Parks, Recreation & Community Services Director

Job Description:

Parks, Recreation & Community Services Director

Description

THE POSITION

The City of Culver City, CA (City) is seeking a transformative Director who is prepared to push beyond traditional parks and recreation models, embrace innovation, and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to programming, partnerships, financial sustainability, and large-scale park development delivery to guide its Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department (PRCS) into its next era. As the City transitions from planning to implementation of its newly adopted 2025 Citywide Parks Plan, this is a rare opportunity to shape the next chapter of a highly visible and community-centered department. The Director will lead an organization responsible for parks, recreation programming, community services, and civic facilities that define quality of life in Culver City. The City is looking for an executive who is prepared to push beyond traditional parks and recreation models, embrace innovation, and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to programming, partnerships, and financial sustainability. The ideal candidate will combine strong leadership, political acumen, and creative resource development to position PRCS as a modern, high-performing civic enterprise.

Qualified leaders who are prepared to drive implementation, strengthen performance, and bring entrepreneurial energy to public service are encouraged to apply.

TO APPLY AND SEE THE FULL RECRUITMENT BROCHURE VISIT:

https://irp.cdn-website.com/80f4e9b5/files/uploaded/CREATIVE+Brochure+CC+PRCS+2026.pdf

A CONNECTED, CREATIVE, AND EVOLVING COMMUNITY

The City of Culver City (City) is a dynamic urban community in the heart of Los Angeles County, home to approximately 40k residents who enjoy a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city amenities. Walkable neighborhoods, historic architecture, and a vibrant downtown make it a sought-after place to live, work, and visit.

The city’s lively center features popular destinations like Culver Steps, Ivy Station, and the historic Culver Hotel, offering dining, shopping, and gathering spaces. As the “Heart of Screenland,” Culver City hosts major employers such as Sony Pictures Studios, Apple Studios, Tik Tok, Pinterest, and Amazon Studios, supporting a thriving creative economy and small business scene.

Residents enjoy abundant parks, bike paths, and the Culver City Arts District, showcasing public art, galleries, and cultural events. With excellent transit connections via the Metro E Line and major freeways, Culver City offers easy access to the region while maintaining its own distinctive identity.

Guided by its 2045 General Plan , the City is preparing for sustainable growth that anticipates welcoming 10,000-15,000 new residents over the next decade, with expanded housing options and modern infrastructure. Culver City looks to remain a welcoming, inclusive, and livable community for generations to come.

COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT

The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government. Its five-member elected City Council provides policy direction, sets priorities, approves the budget, and appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, Police Chief, and Fire Chief.

The City Manager serves as the City’s Chief Executive Officer, overseeing day-to-day operations and leading approximately 800 dedicated employees across five (5) strategic portfolios and 12 departments with a Fiscal Year 25/26 (FY25/26) annual budget of approximately $370M. This talented and committed workforce delivers a wide range of high-quality services that support the City's vision of an inclusive, sustainable, and thriving community.

The Strategic Portfolios and City Departments reporting to the City Manager include: (1) City Manager’s Office: Communications & Public Information; (2) Infrastructure & Innovation: Information Technology, Transportation, Public Works, and Planning & Development; (3) Fiscal, Sustainability & Transparency: Finance and City Clerk; (4) Talent Development, Labor & Inclusion: Human Resources; (5) Economic, Vitality & Equity: Housing & Human Services, Economic Development, Parks, Recreation & Community Services, and Cultural Affairs.

Click Below to Learn More:

• Fiscal Year 25/26 Budget
• Citywide Master Plans
• City Organizational Chart & Portfolios

THE PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCS) plays a vital role in shaping quality of life in Culver City. PRCS is responsible for park development and maintenance, recreation facilities and programming, community events, youth and senior services, and selected social services. PRCS manages 18 parks, robust year-round programming, aquatics operations, and highly utilized civic facilities. The FY26 adopted budget is approximately $14.1M with 36 full-time positions and approximately 208 seasonal and part time staff. Led by the Director, PRCS is organized into four (4) primary divisions:

• Administration: Provides strategic planning, policy oversight, and Commission support
• Parks: Responsible for maintenance of all park sites and landscaped City facilities
• Recreation: Oversees aquatics, sports, enrichment classes, camps, after-school programs, and major community events
• Community Services: Includes senior and social services, disability services, youth mentoring, and operation of the Veterans Memorial Complex.

Click Below to Learn More:

• Department Website
• Department FY26 Budget
• Department Organizational Chart
• City Parks Plan

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND DEPARTMENT FOCUS:

Citywide Parks Plan - Implementation& Capital Delivery Phase
In February 2025 Culver City adopted a comprehensive Citywide Parks Plan (Plan) establishing a long-term vision for park improvements, sustainability, and community engagement. PRCS is now entering the next phase of the Plan, requiring a Director with demonstrated experience in park development, capital planning, funding strategy, long-term asset lifecycle cost, sustainable maintenance funding models, cross-departmental project delivery, and aligning park development investments with the City’s projected population growth and infrastructure expansion.

Fiscal Sustainability & Revenue Strategy
PRCS is focused on strengthening its business model through enhanced marketing, implementing improved cost recovery methodologies, sponsorship and alternative revenue source opportunities, and leveraging grant funding and public-private partnerships. A modern, creative approach to funding and programming is a key priority. This includes evaluating fee structures, optimizing facility utilizations, pursuing naming rights where possible, and aligning programming investments with measurable return on community impact.

Creative Solutions & Strategic Partnerships
The City seeks to evolve from a traditional parks and recreation structure toward a more visionary, performance-driven organization grounded in accountability, innovation, and long-term sustainability.

