Parks Operations Specialist

Parks Operations Specialist

Do you take pride in maintaining beautiful, safe, and welcoming spaces for your community? The City of Albany is seeking a skilled and motivated Parks Operations Specialist to join our Parks & Open Space team. This position plays a key role in keeping our parks, trails, and recreational areas in top condition while supporting the community events and programs that make Albany such a vibrant place to live.

In this role, you'll take the lead on major park operations for community-wide events like River Rhythms and the Northwest Art & Air Festivalplanning logistics, coordinating with vendors and staff, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. You'll also serve as the department's point person for the OpenGov asset management system, helping track maintenance activities, report park conditions, and optimize data to support strategic decisions.

Beyond daily park and facility maintenance, you'll lead the Adopt-A-Park programbuilding strong relationships with volunteers, coordinating projects, and celebrating community contributions that keep our parks thriving.

This position is ideal for someone who enjoys a balance of hands-on outdoor work, community engagement, and project coordination. If you're organized, dependable, and passionate about maintaining spaces where people gather, play, and connect, we'd love to have you on our team.

Please include both a resume and a cover letter in your application. If these are not included, your application will not be considered complete.

We will begin reviewing applications on Monday, November 3rd. Applications received after Sunday, November 2nd will be considered only as needed. This position is open until filled and may close at any time after the initial review without further notice.

Performs a variety of skilled and semi-skilled tasks in the care, maintenance, and repair of City parks, open spaces, recreational facilities, and related infrastructure. This position ensures that parks and grounds are safe, clean, and attractive for public use by carrying out landscape maintenance, equipment upkeep, facility repairs, and seasonal operations. This position serves as the Parks Division lead for community wide special events, OpenGov asset management, and Adopt-A-Park. Work is performed independently and as part of a team, with a focus on delivering high-quality service and maintaining community assets.

Plan and coordinate park operations and logistics for large-scale community events such as River Rhythms, Northwest Art & Fair Festival, and other events as needed to include planning, contracting, site preparation, infrastructure placement, crowd flow, and on-site operations.

Serve as the primary on-site point of contact during events to coordinate with full-time recreation staff, seasonal employees, vendors, other City Departments.

Problem solve effectively when working in dynamic environments.

Serve as the point of contact for the department's asset management system (OpenGov), including data entry, reporting, troubleshooting, and system optimization. Works with City's GIS and IT teams as needed to accomplish goals.

Coordinate with staff to ensure accurate and timely reporting of maintenance activities, inspections, and asset conditions.

Train and support staff in using the asset management system effectively.

Provide director with data to support departmental and City strategic planning along with budget recommendations.

Serve as the primary liaison for the Adopt-A-Park program, building strong relationships with the program's volunteer leads, Urban Forester, and Resource Development Coordinator.

Provide training, guidance, and resources for the Adopt-A-Park program.

Assist in the development of appropriate projects that support department needs; may serve on-site as needed.

Track and report volunteer hours, accomplishments, and impacts.

Coordinate with Marketing Specialist to park activities are being advertised and recognized effectively.

Perform a variety of skilled and semi-skilled tasks in the maintenance, repair, and improvement of parks, trails, playgrounds, athletic fields, open spaces, and related facilities.

Operate and maintain equipment, tools, and vehicles used in park maintenance.

Monitor park conditions and address safety hazards, vandalism, and general upkeep.

Ensure compliance with park policies, permits, and safety regulations during events.

Represents the City of Albany by responding to the public, citizens, its employees, and others in a prompt, professional, and courteous manner while continuously maintaining a positive customer service demeanor. Regards everyone, internal and external, as a customer and delivers the best service possible in a respectful and patient manner.

Works to create a high-performance work culture by demonstrating a positive attitude and modeling the City's mission, vision, and values. Conducts self with high integrity, proactive in conserving City resources, and seeks and incorporates customer feedback for ongoing performance improvement. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality customer service.

Serves as a member of various City committees as assigned.

Assists other staff in the performance of their duties as assigned; and may provide training and orientation to newly assigned personnel.

Maintains regular job attendance and adherence to working hours.

Operates a motor vehicle safely and legally.

Performs other related duties as required / assigned.

Works under the supervision of the Parks & Open Space Manager. This is a non-supervisory position. Lead work / coordination of the work of others is not a typical function assigned to this position. Incumbents in this position may provide training and orientation to newly assigned personnel. May be responsible for coordinating the activities of temporary or seasonal staffing.

Education and Experience : Have a high school diploma or its equivalent and six years of experience in special event experience, asset management, landscape maintenance, landscape construction, grounds maintenance; experience leading the work of others; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Special Requirements : This position requires : Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Oregon driver's license at the time of job placement. First Aid / CPR certification preferred, or ability to obtain within six months of placement. The individual shall not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of themselves or others. In accordance with Human Resources substance abuse policies, incumbents in this classification are subject to the City's Drug & Alcohol testing program.

Knowledge of : all aspects of park program coordination including special events, volunteer programs, park maintenance and operations including asset management, horticulture, arboriculture, turf care, irrigation, natural area maintenance, sport fields, and facilities maintenance, which includes concrete work, painting, carpentry, and plumbing; computer use, tools, materials, methods, equipment, and practices which pertain to park maintenance activities; operating and mechanical characteristics of a full range of grounds maintenance equipment; reading landscape blueprints and specifications; and proper and safe application of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Basic knowledge of computer word processing and spreadsheet software and of modern office practices and procedures including business English, grammar, spelling, composition, and math.

Skill in : operation of non-commercial tractors, non-commercial trucks, steam cleaners, chippers, blowers, various mowers and other specialized equipment.

Ability to : operate a variety of tools and equipment; plan and implement maintenance; provide guidance and training for subordinate workers; operate computers for data entry; operate small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems; operate and maintain lawnmowers, weed eaters, sprinklers, and other light equipment; walk and stand for long periods of time; perform strenuous physical labor under adverse field conditions; communicate effectively, verbally and in writing; understand and carry out written and oral instructions; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, other departments, and the public.

The work environment is regularly outdoors in outside weather conditions. The employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts and is frequently exposed to wet and / or humid conditions and vibration. The employee frequently works in utility excavations and occasionally enters confined spaces. The noise level in the work environment is occasionally loud. May be required to be on-call and work weekends, holidays, and evenings.

The work is medium work which lifting up to 55 pounds occasionally, carrying up to 55 pounds occasionally, and pushing and pulling up to 100 pounds occasionally Additionally, the following physical abilities are required :

• Balancing : sufficient to maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
• Climbing : sufficient to ascend or descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and / or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Crawling : sufficient to move about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Crouching : sufficient to bend the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling : sufficient to perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape,