Senior Recreation Manager

Job Description:

Senior Recreation Manager

Description

JOB SUMMARY

Are you interested in working steps from the beach? Do you want to be part of the planning committee for the Manhattan Beach Open Volleyball Tournament, the International Surf Festival, or a new playground? Come join our team!

The City of Manhattan Beach is looking for an innovative, results-oriented, collaborative leader with a passion for parks and community recreation for the position of Senior Recreation Manager . The award-winning Parks & Recreation Department consists of five divisions: Administration, Recreation Services, Cultural Arts, Sports & Aquatics, and Community Programs, with an annual department budget of $13.6 million. The ideal candidate is a strong, hands-on manager with a proven history of leadership.

The Senior Recreation Manager provides high-level managerial support to the Parks and Recreation Director with an emphasis on budget management, interdepartmental planning efforts for development of programs and facilities, departmental oversight, overseeing, planning, and directing assigned staff, recreation programs implementation, and evaluation for various divisions, and the development of goals, objectives, policies and priorities for the department with other management staff; and performs other related duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the class.

• Manages varying and complex management functions of the Parks and Recreation department, including oversight of personnel practices, budgeting, contract services, purchasing, and management of several divisions (Recreation Services, Sports and Aquatics, Older Adults, Cultural Art Divisions, and others).
• Directs and supervises activities of full and part-time division management professionals in the administration of the department.
• Prepares or directs preparation of grant proposals; monitors the level of success regarding recreational programs throughout the year and makes recommendations as needed.
• Develops goals, objectives, policies and priorities for the Department in collaboration with other management staff.
• Prepares and coordinates division budget, including operating and personnel expenditure allocations, and evaluates actual costs for conformance to plans.
• Leads interdivisional and interdepartmental planning efforts for the development of policies and innovative programs designed to meet community social service and recreational needs.
• Oversees interdivisional marketing and data management initiatives associated with social service and recreation program delivery.
• Administers professional service agreements and contracts; ensures collection of required elements and documents such as insurance documents, qualifications, and fingerprinting as required by the City.
• Prepares written reports to the Director, City Manager, City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission for review on an as-needed basis; makes presentations to City Council, Commissions, and community organizations.
• Responds to and resolves issues related to departmental programs and operations.
• Serves as a department liaison to City Councilmembers, Commissioners, and staff with other departments.
• Conducts, reviews and approves performance evaluations of department management and supervisory employees.
• Serves as the Director of Parks and Recreation in the Director’s absence.
• Performs other related duties as requested.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES

Education/Training/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in leisure services, recreation management, physical education, or a related field is required.
• Seven (7) years of responsible professional recreation and program planning experience is required.
• At least five (5) years of required work experience must include supervisory experience with both direct program service delivery and grants management.

Licenses/Certificates/Special Requirements:

• Ability to attain a valid Class C California driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and proof of auto insurance in compliance with the City’s Vehicle Insurance Policy standards.
• May work extended hours, evenings, and on weekends to attend meetings, programs and special events.
• In accordance with California Government Code Section 3100, City of Manhattan Beach employees, in the event of a disaster, are considered disaster service workers and may be asked to protect the health, safety, lives, and property of the people of the State.

Knowledge of:

Theories, principles, and practices of local government recreation and leisure management; information sources and trends; applicable federal, State and local health and safety codes and Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) public facilities accessibility regulations; sports rules and league scheduling practices; field standards for games and maintenance practices; research methods; modern recreation services practices, including program planning, marketing, budgeting practices and fee schedules; contract administration practices; program evaluation practices; report preparation practices; principles of employee supervision, training, and evaluation; and customer service practices.

Ability to:

Plan, organize, assign, review and evaluate the work of regular full-time and part-time staff; establish division policies and procedures and train personnel; organize, plan, develop, and manage a variety of recreational, aquatics, and sports programs; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, management, community groups, sports officials, the media, facility users, school representatives, and the general public; discuss recreation issues, needs, and expectations; prepare a variety of financial, staff and activity reports and correspondence; operate modern office equipment and computer hardware; and use word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, and related recreation software.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

The application filing deadline is Sunday, December 28, 2025.

All applicants will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. Candidates will be reviewed and only those candidates determined to be most qualified on the basis of experience, training and education, as submitted, will be invited to participate further in the selection process. Meeting the minimum requirements listed in this job announcement does not guarantee advancement in subsequent phases of the selection process. The selection process may be changed as deemed necessary by the City Human Resources Department.

If you need special assistance in the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Department at (310) 802-5258.

NOTE: The provisions of this brochure do not constitute a contract, express or implied, and any provisions contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.

The City of Manhattan Beach offers a generous benefits package to full-time and eligible employees including PERS medical plans, dental, vision, long-term and short-term disability, tuition reimbursement, and many more.
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To see detailed information about Mid-Management Employees Association (MBMEA) bargaining unit benefits, please visit our benefit page on City's official website.

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Part-time employees are enrolled in PARS (Public Alternate Retirement System). All part-time and seasonal employees contribute 7.5% each pay period on a pre-tax basis. If an employee reaches 1,000 hours within a fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) or is already a CalPERS member, then they are enrolled in CalPERS (Public Employees Retirement System).

The City complies with California Labor Code 245-249 by providing paid sick leave for part-time hourly employees accordingly.

The City of Manhattan Beach does not provide medical/dental/vision benefits to part-time employees. Eligible employees enrolled in CalPERS may opt into a CalPERS medical plan.

Closing Date/Time: 12/28/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$146,340.00 - $192,000.00 Annually