Optimizing Park Assets
Culver City benefits from exceptional assets, including Culver Steps and a network of well-loved neighborhood parks . PRCS is focused on optimizing these assets through strategic programming, thoughtful investment, and improved utilization.

2028 Olympic & Regional Event Preparedness

With the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games occurring in Los Angeles County, Culver City is uniquely positioned to experience regional impacts related to tourism, transportation, and community engagement. PRCS will proactively prepare facilities, programming, and park activation strategies including facility readiness, enhanced maintenance standards, temporary infrastructure coordination, interdepartmental coordination, and thoughtful legacy planning.

THE POSITION & IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Services (Director) reports directly to the Assistant City Manager and serves as a key member of the City’s executive leadership team. This unclassified executive-level position provides overall leadership and strategic direction for park development and maintenance, recreation facilities and programming, senior and social services, community events, and civic facility operations.

The Director oversees PRCS’s approximately $14.1M FY26 budget, five (5) direct reports, thirty (30) indirect reports, and a significant seasonal and part-time workforce. This role requires strong fiscal stewardship and disciplined organizational leadership.

With adoption of the Citywide Parks Plan, the next Director will lead PRCS into an important implementation phase. The City is seeking a leader who can translate vision into execution while strengthening operational performance and financial sustainability.

The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:

• Experience leading park development or capital improvement initiatives from planning through implementation
• Experience leading Public Finance and/or bond enhanced capital projects and real estate development efforts.
• Demonstrate advanced financial management acumen, including long-range forecasting, revenue diversification, cost recovery strategies, and alternative funding models.
• A proven track record on leveraging regional opportunities, corporate sponsorships, and community partnerships.
• Strengthening accountability and reinforcing performance standards
• Modernizing programming and service delivery models
• Serving as a confident and strategic advisor to the City Manager, Council, and Commission

Beyond technical qualifications, this role demands a strong and steady leader. PRCS includes diverse personalities and operational complexities, and success will require clear expectations, consistent accountability, and the ability to align the organization around shared priorities. The Director must also be comfortable engaging with passionate and highly invested community members. PRCS services are deeply valued, and the ability to navigate vocal public input with professionalism and balance is essential.

Culver City is also seeking a charismatic and influential leader with an entrepreneurial mindset. The ideal candidate understands how to creatively expand resources, cultivate corporate and community partnerships, and effectively market programs and assets to maximize community impact. Equally important is executive maturity. The Director must be comfortable operating in a collaborative executive environment, providing candid and well-reasoned guidance to the City Manager, and offering thoughtful, professional input to elected and appointed officials when operational realities require it.

The successful candidate will combine vision with discipline, confidence with diplomacy, and creativity with accountability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience & Education: A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university preferably in parks, recreation or community services or related field, and five (5) years of responsible administrative experience in recreation including three (3) years at a level comparable to a Division Head.
• Licensure: Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license at time of appointment and throughout employment.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

An annual salary of up to $194,358 - $237,234 DOE/DOQ, plus a generous benefits package that includes:

• Retirement: CA Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. 2%@60 for "Classic" members and 2% @62 for new members as defined by PEPRA. Subject to employee contribution. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The City also participates in Social Security.
• Health Dental, and Vision Insurance: Choice of CalPERS medical plans for employees and eligible dependents. HMO & PPO are available. City provides up to $2,131 per month towards health benefits for the 2026 plan year.
• Retirement Health Savings Plan
• Management Education Incentive: $4,800 per fiscal year for master’s degree or higher from an accredited organization.
• Life Insurance: $250,000 and additional AD&D coverage.
• Disability Insurance: Short- and Long-Term Disability Insuranceprovided by the City.
• Physical Well-Being Allowance: $750 each fiscal year.
• Phone Allowance: $60 per pay period.
• Vacation: 80 hours annually for first four years, increasing with years of service.
• Floating Holiday Leave: 57 hours of paid Floating Holiday Leave each fiscal year.
• Administrative Leave: 126 hours per year.
• Sick Leave: Four (4.0) hour accrual per pay period up to 104.0 hours annually.
• Holidays: 8 designated holidays per year
• Transportation Allowance: $375 per month.
• Deferred Compensation: TheCity contributes $160 per pay period for mandatory employee contribution of $76.25 in the 401(a) Plan, A Voluntary 457 plan is also available.
• Other: Optional Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule Available.

TO APPLY AND SEE THE FULL RECRUITMENT BROCHURE VISIT:

https://irp.cdn-website.com/80f4e9b5/files/uploaded/CREATIVE+Brochure+CC+PRCS+2026.pdf

HOW TO APPLY: For first consideration, apply by March 23, 2026, at: https://www.tristargovsolutions.com/careers

SAVE THE DATES: Interviews have been firmly scheduled to take place virtually on April 1 st and in-person on April 10 th . All candidates invited to interview will interview virtually on April 1 st and a finalist group will then be moved forward to the in-person interviews on April 10 th . Candidates must be available all-day for both interview dates.

QUESTIONS? Please contact your recruiter, Sam Sackman, with any questions:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.tristargovsolutions.com
• Phone: 408-605-0790

Executive Management Group

The City of Culver City offers a comprehensive benefit package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, and vision. For more detailed information regarding the benefits associated with this position please visit the
Culver City Human Resources Department website .

• Refer to the ‘ Employee Benefits ’ page to view the current Benefit Summary Guide.
• Refer to the ‘ Labor and Employee Relations ’ page to view the applicable MOU.

Salary:

Depends on Qualifications