CITY OF OVERLAND PARK - POSITION DESCRIPTION

JOB SUMMARY STATEMENT: Plans, directs, organizes, and supervises City's Parks and Forestry program including budget & contract administration for major park improvements and maintenance of parks and recreation areas. Performs general supervisory duties, prepares and monitors various reports, records, and inventories. Provides staff assistance to City Council and committees. Coordinates special events and projects. Keeps abreast of current events, developments, procedures, and standards related to parks, forestry, and recreational areas. May serve as a member of the City's Safety Council and Emergency Operations Committee.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assists in planning, organizing, coordinating, and directing planning, development, construction, and maintenance of park areas and facilities, medians, easements and right-of-ways, landscape projects, tree trimming and care, construction projects and other park-related improvements. Meets with parties involved to discuss current and future projects.

Prepares project specifications and contract documents. Prepares notice to bidders and obtains bids. Initiates notice to proceed. Participates in the Department's Capital Improvements Program preparation and implementation. Administers contracts and monitors work progress of major park & forestry improvement projects. Processes pay requests, invoices, check requests and P.O.'s. Maintains records and files.

Assists the Director in the development and administration of the department's operating budget; Capital Improvements Program, long range planning goals and objectives, policies and procedures.

Assists in the preparation and administration Parks & Forestry yearly budget per City guidelines. Processes daily invoices, purchase orders, etc. Monitors budget and ongoing costs. Tracks and records project costs.

Prioritizes and directs the schedule of work projects and determines equipment, material and personnel needs. Prepares annual work plan. Meets with supervisors to designate assignments. Creates a list of equipment and materials needed per project. Mobilizes appropriate crews/personnel.

Prepares and monitors various records, reports, timesheets, leave requests, evaluations forms, fixed asset inventory, etc. Maintains appropriate park-related project files.

Assists in recommended design of new parks & updates of existing parks. Reviews plans and drawings, time and material estimates and cost projections. Meets with planners, architects and engineers. Conducts site visits. Researches materials and related costs.

Performs general supervisory duties including interviewing potential employees, hiring and promoting employees, conducting performance appraisals and performance agreements, and handling disciplinary needs.

Recommends and implements Parks & Forestry policies and procedures. Communicates City and department policies and procedures to affected employees. Conduct departmental meetings and provide written communication and direction to employees. Provides and oversees training and developmental needs of staff.

Provides staff assistance to City Council and committees. Attends meetings, prepares agenda, and keeps meeting minutes. Coordinates logistics for special events, tours, presentations, etc. Serves as historian and keeper of records of articles, photos, etc.

Provides senior management representation for the Department for City Emergency Management operations. Serves as a member of the City's Emergency Management Committee, representing the Department at the Emergency Operations Center during exercises and emergencies.

May serve as the Division safety coordinator and Department representative on the City's Safety Council. Reviews monthly citywide incident summaries. Where appropriate, recommends preventive measures to reduce recurring injuries and accidents; Reviews all incidents involving city employees to determine whether such incidents were preventable or non-preventable and submits findings and conclusions to the responsible department director; May participate in Appeal Process for preventable accidents; Assists City's safety professional in evaluating Interdepartmental Operating Procedures; Evaluates supervisor/employee accountability for safety and loss prevention measures; Accompanies the City safety professional during quarterly safety audits / inspections, and make recommendations; Encourages and reviews all safety suggestions submitted to the City's safety professional. Acknowledges, in writing, all safety suggestions submitted to the Council for consideration along with the outcome of each suggestion; Participates in safety training to include hazard identification and incident investigation; Assists safety professionals with coordinating the City's Midyear Safety Event.

Develops and maintains cooperative relationships with department employees, other departments, outside agencies and the general public. Provides information and assistance as needed, attend meetings and functions, develop and maintain personal/professional contacts and seek outside input and ideas.

Coordinates special events and projects. Meets with project coordinators; determines and dispatch equipment and personnel; monitors ongoing events to ensure smooth operation.

Coordinates personnel and equipment for site and facility snow removal operations.

Keeps abreast of current events, developments, procedures, and standards related to parks, forestry and recreational areas. Attends seminars, meetings, training classes, etc. Reads related periodicals and books and becomes involved in related organizations.

The employee must work the days and hours necessary to perform all assigned responsibilities and tasks. Must be available (especially during regular business hours or shifts) to communicate with subordinates, supervisors, customers, vendors and any other persons or organization with whom interaction is required to accomplish work and employer goals.

The employee must be punctual and timely in meeting all requirements of performance, including, but not limited to, attendance standards and work deadlines; beginning and ending assignments on time; and scheduled work breaks, where applicable.

The above duties and responsibilities include those tasks, physical and mental requirements, visual requirements, unique physical surroundings and mental/cognitive requirements listed in the Position Description Questionnaire and Task Analysis Worksheet.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION & SPECIAL LICENSE(S)/CERTIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in park and recreation administration or a closely related field or additional equivalent experience.

Possession of an appropriate, valid driver's license.

Must maintain an insurable driving record.

EXPERIENCE:

Five years of increasingly responsible administrative and supervisory experience, or an equivalent level of experience, in park development, operations and maintenance. Experience should include all phases of project management and administration, developing and managing operating budget and Capital Improvement Program, working with boards and commissions, all aspects of construction (i.e. utility coordination, heavy equipment, carpentry, asphalt, etc.), facility repair and maintenance, turf care and maintenance, general grounds maintenance, urban forestry and horticulture.

SKILLS:

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Organizational skills.

Supervisory skills.

Group presentation skills.

Attention to detail.

Budget related skills.

Good listening skills.

Analytical skills.

Manual dexterity.

MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to read and comprehend city, state and federal policies and regulations.

Ability to read landscape and site plans and blueprints.

Ability to comprehend basic math and accounting principles.

Ability to work on several projects at once.

Ability to organize and prioritize projects and workload.

Ability to work under distracting conditions.

Ability to analyze complex problems and recommend possible solutions.

Ability to breakdown complex issues/procedures to individual steps.

Ability to analyze safety situations.

Ability to train, motivate and guide others.

Ability to comprehend confidential information.

Ability to exhibit diplomacy and judgement when communicating to co-workers, officials and outside personnel.

Ability to interpret and apply Federal, State and local policies, laws and regulations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to perform data entry.

Ability to make and receive phone calls.

Ability to travel and tour City facilities in adverse conditions to include but not limited to construction sites, outdoor sites, remote sites, interior and exterior building inspections.

Ability to sit and be attentive for extended periods of time.

Ability to traverse rough terrain.

Ability to lift possibly up to 100 pounds when needed and transport 15 +feet.

Exposure to extreme environmental conditions.

Ability to operate power and hand tools.

Ability to operate City vehicles and equipment.

Ability to bend, lift, push, pull, walk for extended periods of time.

Ability to set up and operate surveying equipment.

Ability to operate various office equipment such as a copy machine, calculator, slide projector, etc.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY (Direct & Indirect):

Direct:

Park Maintenance Supervisor.

Park Facilities/Construction Supervisor.

City Forester.

Indirect:

Senior Park Attendants.

Facility Technicians.

Park Attendant II.

Park Attendant I.

Recycle Center Attendant.

Equipment Mechanic.

Seasonal Employees.

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.