Regional Program Director

Regional Program Director / GS 21 Classes and Camps The City of Alexandria is in Northern Virginia bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington, and Fairfax counties. Once within the original boundary stones that demarked the area of the Nation’s Capital, Alexandria is a part of the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. With a population of approximately 157,600 Alexandria is the sixth largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unique and historic, Alexandria is a place that is experiencing substantial redevelopment appeal and business growth opportunities because of a high market demand for urban living in a quality environment. About one-quarter of the City’s 15.47 square miles has been designated as a national or local historic district. The City of Alexandria is an independent city with no county affiliation and derives its governing authority from a Charter granted by the Virginia General Assembly. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, allowing local governments only the authority expressly granted to them by the Virginia Constitution or by the Virginia General Assembly in the City Charter or in general law. City Council is the governing body, which formulates policies for the administration of the City. The mayor is chosen on a separate ballot and presides over sessions of the Council. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Regional Program Director (Fee Classes & Camps) for Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA). The mission of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities is to enrich the City of Alexandria by creating meaningful experiences through public spaces, cultural activities, and programming. The Department’s vision is to improve the well-being of every person in our community by connecting them to each other and their environment. Overview The Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Department (RPCA) supports the well-being of Alexandria’s residents by ensuring access to a variety of quality recreation, park, and cultural experiences. RPCA holds 1,017.56 acres of park and open space areas maintaining a standard of 7.3 acres per 1,000 residents. Operating responsibilities cover public parks, medians, and rights-of-way, outdoor areas at public schools, libraries, and a city marina. The department operates programs at 12 recreation centers and school sites. Through the cultural activities division, RPCA operates the Torpedo Factory Arts Center. The Department is comprised of four operating Divisions : Recreation Services; Leadership & Management; Cultural Activities; and Park Services. These four Divisions work to offer the full range of programs, services, facilities, and parks. Under the supervision of the Division Chief, the Regional Program Director will be responsible for the direction and management of RPCA’s Fee Classes and Camps Section and the Oswald Durant Center. Programs in the Fee Classes and Camps Section are designed for participants of all ages and are considered market rate programs and are expected to achieve a minimum of 100% cost recovery for all direct and indirect costs to operate this section. Additional duties will include the development of market rate community events and activities expected to have a minimum of 100% cost recovery. The Durant Center provides community programming and meeting space on demand for a variety needs. The facility features one multi-purpose room with a stage, four multi-purpose rooms, kitchen, gallery, patio, creative play space, and staff office spaces. Considerable independent judgment and initiative is required in developing and maintaining the overall recreational activities including both community and revenue-producing programs. This position is key to implementing the RPCA Resource Allocation and Cost Recovery Policy. The incumbent will be responsible for the overall planning, budgetary, administrative, supervisory, and programmatic duties of the section. This position includes recruiting, scheduling, and supervising full-time, part-time, seasonal staff and contractual employees. An employee in this position is responsible for ensuring the existence of safe working conditions for all staff. Through effective leadership, human resources, budget management, and exceptional customer service the Regional Program Director will perform related work as required and be available to work various hours which include days, evenings, weekends and some holidays. Enthusiasm, flexibility and excellent communication skills are needed to be successful in this position. Considerable diplomacy must be exercised in dealing with staff, contractors and the public. Major areas of responsibility include : Program Management (25% of position / 10 hours per week) - Provides oversight and management of the daily operation of Fee Classes & Camps section. Develops and implements annual strategic program plans for the section, with a focus on reducing citywide unmet recreational needs and producing revenue toward a program-specific annual cost recovery goal. Provides and maintains class rosters and coordinates facility usage for programs. Coordinates with the Department's Marketing Manager to promote the success of all programs. Serves as the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) for department and is the primary contact for contracted instructors. Develop new programs for the community following the department’s standard operating procedures to include submission of program plans, presentations, summary reports and evaluation results. Develops measures for each program to evaluate success and adjust as necessary. Responsible for the accuracy of program information in RecTrac / WebTrac. Manage program data using RecTrac, Munis, and Kronos. Budget Management (25% of position / 10 hours per week) - Develops annual operating budget, revenue projections, and efficiencies to meet cost recovery goals. Administers and monitors established budgets for programs, equipment, and services. Recommends annual operating budget based on objectives and needs. Maintains complete and precise records of expenses. Monthly monitoring and reporting of revenues and expenditures. Procurement of goods, services, and resources for facility / program operation. Administrative duties include management of purchase card reconciliation, tracking and reporting of expenses, and analysis of facility spending needs. Create, submit, and monitor purchase orders and invoices according to purchasing guidelines. Approve and submit timely refund requests and follow up as needed. Leadership / Management (20% of position / 8 hours per week) - Directly supervise and develop a full-time Recreation Coordinator. In addition to leading 15 - 20 seasonal staff through coaching, mentorship, and strength-based delegation to achieve team goals effectively and efficiently. Recruits, interviews, on boards, and supervises contractors and volunteers. Hire qualified full-time and part-time staff through NeoGov to include screening, interviewing, testing candidates, and processing