This is an excellent opportunity to lead and manage arecreation and parks department with a wide diversity offunctions in a dynamic city government that values innovation,efficiency, and top-quality management.

The City of Rockville is seeking an experienced and innovativeDirector of Recreation and Parks to take the department to anew level of success, consistent with the high quality servicesthat the City of Rockville provides to its residents. The selectedindividual will take the place of a long-time Director ofRecreation and Parks who retired in 2012.

The Director of Recreation and Parks is appointed by andreports to the City Manager. The position is a vital member ofthe City’s Senior Management Team.

CITY ORGANIZATIONThe City of Rockville, founded in 1860, derives its governingauthority from a City Charter granted by the Maryland GeneralAssembly, and has operated under the Council-Manager formof government since 1948. The governing body of the Cityconsists of a directly elected Mayor and four Councilmembers,all elected at-large, every two years.

The Mayor and Council Members serve as the legislative andpolicymaking body of the City. Their responsibilities include enactingordinances and resolutions; adopting the City’s annual budget andestablishing tax rates; appointing the City Manager, City Attorney,and City Clerk; appointing residents to various boards andcommissions; and representing the City at official functions.

The administrative and operational activities of the City aredirected by the City Manager and carried out by a professionalstaff. In addition to Recreation and Parks, the City of Rockvilleoffers a full range of other municipal services. These servicesinclude law enforcement, public works, community planningand development, code enforcement, stormwater management,and general administration.

The City’s operating and capital budgets for FY 2014 totalapproximately $180 million. The General Fund budget equalsabout $69 million. The property tax constitutes the singlelargest source of operating revenue for the City.

Some issues facing the City include:

• Growth management and development;

• Economic competitiveness;

• Maintenance and improvement of existing infrastructure;

• Effective use of technology to support City operations;

• Enhanced intergovernmental relationships; and

• Greater engagement of all segments of the community.

More information about the City of Rockville can be found atwww.rockvillemd.gov.

THE DEPARTMENT OFRECREATION AND PARKS The Department of Recreation and Parks is one of the largestorganizational units of the City of Rockville government. TheDepartment is responsible for the City’s buildings, park landand open space, and recreation programming. Residents of allages are served by the programs, services, and amenitiesmanaged by the department. The neighborhood parks,community centers, special events, and camps and programsfor youth that the Department provides contribute to Rockville’squality of life and sense of community. They are a keycomponent of what makes Rockville special for its residents.

In addition to the traditional functions associated with therecreation and parks function, the Rockville Department ofRecreation and Parks is responsible for certain community andsocial service functions, and the maintenance of all City facilities.

The Department of Recreation and Parks isorganized in six divisions:

• Recreation and Parks Administration Division —Responsible for the leadership and management of theDepartment of Recreation and Parks, the planning anddelivery of high quality events, and the planning andmanagement of capital and planned improvement projects.Also supports the Recreation and Park Advisory Board and theRockville Recreation and Parks Foundation, Inc., and managesthe lease agreement with Billy Casper Golf to operate theCity’s RedGate Golf Course.

THE CITY OF ROCKVILLE — AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY

• Recreation Services Division — Provides high quality,diverse, educational, recreational, and arts programs equitablyto residents and guests in friendly and safe environments. Alsoprovides support to the Cultural Arts Commission and theRockville Sister City Corporation. The variety of programming isreflected in the current Recreation Guide available athttp://www.rockvillemd.gov/recreation/guide/.

• Senior Citizen Services Division — Provides for thesocial, recreational, educational, fitness, and wellness needsof the City’s diverse senior citizen population. Manages the38,707 square foot Senior Center where citizens may accessinformation, services, and support related to aging issues.Offers programs and services for aging in place,transportation, socialization, recreation, leisure, education,trips, fitness, and health and wellness. Provides support toRockville Seniors, Inc. and the Senior Citizens Commission.

• Facilities Division — Provides for the daily operations andprogramming of the City’s major recreational facilities,including three community recreation centers, a senior center,indoor/outdoor swimming pool, community theater, skatepark, and Glenview Mansion. Maintains all City facilities,park shelters, and other structures.

• Community Services Division — Provides supportiveprograms and services to help at-risk and disadvantagedyouth and families become self-sufficient, make positive lifechoices, and adjust to life and societal challenges.Coordinates and administers the City’s annual caregiver grantprogram, provides staff support to the Human ServicesAdvisory Commission, and coordinates special projects suchas the Rockville Holiday Drive.

