Deputy Director - Park Services

Join our Great City

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 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 Deputy Director Park Services for Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA).

About Us

The City of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities (RPCA) plays a vital role in shaping the quality of life, health, and character of our community. With more than 900 acres of parkland, 100 parks and open spaces, and over 30 recreation, nature, and cultural facilities, RPCA delivers programs and services that connect people to each other and to the world around them.

From Old Town’s Waterfront Park to Ben Brenman Park, Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility, Patrick Henry Recreation Center, and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, our facilities and programs reflect the City’s commitment to inclusion, creativity, and service. RPCA’s employees help ensure that every experience, whether a community event, park visit, or recreation program, is safe, welcoming, and enriching for all. The Department is organized into four core operating divisions: Recreation Services, Park Operations, Cultural Activities, and Leadership & Management.

The Deputy Director:

• Provide executive leadership for the City’s Park Maintenance, Natural Resources, Urban Forestry, Athletic Field Management, and Landscape Management operations.
• Lead and develop Division Chiefs and senior managers responsible for maintaining more than 900 acres of parks, athletic facilities, natural areas, and public landscapes.
• Serve as a key member of the Department’s Executive Leadership Team, helping shape strategic priorities, organizational performance, and operational excellence.
• Translate departmental vision into measurable results through data-driven decision-making, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee multimillion-dollar operating budgets, resource allocation, procurement, contracts, and fiscal stewardship.
• Champion exceptional customer service while ensuring parks, athletic fields, trails, natural areas, and public spaces are safe, welcoming, and well maintained.
• Lead the City’s Urban Forestry Program, including tree canopy preservation and expansion, risk management, and long-term forest sustainability.
• Direct Natural Resources programs focused on ecological restoration, invasive species management, environmental stewardship, and climate resilience.
• Provide executive oversight of athletic field operations, ensuring high-quality, safe, and sustainable facilities for community use.
• Implement enterprise asset management and preventative maintenance strategies to maximize the life cycle of public assets.
• Lead emergency operations, severe weather response, and continuity of operations for Parks Services.
• Build collaborative partnerships with City departments, elected officials, regional agencies, community organizations, and residents.
• Represent the Department before City Council, Boards and Commissions, executive leadership, and community stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, employee engagement, leadership development, and operational excellence.

The Deputy Director key work projects FY27-FY28:

1. Lead the development and implementation of the Urban Forestry Master Plan, establishing a long-term vision for preserving and expanding Alexandria’s urban tree canopy.
2. Lead the development and implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan, establishing strategic priorities for parks, facilities, open space, recreation amenities, and future investment.
3. Advance the Natural Resources Management Plan and Implementation Strategy, focusing on ecological restoration, environmental stewardship, climate resilience, invasive species management, and habitat conservation.
4. Oversee a comprehensive Community Needs Assessment to evaluate current and future recreation, park, athletic field, natural resource, and public space needs while identifying opportunities to improve services and expand access.
5. Strengthen partnerships with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to coordinate the planning, development, maintenance, scheduling, and shared use of parks, athletic fields, open spaces, and recreational facilities that support community and school programming.
6. Modernize the Department’s Asset Management and Capital Planning Program by developing lifecycle replacement strategies, maintenance standards, performance measures, and long-range investment priorities for parks, athletic fields, public facilities, fleet, and infrastructure.
7. Complete all seasonal park maintenance, athletic field maintenance, urban forestry, natural resources, waterfront, and facility maintenance cycles through a combination of department staff and contracted services while meeting established service levels.
8. Collaborate with City departments and regional partners to deliver park development projects, open space initiatives, waterfront improvements, facility renovations, and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects that enhance Alexandria’s public realm.
9. Evaluate and implement operational efficiencies, technology solutions, and performance management systems that improve service delivery, enhance customer experience, and strengthen organizational accountability.
10. Develop a comprehensive workforce development and succession planning strategy that builds leadership capacity, supports employee growth, and prepares the next generation of Parks Services leaders.

What You Should Bring 
 We are looking for a collaborative, visionary leader who is passionate about public service and committed to building high-performing organizations. The successful candidate will bring executive-level experience leading complex park and recreation, public works, or municipal operations, with a demonstrated ability to develop people, foster a culture of accountability, and drive organizational excellence.

You should have a proven track record of leading through change, building strong relationships across departments and with community partners, and making strategic, data-informed decisions that improve operations and service delivery. The ideal candidate is an innovative problem solver who can balance long-term planning with operational execution while inspiring teams to achieve exceptional results.

Most importantly, you believe that public service matters. You lead with integrity, value collaboration, embrace continuous improvement, and are committed to enhancing the quality of life for residents through outstanding stewardship of public spaces and exceptional customer service. Your leadership will help shape the future of Alexandria’s parks, natural resources, public facilities, and community assets while leaving a lasting impact on the organization and the community we serve.

 

Minimum & Additional Requirements

Bachelors’ degree in recreation and parks or related field; seven (7) years of related experience, of which three (3) years must be at the supervisory or managerial level, in planning, coordinating, and conducting park maintenance, forestry, land management, park design, community planning, and park construction operations or equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

 

Master's degree, executive municipal leadership experience, presentations to elected officials, organizational transformation, and professional certifications (CPRP, CPRE, ISA, APWA, or similar)