Teen and Youth Development Manager

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is a national leader and innovator in the services and programs we provide to our residents who enjoy our public spaces such as parks, community centers, specialty gardens and swimming pools. Our mission is to equip employees and the public for well-being as we support healthy people, a thriving environment and vibrant community. We provide safe and accessible spaces for residents and visitors to work, recreate, rejuvenate and enhance quality of life and wellness for children, teenagers, adults and seniors. Delivering excellent customer service to all is a core value.

Equity & Inclusion: Seattle Parks and Recreation commits to advancing equity and social justice in our department and in every neighborhood by growing a dynamic and diverse workforce, developing strong investments, growth opportunities and beneficial partner strategies as we acknowledge and pledge to close disparities created by historical practices which often hindered workforce development, environmental justice, access to quality open spaces, programs and facilities.

The Recreation Division eliminates barriers through responsive, exceptional recreation services. We operate over 50 recreation facilities (community centers, teen centers, pools, school-based learning centers, environmental learning centers, and boating and sailing centers) and provide opportunities for people to play, learn, and lead healthy, active lives. Our programs and events include fitness and athletics, licensed childcare and preschool, swimming and boating, youth development and job preparation, academic enrichment, and more -- including programs designed for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as grant and partnership programs designed and implemented with immigrant and refugee communities. With nearly 300 regular employees and a budget of nearly $40 million annually, Recreation is a major operation with significant impact on the communities we serve.

The Teen and Youth Development Manager will be a dynamic leader and serve as convener, project manager, and team lead. Indirectly supporting 20+ regular employees and 45+ temporary employees and contracted partners. 

Specifically, this leader is responsible for overseeing all activities and operations of the division’s Teen & Youth Development Unit, while guiding a large and diverse workforce to implement the department's mission, building a respectful workplace culture, leading the division through change, and utilizing a team approach focused on community service, accomplishments, and accountability.

We have three main recruiting objectives for this position. First, we are looking for someone who will maintain a focus on the quality of our Teen & Youth Programs while ensuring safety for staff, participants, and users. Second and equally important, we are recruiting someone with the ability to increase and expand the diverse participation and usership of programs and partnerships. Lastly, as an integral part of city government, SPR is responsible for supporting citywide efforts as they arise; this position will regularly collaborate internally and with other city departments on our role in key citywide issues (such as homelessness, youth gun-violence, emergency response, economic recovery) as they relate to recreation facilities and programs. 

Reporting to the Recreation Division Deputy Director, the Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and supervising 4+ direct reports who are responsible for the supervision and coordination of teen and youth programs as part of a team of six Section Managers, which are each responsible for a specific program area. It will be your responsibility to build and maintain healthy relationships with each Unit Manager to cultivate a positive workplace culture that supports collaboration, innovation, and execution. 

This position will meet with supervisors and staff regularly to provide directions and establish program goals. This position will work with their teams, Recreation Deputy Director, and Recreation Director, to develop consistent operational systems and procedures; develop and recommend best practices of new and emerging trends and developments within the recreation field. This position will have responsibilities related to divisional and citywide committee work and play key leadership role on the Recreation Division Leadership Team. 

You will be responsible for increasing the use of our programs for underserved communities; immigrant/refugees, and people from diverse backgrounds.

Quality Teen and Youth Programs & Partnerships:

• Responsible for managing high quality teen and youth programs.
• Responsible for collaborating with Unit and Section Managers to ensure successful teen programs are coordinated and aligned within the agreed upon Teen and Youth Program Framework.
• Lead, assign, and curate, training for the Teen and Youth Unit that lead to improved outcomes for young people.
• Develop training materials and support systems for team members to initiate partnerships that enhance teen and youth programs.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the current service delivery methods and procedures within the teams, including operations and technological enhancements; assess and monitor staff workload
• Identify opportunities for improvement and recommend changes in policies and procedures to address on-going improvements.
• The position will develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate measurements, outcomes and accomplishments for teen programs, drop-in activities and partnerships; offered within the community centers and other recreation facilities.
• Using a performance-based management system framework, this position will develop baselines and goals for the maximum use of the centers; develop revenue goals, the number and type of programs offered in partnership with the Advisory Councils and other partners;
• This team structure creates a need for a high level of creativity and vision in developing short- and long-term strategic plans, goals, objectives, policies, procedures and priorities for the management of all community centers.
• Responsible for consistency of operations and excellent customer service throughout all community centers.
• Being a liaison to multiple divisions, such as Accounting to resolve AR, the Business Service Center to implement best practices and training for our POS, and many more.
• Coordination of Facility issues that cannot be resolved at the lower level.