• Parks and Open Space Division — Responsible for thestewardship and management of all City park land and openspace. Handles the operation, maintenance, andimprovements to Rockville’s parks, rights-of-way, street trees,athletic fields and courts, and annual and perennial flowers.Also administers Rockville’s Forest and Tree PreservationOrdinance, including coordinating with the Planning andPublic Works Departments on reviewing development plansfor compliance with the Ordinance. Provides essential supportfor sports, special events, and other recreation programs.

These services are provided by a staff of 139.6 regular full-timeequivalents and 74.4 temporary full-time equivalents; a portion ofthe department’s staff is unionized and represented by the

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.The Department’s operating budget for FY 2014 is approximately$20.3 million.

Issues Facing the Department of Recreation andParks:

• Review and analysis of existing departmental programmingvis-à-vis programming offered by other governmentalentities and the private sector in the Rockville area to ensureappropriate, competitive service delivery.

• Pursuit of alternative funding opportunities for departmentalprojects, programs, and services to make the departmentmore self-sustaining. The current cost recovery policy for theCity’s recreation and parks programs and services can befound at http://www.rockvillemd.gov/budget/fy2014/proposed/FY2014_proposed_polices-goals.pdf.

• Implementation of a succession planning program inanticipation of top-level manager retirements.

• Oversight of construction projects for the Rockville Swimand Fitness Center and Civic Center Park that are funded inthe FY 2014 CIP budget.

• Participation in long-range planning and developmentreview to secure urban park space in redevelopment areas.

• Review of the substance and implementation of the City’s Forestand Tree Preservation Ordinance to ensure that the needs ofresidents, developers, and other stakeholders are met.

• Continue the implementation of the City of Rockville Parks,Recreation, and Open Space Plan (http://www.rockvillemd.gov/pros/PROS_3-15-10.pdf).

ABOUT THE POSITIONThe Director of Recreation and Parks for the City of Rockville isappointed by and reports to the City Manager. The position isresponsible for planning, organizing, and administering awide range of recreation and parks functions, facilitiesmanagement, and social services. Some of the duties of theDirector of Recreation and Parks include the following:

• Determines the present and future needs for recreation andcommunity service programs, facilities, and park areas.Researches trend and demographic changes and assessescommunity needs to plan strategically for the future.

• Meets with civic organizations and with individual citizens inorder to learn the desires of the community and promoteinterest in recreation and park facilities. Develops communityknowledge and builds partnerships and coalitions that willidentify the Department as a community focal point.

• Works with his/her staff and other departments, agencies,and committees to determine goals for parks, facilities andprograms; evaluate facility needs and program adequacy;and establish appropriate levels of maintenance.

• Directs the planning, design, construction, scheduling ofusage, and maintenance of all recreational, cultural, andoffice facilities and the acquisition and development ofneighborhood playgrounds, playing fields, parks, forests,and street landscaping.

• Plans, organizes, and directs a widely diversifiedrecreation and park program with activities for all agesand interest groups.

• Supervises all departmental activities through amanagement team of division supervisors. Recruits, trains,advises and supervises through subordinates the work of alarge group of recreation supervisors, leaders, specialists,instructors, volunteers and other personnel.

• Provides advisory support to the Recreation and Park AdvisoryCommittee and acts as liaison to other citizen committees,community agencies, and governmental agencies.

• Develops and recommends operating and capitalimprovement budget for the department annually; monitorsand administers approved budget.

• Coordinates the development of grants, legislativeappropriations, corporate sponsorships, donations andother fund raising programs to fund services and programs.

• Carries out supervisory responsibility in accordance with policies,procedures and applicable laws including: interviewing, hiringand training, planning, assigning and directing work; appraisingperformance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressingcomplaints and resolving problems.

• Coordinates City programs with and assists representativesof school, community, region, and other groups indeveloping and extending recreation and allied programs.

• Performs related work as assigned.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATEThe City of Rockville is seeking a Director of Recreation andParks with proven experience in recreation and parks andrelated leadership and management in a similarly sized localgovernment. The successful candidate will possess a minimumof a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college oruniversity in Recreation, Public Administration, or a related fieldand at least seven years of progressively responsible, broadbased experience in recreation and/or parks administration; orany combination of education, training, and experience whichprovides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to performthe essential functions of the job. Possession of a validMaryland Driver’s License or ability to obtain one in a shortperiod of time is required.

A related Master’s degree and experience working in a unionizedenvironment would be a plus. Certified Park and RecreationProfessional (CPRP) Certification and a proven track record inincreasing cost recovery rates desirable. Familiarity with capitalplanning and facility management would be beneficial.

The ideal candidate should be an innovative, results orientedthinker who is business minded and analytical and has a strongmarketing orientation. The next Director must be able tomanage competing priorities in a fast paced, demandingenvironment. He/she should be a successful day-to-daymanager as well as a visionary who ensures that City servicesoffered by the department adapt in response to changingdemographic, budgetary, or other factors.

