Deputy Director, Planning & Development

Join the Park Authority and our nationally recognized team of professionals! Fairfax County is a dynamic community with 1.15 million residents, an award-winning park system, a top-notch school system, safe neighborhoods, and a highly diverse population. The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is seeking a Deputy Director of Planning and Development for our CAPRA accredited, 4-time NRPA Gold Medal award winning agency with a $100M operating budget, a $180M 6-year CIP, and more than 24,000 acres of parkland, nine Recenters, eight golf courses, three lakefront parks, and so much more. 

We are seeking an experienced visionary, collaborative and strategic leader who is a champion for equity, sustainability and our commitment to industry-leading public spaces and services. This position plays a critical role in the Agency and will oversee three key divisions and the Fairfax County Park Foundation:

• Marketing and Communications: Oversees brand positioning, marketing, strategic communications, and public engagement.
• Park Development Division: Leads Park design, capital projects and construction/project management.
• Stewardship and Planning Division: Guides natural resource/environmental stewardship, archaeology and museum collections, heritage preservation, and long-range park planning.
• Park Foundation: Oversees the management of the Fairfax County Park Foundation which supports the agency by raising funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement agency funding for parks, facilities programs, and services.

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the divisions and foundation it supports.
• Works with the executive director to implement Board policy and fulfill the agency mission and vision. Serves as the key liaison with the Park Authority Board and the Park Foundation Board in consultation with the executive director’s team.
• Responsible for overall management of the development of the park system; including the CIP, construction planning and management, design, stewardship, strategy, and public outreach.
• Builds partnerships with stakeholders, community organizations and other agencies and serves as a liaison with county taskforces, committees, councils, and boards.
• Ensures and champions sustainability, viability, and relevance of the Park Authority as a component of the Fairfax County Government.
• Makes decisions with far-reaching impacts and troubleshoots complex problems.
• Guides equitable and inclusive community engagement strategies.
• Leads an innovative park planning and stewardship team (natural resources, archaeology/cultural resources, heritage preservation), fostering collaboration between agency divisions.
• Facilitates development and implementation of effective communication within and outside the agency.

To learn more about Fairfax County and this position, please review the links below.

Learn More About the Position:
An invitation to apply for Deputy Director, Planning and Development
Jobs at the Park Authority 

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

• Develops and implements agency policy;
• Develops management plans and strategies for long- and short-range agency objectives and recommends management priorities;
• Ensures the sustainability, viability, and relevance of the Park Authority as a component unit of Fairfax County Government;
• Demonstrated knowledge and skill in budget and financial operations;
• Analyzes financial data and performance measures in relation to agency objectives and informs the Board on issues and recommends plans and priorities for agency operations;
• Develops, recommends, and implements alternative funding and revenue strategies by building relationships with organizations such as corporations, non-profits, and stakeholder interest groups;
• Meets with the Park Authority Board and its committees to analyze park and recreation management trends;
• Provides general direction to the work efforts of assigned divisions and branches;
• Participates in the development of annual plans for each functional group;
• In conjunction with the Director, provides leadership and direction for the agency on county planning issues, resources to meet objectives and as spokesperson on land acquisition, proffers, easements, and other land issues;
• Plans, develops, and implements the five-year capital improvement plan (CIP) for the agency in coordination with the Planning and Development Division Director;
• Represents the Director and the agency at meetings with County staff, various boards, commissions, and citizen groups.