Director of Parks, Recreation, Facilities, & Culture

Location

One Twin Pines Lane Belmont, 94002

Description

Build Community. Champion Culture. Lead with Vision.

THE CITY OF BELMONT, CALIFORNIA IS SEEKING A DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION, FACILITIES & CULTURE—a visionary leader to guide a dynamic, community-focused department dedicated to enriching wellness, connection, and cultural vitality across the City. This key executive role oversees an $11.1 million budget, 16 developed parks, 11 athletic fields, more than 300 acres of open space, and all City facilities—including the Belmont Library, Twin Pines Senior & Community Center, and two fire stations—while managing recreation programming, cultural events, capital projects, and long-term planning. The Director will lead a talented and dedicated team of over 25 FTEs, champion major initiatives such as implementation of the PROS Master Plan and planning for the future Belmont Community Center, and cultivate strong partnerships with schools, nonprofits, regional agencies, and community groups. The ideal candidate is a visionary, collaborative, and politically astute leader who excels in relationship-building, strategic planning, and delivering high-quality services that reflect Belmont’s commitment to sustainability, inclusion, and quality of life.

This position includes an annual salary range of $202,267–$266,614 and generous benefits. For more information about this great opportunity, please see the attached brochure!

Apply by December 22, 2025, at CalOpps.org to shape Belmont’s parks, facilities, and cultural future.

Job PDF:

Ideal Candidate

Belmont seeks a forward-thinking, collaborative leader who thrives on community engagement and operational excellence.

Professional Background

• Significant experience in municipal parks, recreation, and facilities management
• Strong financial and capital project management skills
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams and cultivate partnerships
• Knowledge of public funding mechanisms, grants, and nonprofit collaboration
• Effectively delivers clear and persuasive presentations that inspire engagement and support.
• Communicates vision, policies and project updates to City Council, commissions, executive leadership, community organizations, and the public

Personal Attributes

• Visionary, strategic, and inclusive leadership style
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills
• Commitment to sustainability, accessibility, and equity
• Energetic and passionate about community engagement and enrichment
• Navigates complex challenges in parks and recreation with a strategic and solutions-oriented mindset, balancing operational needs, fiscal constraints, and community priorities
• Politically astute and highly communicative, excels at developing trust and rapport with critical stakeholders.
• Relationship-builder who can engage the community, foster internal and external partnerships, and cultivate a positive and inclusive culture.
• Takes their cue from the community and finds a way to say “yes”
• Is approachable, caring, and compassionate
• Embodies a consensus-driven approach that unifies interests.

Minimum Requirements

Experience: Six (6) years of increasingly responsible parks and recreation experience including three years of management and administrative responsibility.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Recreation Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration or a related field.

Benefits

The monthly salary range for the Parks, Recreation and Culture Director is $16,855 to $22,217. Your placement in the range will depend on your experience and qualifications.

The City offers a generous benefits package that includes:

• CalPERS retirement: 2 percent at 55 for classic members and 2 percent at 62 for new PEPRA members

• City paid life insurance valued at $350,000

• Twelve (12) paid holidays each year

• Eighty (80) hours of administrative leave (prorated based on start date)

• Two (2) floating holidays each year (prorated based on start date)

• General leave that grows with your tenure: years one through four accrue twenty two days annually

• Monthly auto allowance of $200 to $350

• Cell phone stipend or a City-issued phone

• A $350 monthly City contribution to a 457 deferred compensation plan

• City coverage of the monthly Kaiser premium for Employee and Two Plus under the Flexible Benefits Plan

• Full City-paid employee dental coverage (nominal cost for dependents)

• Full City-paid vision coverage for employees and dependents

• Monthly contributions of $150 to $300 to a Retirement Health Savings Account based on years of service

• Access to the City’s full Compensation and Benefits Program

Special Instructions

Candidates who possess the best combination of qualifications will be invited to participate in the selection process; possession of the minimum qualifications does not ensure continuation in the selection process.

The City of Belmont makes reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities to participate in the selection process. If you wish to request an accommodation in order to participate in the selection process, you must inform the Human Resources Department in writing no later than the final filing date.

Candidates under final consideration for employment with the City should expect to undergo an employment background/reference check that may include, but is not limited to: employment history, confirmation of educational credentials and degrees, licenses including driver's license, registrations, certificates, and other credentials as well as a review of Summary Criminal History obtained from the State Department of Justice through Live Scan Fingerprinting. Some positions, depending on the nature of the work, also require a credit check.

City of Belmont is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable workplace that reflects the community we serve.

Recruitment Contact

Contact phone:

(650)595-7452

Contact email:

[email protected]