Director of Parks and Recreation
Email your resume, and cover letter to: [email protected]
Location: Town of Branford, CT
Employment Type: Managerial Exempt, Full-time
Hours: Monday-Friday and weekends as needed
Pay Scale: $103,163 to $121,369 plus Generous Benefits. Base salary increases July 1, 2025
This is a special opportunity to lead one of the most well-respected Parks and Recreation Departments in the State of Connecticut. As the Director of Parks and Recreation for Branford, you will work as a member of the senior leadership team reporting to the First Selectman and working with the Town’s Boards and Commissions to enhance and continue to grow the town park’s environment while having direct impact on the recreational and educational development of its community members. You will plan, organize, and supervise a comprehensive public parks and recreation, social, cultural and educational department for the community including special programs and activities, and varied seasonal indoor and outdoor activities and programs to meet the needs of Branford’s residents. S/he also evaluates the needs of the various populations (children, teenagers, adults, seniors, etc.) and seeks out new ideas and methods to provide the appropriate services. The Director of Parks and Recreation is required to exercise considerable independent judgment in administering and managing the department and is responsible for maintaining and improving upon the efficiency and effectiveness of all areas under his/her direction and control.
• Plan, organize, initiate and direct comprehensive community parks and recreational operations, special events and activities in the department and evaluates the effectiveness of programs and recreational, social, cultural, and educational needs of the community; develop short term and long range comprehensive departmental plans. Conduct needs assessments; coordinate activities with public, private cultural and recreational organizations.
• Oversee the management, care and maintenance of Town and Schools athletic fields; direct and coordinate the inspection, care and maintenance of parks and recreational areas, facilities, beachfronts, pool, skating rink, grounds and related irrigation systems; develop and maintain organic and turf management program; determine and recommend priorities for repairs and maintenance of fields; manage subcontractor services.
• Participate in the acquisition, planning, construction, improvement and maintenance of all departmental areas and facilities and inspect and approve projects in progress for the Community Center and park/recreational facilities. Perform inspection, repair and maintenance functions for selected Town buildings.
• Review and approve or develop as warranted, operating procedures for the use of outdoor and indoor facilities, athletic fields, recreation facilities, beaches, the pool, the ice-skating rink and all recreational programming and activities; develop safety practices for use of all facilities and programs.
• Promote proactive, customer – focused services; respond and follow up with constituent complaints and concerns; refer unusual issues to appropriate departments or agencies.
• Participate in the preparation and dissemination of department public information materials including brochures, booklets and press releases and prepare and deliver oral presentations to local, civic and cultural organizations.
• Develops department policies and procedures and assigns, trains, supervises, counsels and evaluates staff. Consults with, Human Resources, and Board of Recreation on such personnel actions as hiring, termination, and discipline. Assures safe working conditions for employees.
• Prepare and administer operating budget for the department; present budget to appropriate Boards, First Selectman and RTM. Authorizes all invoices for departmental expenditures. Is responsible for oversight of expenditures and operating the Department within the approved budget limits. Develops databases and spreadsheets to track transactions.
• Write bid specifications and obtain estimates for equipment and materials.
• Present narrative and statistical reports to the Board of Recreation, the Commission on the Elderly and represent the department at Board of Finance and RTM meetings, as required.
• Oversee orientation program for full time, part-time and seasonal staff. Assure safe working conditions for employees through training programs as required by State and Federal Agencies; act as department safety officer, working with the Town Worker’s Compensation loss control vendor.
Other Functions:
• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.
• Continued professional development
• Assists other departments, offices or staff as needed to promote a team effort to serve the public
Supervision:
Supervision Scope: Performs responsible duties requiring independent judgment and initiative in planning, organizing and directing the work of the office. Also performs a wide variety of special professional and administrative responsibilities requiring an extensive knowledge of parks maintenance and recreation programming.
Supervision Received: Works under the general direction of the First Selectman and Board of Recreation following professional standards, procedures and policies.
Supervision Given: Directly supervises the Assistant Directors and is also responsible for the Program Supervisor, Program/Activities Coordinators, Lead Maintainer, Maintainers, Clerical and various part time and seasonal positions, developing job direction, assigning tasks, providing instructions as needed, and monitoring performance.
Minimum Required Qualifications:
Education, Training and Experience:
The qualifications required would generally be acquired with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies or some closely related field and over 7 years of responsible recreation and parks maintenance experience, including supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education, work experience and training. A master’s degree in recreation or a related field is desirable.
Special Requirements:
A valid CT Driver’s license
Certified Parks and Recreational Professional (CPRP) and Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) preferred or obtained within three years of appointment.
CPR, Basic First Aid and AED certifications preferred.
Knowledge, Ability and Skill:
Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of municipal recreation programming and administration; thorough knowledge of parks administration and maintenance; knowledge of recreation, sports and social activities as are usual in a public recreation program; knowledge of and ability to coordinate the programming, operation and the request for maintenance of indoor and outdoor facilities; knowledge of beachfront, aquatics, skating rink and pool operations and maintenance; knowledge of social trends and indicators and their impact on recreational policy; knowledge of computer applications appropriate for office; thorough knowledge of turf management, practices and applications and landscape maintenance; knowledge of municipal park and recreation budgeting.
Ability: Ability to develop short term and long range comprehensive plans for programs and activities, and to implement and evaluate such programs and activities; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with town staff and officials, the public and the media; ability to handle multiple projects and programs at one time; ability to assign, train, and supervise programs and staff, including aquatics, beach and maintenance; ability to manage and administer contracts for service; ability to prepare and administer an operating budget for the department; ability to provide comprehensive reports outlining critical issues, pending litigation and status of capital projects.
Skill: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; aptitude for working with people and maintaining effective working relationships with various groups; aptitude for working with paperwork and details; skill in using standard office equipment; skills associated with handling numerous projects at one time; skills associated with the supervision and training of staff and maintenance of buildings, properties and equipment.
Job Environment:
Administrative work is performed in a moderately noisy office with regular interruptions during the day from the general public; frequently required to perform inspections of outdoor and indoor recreation programs, parks, fields, rinks and beaches under possible adverse weather conditions, including extreme hot and cold; frequently driving to recreational facilities and sites.
Requires the operation of an automobile, telephones, computers, copiers, facsimile machines, and other standard office equipment.
Makes frequent and periodic contact with other municipal departments, including Public Works, Police, Fire and Wastewater Treatment; Counseling and Social Services Department; Board of Education staff, sports groups, civic groups, health district, Board of Recreation, vendors and contractors and the public. Communication is frequently in person, by telephone, fax, and email in writing or at meetings. Contacts require a high level of persuasiveness and resourcefulness to influence the behavior of others or to resolve problems.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Town of Branford reserves the right to limit the number of qualified candidates who will be considered for the position. The selected candidate must pass a substance abuse test given at the Town’s expense. The Town of Branford is a drug free workplace. The Town of Branford conducts background investigations for all positions prior to hiring. Refusal to sign the release form will terminate the candidate from further consideration.