Culture, Parks, and Recreation Director

Location:  City of Greeley, Colorado Download:  Download City of Greeley, CO - Culture, Parks, and Recreation Director Brochure

About Greeley, Colorado

Established in 1870, Greeley became a Home Rule City in 1958 and operates as a Council-Manager form of government. The county seat of Weld County, Greeley lies 30 miles east of the front range of the majestic Rocky Mountains near the confluence of the Cache la Poudre and South Platte Rivers and 52 miles northeast of Denver.   

Education, Commerce, and Community Excellence.  Greeley thrives as the education, trade, transportation, cultural, and marketing center of Weld County. It’s one of the top ten most prosperous and productive agricultural counties in the U.S. and leads the State of Colorado’s in oil and gas production. With an estimated population of 108,000, the city covers an area of 46.4 square miles at an elevation of 4,658 feet. Greeley enjoys a rich cross-section of cultures and ethnicities with approximately 40% of the community identifying as Latinx and many other immigrant families from across the globe, offering a variety of marketplace and cultural experiences. Greeley is home to both the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), the third-largest university in Colorado, and Aims Community College. In addition to investments in education, there is a deep commitment to achieving community excellence by fostering economic opportunities, expanding educational partnerships, enhancing quality of life, cultivating a sense of belonging, promoting talent and workforce development, enhancing transportation and mobility systems, and providing sustainable infrastructure to serve Greeley’s future. 

Greeley is home to a diverse mix of industries - from food processing, agricultural innovation, health care, and energy to breweries, entertainment, hospitality, and destination shopping. Greeley boasts an eclectic and diverse economy and community character that is vibrant, dynamic, and rich with creative industries and individuals. The city is home to a mix of generations and corporate citizens who provide inspired leadership, community support, and skilled-labor jobs that pay competitive salaries. 

Arts and Culture.  Greeley offers some of the most diverse arts, music, and cultural events in the region and is one of the State’s Certified Creative Districts. Performances produced by the UNC’s nationally acclaimed College of Performing and Visual Arts, the Greeley Chorale and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the longest continually operating orchestras west of the Mississippi, are just a few examples of the superb cultural offerings of the community. The City’s Cultural Affairs Division manages the 1700-seat Union Colony Civic Center, art shows, movies, performances, festival, farmers’ market and the City’s Public Art program. Greeley is also home to favorite community events such as the Greeley Stampede, Arts Picnic, Friday Fest, Monster Day, the Multi-cultural Festival, OktoBREWfest, and so much more. 

Parks, Recreation and Mountain Access.  With a plethora of parks and facilities encompassing over 650 acres, the recreational amenities in Greeley are endless. The city’s golf courses, recreation centers, swimming pools, fields and courts, skate parks, playgrounds, fishing ponds, picnic areas, and open space create a community rich with options for sports and outdoor fun. Residents get to experience even more time outdoors on biking and hiking trails along the Cache la Poudre River and throughout the community. As the ‘front porch to the Front Range,’ Greeley's connection to the outdoors extends to the plains and mountains with easy access to diverse outdoor experiences from the Pawnee National Grassland on the east to Rocky Mountain National Park to the west and everything in between - all less than 50 miles away. 

What’s happening in Greeley? 

Exciting things are happening in Greeley: 

In recent years Greeley and the Weld County region have been nationally recognized in a number of ways:  

  • Second-fastest population growth in the United States (Weld County - 2017)
  • 6th best place in the United States in 2019 for First Time Homebuyers by WalletHub
  • 8th most dynamic metropolitan area in the United States by the Walton Family Foundation based on economic performance - specifically job growth, income gains, and the proportion of jobs demonstrating entrepreneurship.
  • 8th on WalletHub’s 2019 Best Small Town Real Estate Market Study 

In just the last three years, the City has constructed three new and replacement fire stations and constructed a state of the art combined City Council Chambers, Municipal Court, and office building to better serve its elected and appointed officials, staff, and the public. Respectively, these infrastructure investments enhance the city’s commitment to public safety and increase the city’s ability to serve residents through convenient, flexible space and integrated technology while also increasing transparency and accessibility through hybrid broadcasting systems. Ongoing investment in the redevelopment of Downtown Greeley with major investments in public art, road & pedestrian infrastructure, stormwater mitigation, redevelopment incentives, and place-making enhancements are attracting investment and innovation. A new, upscale hotel and conference center recently opened downtown attracting new visitors, business meetings, and special events and over 200 new market rate apartments have been developed in the Downtown/University corridor, further increasing the appeal of this area. New restaurants, hospitality, and retail outlets are choosing to locate in every corner of the city.

The Organization

A Home Rule Municipality that is self-governed under the State of Colorado Constitution, Greeley operates under a Council-Manager form of government with seven elected officials on the Council, including the Mayor.  Under this form of government, the City Council sets the policies for the operation of the Greeley government while the council-appointed City Manager has administrative responsibilities for city operations. 