The new Director should have highly developed interpersonalskills and be someone who can quickly establish and maintainpositive, collaborative relationships with the other members ofthe City’s Senior Management Team, staff of the Department ofRecreation and Parks, elected officials, members of boards andcommissions, and City residents.

The ideal candidate should be engaged with the staff andcommunity, accessible, people oriented, and a good listener.He/she should be a collaborative individual who can look atmatters from the perspective of the customer and the serviceprovider. The new Director must work effectively with outsidegroups and take citizen and community feedback seriously.

The successful candidate must be able to lead and manage a strongstaff that is accustomed to working in a family type environmentwhere a personal touch is appreciated. The new Director should beapproachable and interested in learning all aspects of thedepartment’s operations. He/she should be an excellentcommunicator, both verbally and in writing. The successful candidatemust be able to establish a vision, set goals, measure progress, anddelegate day-to-day implementation to experts in the department.

ABOUT THE ROCKVILLECOMMUNITYThe City of Rockville, the State of Maryland’s third largest city,has a population of 62,334 (2011 Census estimate) and aland area of 13.03 square miles. Rockville is located 12 milesnorthwest of the nation’s capital along the technology richInterstate 270 Corridor and with convenient access toWashington, D.C. by Metrorail.

Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, one of themost affluent and well-educated counties in the United States.According to the U.S. Census, the median household income inRockville is $92,288 and 60% of city residents have abachelor’s degree or higher level of education. Data from the2010 Census indicates that the City’s population reflects thegrowing diversity of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C.region. The Asian, Hispanic and African American populationsrepresent over 40% of City residents. Approximately one-thirdof the City’s population is foreign born.

Rockville is known for its strong sense of community andquality of life. The City has many stable residentialneighborhoods, with a diverse housing stock ranging fromhistoric Victorian homes to more modern styles. It has modernmixed use neighborhoods that offer housing, shopping, andemployment opportunities together. Every neighborhood offersparks for community gathering and recreation. Theredeveloped downtown offers an urban space for shopping,entertainment, and community events.

Rockville also is an employment and economic center forMontgomery County, with approximately 75,000 jobs located in

the city. It is home to some of the nation’s most prominentbiomedical and technology companies, as well as consulting andtechnology companies that support federal government agencies.

In 2010, Rockville was recognized as a great place to live,work, and start a business by Bloomberg BusinessWeek,Money Magazine and U.S. News, each publicationapplauding the City’s efforts to provide a high quality of lifeand a positive business climate.

The City has an extensive parks and open space system whichincludes over 905 acres of City-owned parkland in 65 parks.Rockville is also home to a full range of City-owned andcommunity-owned recreation facilities. From swimming poolsto gyms to theater to golf, Rockville has a facility for everyinterest. City-owned facilities include:

• Croydon Creek Nature Center• F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater• Glenview Mansion• Lincoln Park Community Center• RedGate Golf Course• Rockville Swim and Fitness Center• Rockville Senior Center• Rockville Skate Park• Twinbrook Community Recreation Center• Thomas Farm Community Center

For additional information about Rockville as a place to liveand work, please visit www.rockvillemd.gov.

COMPENSATION, BENEFITSAND HOW TO APPLYThe salary range for the Director of Recreation andParks position for the City of Rockville is $107,263 –$162,081. The starting salary could be up to$140,000 depending on the selected individual’squalifications and match with the desired attributessought by the City. The City offers an outstanding fringebenefit package.

This position will remain open until filled. First review ofapplications will occur on July 12, 2013. In order to beconsidered for this position, please send yourconfidential resume and cover letter with current salaryto jmercer@mercergroupinc.com. For further informationon this important opportunity, please contact:

James L. MercerPresident/CEOThe Mercer Group, Inc.1000 Cordova Place, #726Santa Fe, NM 87505Voice: 505-466-9500Fax: 505-466-1274E-Mail: jmercer@mercergroupinc.comWebsite: www.mercergroupinc.com

Following the date for first review of applications,resumes and application documents will be reviewedby The Mercer Group, Inc. based on the criteriaestablished by the Rockville City Manager. After aprocess, which will include interviews and detailedreference and background checks for those candidateswho are determined to be best qualified for theposition, a group of finalists will be presented to theCity Manager for consideration. It is anticipated thatfinalists will be interviewed in the City of Rockville inlate July or early August, 2013.

THE CITY OF ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND IS AN EQUALOPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND VALUES DIVERSITYAT ALL LEVELS OF THE CITY’S GOVERNMENTALSTRUCTURE