Job Description

Posting number: 2027-00495

Department: Recreation Parks & Cultural Activities

Job classification: DIVISION CHIEF/ RECREATION, PARKS, & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES/ GS-25

Posting type: Open

Categories: Parks and Recreation

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 Division Chief of Park Maintenance for Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA).

A Message from the Director

The City of Alexandria’s parks are among our community’s greatest assets. They are where families gather, children play, neighbors connect, and residents experience the quality of life that defines our city. Every park, trail, athletic field, playground, and green space represents our commitment to public service, and every visitor should leave with confidence that their park is safe, clean, welcoming, and exceptionally maintained.

As Division Chief of Park Maintenance, you will play a critical leadership role in shaping that experience. I am looking for a leader who is passionate about operational excellence, embraces accountability, and understands that exceptional parks are not created by chance—they are created through strong leadership, clear standards, proactive maintenance, and a culture of continuous improvement.

Our expectation is simple: every park should look cared for every day. We are moving beyond a reactive maintenance model to one built on preventive maintenance, routine inspections, measurable performance standards, and consistent execution. We will use data, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), asset management practices, and performance metrics to guide our work and ensure consistency across our entire park system.

During FY27 and FY28, one of our highest priorities will be modernizing our park maintenance operations. This includes reviewing and updating our standard operating procedures, implementing a comprehensive inspection and quality assurance program, strengthening preventive maintenance practices, and establishing clear standards of care for every park asset. These efforts will create greater accountability, improve operational efficiency, and ensure every resident enjoys the same high-quality experience regardless of which park they visit.

I expect this position to be visible, engaged, and collaborative. The Division Chief should regularly be in the parks, supporting staff, identifying opportunities for improvement, solving operational challenges, and working across divisions to elevate the quality of our system. This leader should inspire pride within the maintenance team and foster a culture where excellence, innovation, customer service, and continuous improvement are part of our daily work.

Our vision is ambitious: to make Alexandria’s parks among the premier urban park systems in Northern Virginia. Achieving that vision will require leadership that sets high expectations, empowers employees, embraces innovation, and never settles for “good enough.” If you are motivated by building high-performing teams, creating lasting operational improvements, and leaving a legacy of exceptional public spaces, I encourage you to join us in shaping the future of Alexandria’s parks.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to serve our community,

Hashim T. Taylor, Director

Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities

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 Services, Cultural Activities, and Leadership & Management

• The Department’s mission - We create meaningful experiences that inspire community, foster creativity, and enhance quality of life for everyone.

• The Department’s vision – The Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities envisions Alexandria as a vibrant, connected, and thriving community where every resident feels a sense of belonging. Through safe, inclusive and innovative programs and spaces, we strengthen well-being, celebrate diversity, and create opportunities for joy and discovery. Guided by equity and excellence, we are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all who live, work and play in our city.

The Division Chief:

• Establish clear maintenance standards and daily operational expectations for all park maintenance crews, supervisors, and managers, ensuring consistency, accountability, and high-quality service delivery across the city.

• Ensure parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, natural areas, landscaped spaces, and public amenities are maintained to a premier standard that reflects community pride and the Department’s commitment to excellence.

• Develop and implement comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all maintenance functions, while routinely evaluating and updating procedures to incorporate industry best practices, innovation, safety, and operational efficiencies.

• Implement a proactive inspection and quality assurance program that includes routine park inspections, facility assessments, equipment evaluations, and corrective action tracking to ensure deficiencies are addressed promptly and consistently.

• Establish measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and operational dashboards to monitor park conditions, work order completion, inspection compliance, response times, equipment availability, and customer service outcomes.

• Oversee the daily operations of maintenance districts, maintenance shops, fleet and equipment, material inventories, and operational support functions to ensure efficient, safe, and reliable service delivery.

• Ensure all maintenance facilities, shops, vehicles, heavy equipment, tools, and specialized machinery are properly maintained, inspected, inventoried, and available to support daily operations and emergency response.

