather, miles of sandy beaches, and major attractions, San Diego has something to offer for everyone.

The City's Mission, as stated in the Strategic Plan, is "Every day we serve our communities to make San Diego not just a fine city, but a great City." The City's Vision is "Opportunity in every neighborhood, excellent service for every San Diegan".

As one of the region's largest employers, the City of San Diego employs nearly 13,000 highly dedicated employees and has a combined Fiscal Year 2025 operating and capital budget of approximately $5.65 billion. Additional information about the City of San Diego can be found on the City's website.

Pre-Employment Requirements and Screening Process:

Employment offers are conditional, pending the results of all screening processes applicable to the position. All the processes required by the City of San Diego must be completed before employment begins. For additional information, please refer to the City's pre-employment requirements and screening process webpage.  Nothing in this job posting constitutes or should be construed as part of an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. 

Application Instructions: Please adhere to the instructions provided in the "Selection/Application Process" section below. We regret to inform you that online applications will not be considered. 

Selection/Application Process:

To be considered for this position, you must submit the following items to the Human Resources Department at HumanResources@sandiego.gov

1) Resume;

2) Letter of Interest highlighting your relevant work experience and qualifications for this position; and

3) List of three professional references.

NOTE(S): 

• Attachments must be submitted in either PDF or Word Document format. 
• Reference Recruitment Number U2520 in the Subject Line.
• Candidates are encouraged to apply promptly, as interviews and selection may begin upon receipt of resumes from qualified individuals.

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above, and the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview.  If you have any questions, please email the City's Human Resources Department at HumanResources@sandiego.gov.

The City of San Diego has an active Equal Opportunity/ADA Employment Program and vigorously supports workplace diversity.