of appropriate hiring forms. Creates training materials needed for onboarding and retaining staff. Conduct annual performance evaluations, address and document disciplinary issues and conduct regular staff meetings. Confirm and process staff timesheets for payroll. Actively participate in Section, Division, Department, or City meetings, committees and / or work groups. Facility Operations (10% of position / 4 hours per week) - Ensures that all facilities meet quality standards for cleanliness and maintenance. Proactively performs center safety and maintenance checks and responds to building concerns ensuring safety and cleanliness for quality program experience. Oversees and coordinates maintenance and repair work assignments performed by technicians, vendors, and contractors performing building maintenance, landscaping, and janitorial work. Promptly submit requests for building maintenance, repairs, cleaning needs, etc. Responsible for the daily operations of the center. Reports accidents, injuries, incidences, and property loss / damage. Schedule front desk and facility coverage for programs and private rentals. Other duties include being accessible for after-hours needs such as staff support, response to facility alarms, emergencies, and inclement weather responsibilities. Community Engagement & Outreach (10% of position / 4 hours per week) - Create a welcoming, inclusive, and safe space for patrons. Assist with increasing public awareness of programs. Communicates (written & verbal) clearly and courteously with internal and external customers to include parents, participants, contractors, volunteers, and partners. Create and maintain relationships with community groups, schools, parents, and others to assist in advancing the department’s mission, publicizing events, and expanding general programming support and resources. Represents the Department at public meetings. Create partnerships to expand programming. Other (10% of position / 4 hours per week) - Other duties include being accessible for after-hours needs such as staff support, respond to facility alarms, emergency situations, and inclement weather responsibilities. Provide program and facility coverage when needed. Participate in department meetings and training as required. Perform and complete other duties as assigned by supervisor. Works various hours which include days, evenings, weekends, and some holidays. Key Work Aspects of RPCA and the City of Alexandria : Based on your reporting relationship, you are tasked with creating an environment of success in the department such that staff are highly engaged to focus on results that support organizational attainment of our mission and strategic plan. Our purpose is to build an organizational cultural “that supports each of us and inspires excellence.” RPCA Strategic Plan – Each senior leader is expected to implement the mission, vision, values, and the strategic focus areas as determined through business plans and the budget process. It is expected that all decisions will be made considering the values and focus areas. Statement of Workplace Excellence – Every RPCA staff member has the right to a safe, healthy, efficient, and pleasant working environment where all organization members adhere to the highest standards of behavior, personal integrity, and truthfulness. Each staff member demonstrates full support and acts on deploying workplace excellence. Shared Leadership Approach – We continually strive to gain the maximum amount of discretionary effort on the part of our staff members. All staff members are collectively responsible for our organizational community and have leadership roles. Everyone is a decision maker within his or her job. We invite participation in solving organizational issues and constantly improving our operations. We share a leader-to-leader model. Customer Service Guarantee – We are committed to delivering a consistently superior customer experience to all who participate in our programs or visit our parks and facilities. Service will be : Responsive – respond in a timely manner to all residents and customers both external and internal. We own the request we receive and do not shift the responsibility. Professional – represent the department in appropriate appearance, decorum, and communication. Courteous – Treat everyone with respect. Treat everyone fairly. Treat everyone with dignity. Accountable – Demonstrate a bias toward action. Ensure follow-up and follow-through with appropriate results. Our most valued assets are engaged staff members and customers. High Performance Organization – RPCA commits to building and sustaining a high-performance organization. This ensures a clear and consistent strategic direction. We continually focus on improving all aspects of internal and external operation. We also strive through workplace excellence and shared leadership to inspire staff to outstanding outcomes. Every job in the organization has elements of team leadership, management, and task accomplishment. HPO is team based. What You Should Bring Each member of our team is accountable for the exceptional delivery of services to the community. You will work to meet the recreation needs of our community. The Regional Program Director must have experience programming for all ages and abilities, managing contracts and working in / with recreation centers to maximize the experience for our users while also ensuring revenue production for the City. The position assists in the development and implementation of the section’s operating budget and program revenues exceeding upwards of $1,000,000 annually. The Fee Classes and Camps section is a Monday-Friday operation; however, flexibility and the ability to accommodate a varied work schedule is important, which may include working at short notice, evenings, weekends, and around holidays. The ability to work independently and use judgment within established procedures; experience preparing reports; ability to work with a variety of staff at all levels and to handle assignments across sections of the Recreation Services Division will ensure success in this role. Bachelor's Degree and five years of relevant professional experience or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. More than five years of recreation programming experience, including hands-on experience producing programs. Specialized experience producing a variety of “market rate” recreation and continuing education programs for all ages. Experience in scheduling and coordinating programs on a citywide basis; ability to provide working leadership to full-time and part-time staff, contractors, and volunteers. Experience in community engagement and relationship building. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Experience developing and managing an operating budget, purchase orders and invoices. Excellent knowledge of computer software includes Microsoft Office, RecTrac, Kronos, Munis and other data collection and tracking software. This position requires successful completion of a criminal records background check and drug screening prior to employment. J-18808-Ljbffr