Following the 2020 retirement of a City Manager with 16 years of service in the position, the City Council recently appointed Raymond C. Lee III as City Manager. Mr. Lee brings his enthusiasm and vision to lead the city organization as it prepares and plans for significant population growth and development over the next ten years. 

The City has a total 2022 budget of $486.3 million and a staff of approximately 1,101.75 full-time equivalent positions.

The Position

The Director is responsible for planning, development, implementation, and management of   programs, facilities, and projects of the Culture, Parks, and Recreation Department. The Director provides comprehensive guidance, direction and leadership in preparing the vision, design and development of the Department’s five major divisions, including Parks, Recreation, Golf, Cultural Affairs, and Natural Areas & Trails. The Director facilitates the overall departmental vision and directs the work of its divisions, working in partnership with other City departments and community agencies and the public to deliver effective, responsive, and innovative services to respond to community interests. 

The Director reports to a Deputy City Manager and maintains staff liaisons for eight City Council-appointed citizen advisory committees, including the Golf Advisory Board, Island Grove Regional Park Advisory Board, Rodarte Community Center Advisory Board, Museum Advisory Board, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Youth Commission, Greeley Art Commission and the Union Colony Civic Center Advisory Board.  

The City recently completed an organizational assessment of the department, and the Director will also be engaged in prioritizing and implementing key assessment recommendations and strategies. 

Experience and Education

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Park and Recreation Administration or a relevant field of study, and a minimum of eight (8) years of senior management level experience in public administration, including at least 3-5 years of supervisory experience in a public service setting; a Master’s degree is preferred. Qualified candidates should have knowledge and appreciation of cultural performing and visual arts programs in a community-based setting as well as general operation of historical museum(s) and historic sites as well as demonstrated experience in facility management and maintenance principals. A broad knowledge of project management in relation to capital improvement projects is required. 

Certifications and Licenses

A Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) or Executive (CPRE) through the National Recreation and Parks Association is highly desired.  

The Ideal Candidate

Greeley’s ideal candidate is an established or up and coming leader in the culture, parks and recreation field with a desire to enhance the community through exceptional service and stewardship, and to be a premier provider of exceptional spaces and experiences for the entire community. The new Culture, Arts, and Recreation Director should:

  • demonstrate thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of developing and operating a community-based recreation system, public park and athletics systems, community culture systems and venues, open space management and trails planning including funding and acquisition, and municipal golf operations;
  • have fiscal experience and success in preparing, presenting and managing annual budgets;
  • have knowledge and experience maintaining public facilities and equipment, and properly support adequate coordination of maintenance and repair functions; 
  • be experienced in developing, maintaining, and implementing a spectrum of master plans to make recommendations and projections for community culture enhancements, land use needs, acquisitions, and utilization;
  • effectively promote internal and external customer service expectations of the department and build strong relationships across the organization to achieve city-wide goals;
  • be skilled in creating a positive atmosphere for employees in the organization and within the department, and set a superior example of competence, professionalism, energy, collaboration, innovation and work ethic to the organization and community;
  • model ethical behavior and a strong work ethic, and ensure fair and equitable treatment of employees within the department and across the organization;
  • be politically astute, an effective communicator, and equally comfortable talking with line level staff, department directors, and presenting before City Council, citizens groups, students and other business and civic organizations;
  • be a skilled professional with a heightened sense of emotional intelligence and an awareness of community, organizational, employee and constituent issues and political sensitivities;
  • be an outstanding leader of employees who provides guidance and professional support to staff, offering regular feedback to city leadership and employees; and
  • be a positive leader, bringing innovation and creativity to the Culture, Parks, and Recreation department. 


Key Culture, Parks, and Recreation Initiatives in 2022 and beyond include: 

  • Development of a Community-wide Needs Assessment to identify desired improvements, facilities, activities, and services related to culture, parks, recreation and natural areas
  • Implementation of key recommendations from a departmental assessment completed in 2021
  • Develop a CPRD/city wide parks master plan with strategies for creating destination centers, connectivity, park and open space expansion
  • Develop a strategy to preserve open space, including a long-term strategy for acquisition and maintenance
  • Expand youth enrichment programming to meet the needs of youth throughout the community
  • Explore the expansion and update to the City’s golf facilities and courses to enhance the user experience and offer an additional public meeting venue
  • Pursue improvements to the City’s Linn Grove Cemetery offices to enhance the visitation area

Salary

The City of Greeley is offering a competitive salary range between $127,067.20 and $190,600.80 and a comprehensive benefits package. Please note that the salary range is subject to a compensation and classification study that is currently underway and scheduled to be completed in Spring 2022. Relocation assistance may also be available for the successful out-of-area candidate.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to: 

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: GREELEYCPRD 

Affion Public
PO Box 794
Hershey, PA 17033
888.321.4922
www.affionpublic.com 

*The deadline to receive resumes is May 04, 2022 

The City of Greeley is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. 

 

Posted: 04/12/2022