• Develop preventive maintenance schedules for equipment, fleet, facilities, irrigation systems, athletic field assets, playgrounds, and other critical infrastructure to maximize reliability and extend asset life.

• Promote operational readiness by ensuring crews are properly trained, equipped, and prepared to respond to emergencies, severe weather events, special events, and other operational priorities.

• Foster a culture where supervisors and employees routinely identify opportunities to improve operations, eliminate inefficiencies, enhance customer service, and elevate the overall appearance and functionality of Alexandria’s parks.

• Conduct regular field visits to observe operations firsthand, mentor supervisors, engage employees, verify maintenance quality, and ensure Department standards are consistently achieved.

• Collaborate with Recreation Services, Park Planning, Urban Forestry, Natural Resources, Facilities, and other City departments to ensure park operations are coordinated, responsive, and aligned with the Department’s strategic priorities.

• Build a culture of ownership where every employee understands that they are stewards of Alexandria’s parks and are responsible for creating public spaces that are safe, clean, beautiful, welcoming, and worthy of community pride.

The Division Chief key projects FY27-FY28:

• Develop and implement the Department’s Park Maintenance Standards of Care, establishing measurable service levels and maintenance expectations for parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, landscaped areas, facilities, and public spaces to ensure a consistent, high-quality customer experience throughout the city.

• Modernize Park Maintenance Operations by reviewing, updating, and implementing comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that promote operational consistency, employee accountability, safety, efficiency, and industry best practices across all maintenance functions.

• Implement a Comprehensive Park Inspection and Quality Assurance Program utilizing routine inspections, digital work management tools, performance dashboards, and corrective action tracking to proactively identify maintenance needs, improve service delivery, and ensure compliance with established standards.

• Strengthen the Department’s Asset Management and Preventive Maintenance Program by implementing lifecycle maintenance strategies, scheduled equipment and infrastructure inspections, preventive maintenance programs, and long-term replacement planning for parks, fleet, playgrounds, irrigation systems, athletic fields, and other public assets.

• Lead a Citywide Park Beautification Initiative that enhances landscaping, horticulture, tree care, cleanliness, signage, amenities, and overall park aesthetics, creating public spaces that are welcoming, vibrant, and reflective of Alexandria’s commitment to excellence.

• Enhance Operational Readiness and Workforce Excellence by investing in employee training, leadership development, succession planning, equipment readiness, maintenance shop operations, and performance management while fostering a culture of ownership, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Advance Data-Driven Decision Making and Performance Management by establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), service-level benchmarks, operational reporting, and customer service metrics to evaluate performance, improve resource allocation, and continuously elevate the Department’s standard of care.

• Strengthen Cross-Departmental Collaboration and Community Stewardship by working closely with Recreation Services, Park Planning, Natural Resources, Urban Forestry, ACPS, and other City departments to ensure coordinated operations, successful capital project implementation, and exceptional stewardship of Alexandria’s parks and public spaces.

What You Should Bring

Each member of our team is accountable for the outstanding delivery of services. You will bring your expertise on parks and recreation, employee engagement, high performing organizational culture, and change management; you will have a demonstrated ability to collaborate with employees throughout the department and City of Alexandria; your personal mission and values align with those of the organization and can analyze, synthesize and make data-informed professional recommendations. You will deliver work products that meets the high standards of excellence determined by residents and visitors.

Examples of duties

Four (4) year college degree in recreations or related field; four (4) years of related professional experience in the recreational field, which shall have included demonstrated supervisory experience and experience in planning, coordinating, and marketing revenue and/or non-revenue producing programs.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree in landscape architecture, urban planning, natural resources, or related field and/or is a certified Landscape Architect, Certified Arborist, Certified Project Manager or Certified Grounds Manager with five (5) years of progressively responsible organizational supervisory and leadership experience in project management, grounds management, urban forestry management, and/or natural lands management activities or any equivalent combination of experience and professional certifications (CPRP, CPRE, ISA, APWA, or similar) which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Supplemental information

This position requires successful completion of a criminal records background check and drug screening prior to employment.