Relationships, Communication & Connections

• Connect with, learn from, and build relationships with staff at all levels of the division. Seek to inform division decision-making with the experiences of frontline staff, and to understand the impacts of leadership decisions on frontline services.
• Engage external stakeholders, including community-based organizations, school districts, advisory councils, and other City departments, to advance the division’s vision of responsive, exceptional services.
• Connect the dots between Recreation and other divisions within SPR (from facility maintenance and capital planning to human resources and business intelligence) to ensure our programs and facilities can meet community needs.
• Develop and distribute strategic communications to a variety of audiences (frontline staff, the Leadership Team, the Superintendent, elected officials, community members) in a variety of formats (email, briefing papers, team and division-wide meetings, City Council presentations).

Operations & Innovation

• Oversee the day-to-day management of program operations, supporting and amplifying the great work of staff, making on-the-spot decisions related to emergency management, and serving as operations expert and problem solver.
• Facilitate your unit, including workplan development, workflow management, results-based meeting facilitation, and more.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and equity of our facilities and programs, identify opportunities for improvement, recommend changes in policies and procedures, and lead or otherwise oversee implementation of those changes.
• Implement fiscal management strategies to maximize resource utilization; oversee current year expenditures and revenues and analyze this data for budget monitoring; and adjust as needed to stay within the allocated budget. Think creatively about opportunities for revenue generation and grow division resources over time. Collaborate with Recreation Division Strategic Advisors in the budget development process, and other related work.

Supervision & Leadership Development

• Directly supervise 4+ supervisors. Provide supervision with an emphasis on coaching and leadership development.
• Proactively identify opportunities to develop the skills, talents, and leadership of your direct reports and frontline staff.
• Emphasize accountability in your leadership and in our Leadership Team. Keep your commitments, be transparent in your decision-making, and nurture these qualities in others.
• Leads and manages the City’s Race & Social Justice Initiative within business units.
• Support SPR’s work for racial equity by continuously refining your own knowledge and skills in antiracism and by supporting the development of an equity lens in the Leadership Team and our frontline.

Minimum Qualifications: Requires a bachelor's degree in Recreation and Park Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, Social and Human Services, Public Health or a related field (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work). Three years of experience in youth and teen development and programming.

You will be successful if you have the following experience, skills, and abilities: You will be most successful if you have experience in a broad set of areas, including Education, Youth Development, Juvenile Justice, Recreation, Leisure Services, Public Administration, Business, or related fields. A commitment to listening, creating space for diverse perspectives and the pursuit of inclusive and just outcomes must be at the center of your professional practice. The ability to communicate at all levels tactfully and effectively will also contribute to your success. Specifically, you will be prepared to take on this role if you have:

Experience in:

• Youth Development
• Managing recreation programs, facilities, staff, budgets, and related resources
• Managing projects and issues while navigating competing deadlines
• Working with first-generation and racially/ethnically diverse populations
• Building trust with frontline staff and community stakeholders, and in engaging staff and partners to lead change
• Working with community, school district, elected officials, and advocacy groups
• Supervising people and managing large teams

 Substantial skills in:

• Written and oral communication, strong facilitation, delegation, and decision-making skills
• Management and Leadership
• Meeting facilitation and presentations
• Strategic analysis, planning, development, and implementation
• Performance-based management tools to manage the work of others

 The ability to:

• Work in diverse communities and conduct effective outreach
• Demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills, preferably in a cross-cultural context
• Stay organized through projects, successfully meeting tight deadlines
• Generate create solutions to problems by identifying available resources and working collaboratively
• Navigate and adapt to a dynamic political environment
• Demonstrate commitment to leading with equity and being anti-racist
• Leverage funding from a variety of sources including city, state, federal agencies, and private grants
• Work under pressure with multiple deadlines 
• Be present and engage in person with employees and the community at various work sites

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

The full salary range for this position is $56.57 Hourly rate to $84.88 Hourly rate per hour. 

Application Process 

Please submit the following with your online application:

• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the job announcement 
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience. 

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle Parks and Recreation values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Seattle Parks and Recreation encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. 

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check. The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with the Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3. A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation time, 12 paid holidays, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits

Want to know more about Parks and Recreation? Check out our web page: Seattle Parks and Recreation - Parks | seattle.gov

• Accountability & Action: Holding yourself accountable for achieving goals, completing tasks, and delivering quality work. Demonstrating thoughtful initiative in actions, decision-making and promoting high quality standards. 
• Equity and Inclusion: Supporting the goals of the Race and Social Justice Initiative and the City's commitment to workforce equity. 
• Communication: Sharing and exchanging information and ideas with people in a variety of ways to help them understand and remember the information. 
• Service: An ongoing commitment to base decisions and actions on the needs and priorities of the City. 
• Teamwork: Participating as an engaged member of a team to achieve group goals. Effectively working with internal and external people to complete tasks and achieve work group goals. 
• Aligns Performance for Success: Collaboratively guiding and engaging the team to accomplish defined work goals. 
• Direction and Delegation: Sharing authority and responsibilities with others to distribute decision-making and accountability throughout the organization enabling individuals to stretch their capabilities; and accomplishing the organization’s strategic priorities.