Deputy Park and Recreation Director

Deputy Park and Recreation Director
at The City of Fort Worth
Park & Recreation

Pay Range: $150,000 - $177,000

Job Posting Closing on: Thursday, October 16, 2025

To learn more about this opportunity and department click the link below:

Now Hiring - Park & Recreation Deputy Director - Welcome to the City of Fort Worth

Join Our Team!

The City of Fort Worth, Texas is offering an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to help lead the Park & Recreation Department of one of the fastest growing large cities in the country. The Deputy Director will assist the Director of this accredited agency by overseeing the Park Operations and Planning and Resource Management Divisions of the department. Aspirational new goals and initiatives have been outlined by GREENPrint Fort Worth, the recently updated strategic master plan, as well as the Good Natured Greenspace initiative. It's a great time for Fort Worth parks - come join our team!

About Cowtown - Where the West Begins

Fort Worth is a vibrant blend of Western heritage and modern innovation. Known for its deep roots in cowboy culture, it's home to the historic Stockyards, world-class museums, and a thriving arts scene. The city balances its rich traditions with a forward-looking spirit, offering everything from cutting-edge urban development to family-friendly parks and green spaces. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Fort Worth boasts a diverse economy, welcoming communities, and a strong sense of identity. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.

The Park & Recreation Department

The Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department, a nationally accredited agency, oversees 310 parks and public spaces spanning more than 13,000 acres across the city. With a team of 851 dedicated employees and a Fiscal Year 2025 budget of $87.5 million, the department delivers a wide range of recreational programs and educational opportunities that enhance quality of life and help make Fort Worth a dynamic place to live, work, and play.

The Park & Recreation Department oversees the planning, design, development, and maintenance of Fort Worth's extensive system of parks, trails, and public rights-of-way. It also oversees the planning and management of the city's recreational programs. The department is structured into five divisions, and in partnership with the Park & Recreation Director, the ideal candidate will play a key leadership role in overseeing multiple divisions and advancing the department's mission.

The Administration Division delivers essential support services across the department. Its responsibilities include coordinating volunteer programs, managing public communications, overseeing fleet and safety operations, and handling budget and finance, human resources, and purchasing functions. The division also manages the Fort Worth Zoo contract and provides staff support to the Park & Recreation Advisory Board.

The Park Operations Division oversees general park maintenance duties for the department, either with assigned staff or contracts for service. Currently, the grounds maintenance contracts cover services such as mowing, litter removal, planting bed care, and irrigation repairs across city parks, medians, rights-of-way, commercial corridors, and other city-owned sites managed by various departments. Other key functions managed by the division include park reservations, contract management, the Graffiti Abatement Program and operations for the Fort Worth Water Gardens. The division also oversees the management agreement with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) for the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

The Recreation Division oversees key cultural and recreational sites including the Log Cabin Village, the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge, Forest Park and Marine Park Pools, Sycamore Park Sprayground and 23 community centers that provide recreation and community resource programs that serve all audiences and abilities.

The Golf and Athletics Division oversees both the Municipal Golf Fund and General Fund-supported athletic programs and facilities. The division manages three golf complexes, which feature four 18-hole courses, a six-hole practice course, two driving ranges, and full-service clubhouses at each location. Notably, Rockwood Park Golf Course is home to The First Tee of Fort Worth's Ben Hogan Learning Center. On the athletics side, the division is responsible for the Haws Athletics Center, McLeland Tennis Center, and Sycamore Community Center, as well as athletic field reservations and maintenance. It also delivers a wide range of adult and youth sports programs that serve the community year-round.

The Planning and Resource Management Division manages the capital construction and maintenance of the parks and facilities, as well as new parkland acquisition, long-range park system planning, GIS systems, and the supply and care of trees on city-owned property.

A Council-appointed Park & Recreation Advisory Board is responsible for providing policy recommendations and information to the City Manager and the City Council about citizen needs and requests that will improve the services of the Department.

The Position

Under the leadership of the Department Director, the Deputy Director will have direct oversight of the Park Operations and Planning & Resource Management Divisions, while the Department Director will continue to oversee the Administration, Golf & Athletics, and Recreation Divisions. However, the specific allocation of responsibilities between the Director and Deputy Director may be adjusted based on the experience and strengths of the selected candidate.

In addition to divisional oversight, the Deputy Director is expected to also:

• Support and champion the department's vision, providing strategic leadership through the planning, coordination, administration, and evaluation of programs, projects, systems, procedures, standards, and service delivery.
• Assist in developing and implementing departmental goals, objectives, and policies, ensuring alignment with citywide priorities.
• Collaborate with staff to establish capital and operational budget priorities, guiding the department through the annual budget process.
• Lead and motivate staff by setting priorities, assigning responsibilities, conducting performance evaluations, ensuring training and compliance with policies, maintaining a safe and healthy work environment, and making or recommending personnel decisions including hiring, discipline, and termination.
• Evaluate and monitor workloads, administrative systems, and internal reporting structures, identifying opportunities for improvement and leading the implementation of changes.
• Provide executive-level support to an Assistant City Manager, represent the department on various boards, commissions, and committees, and serve as acting Director when needed.

In response to the city's renewed focus on preserving and managing natural areas and the opportunity to better align cultural resources, the department is planning to establish a sixth division dedicated to Cultural and Natural Resource Management. Once implemented, this new division will fall under the Deputy Director's oversight.

Who we are Looking For

The most successful candidates for the position will demonstrate the following key attributes:

• Forward-Thinking Expertise: A strong, contemporary understanding of national best practices and emerging trends in parks and recreation, supported by a proven track record of success. This knowledge will help Fort Worth continue its pursuit of best-in-class status.
• Commitment to Continuous Improvement: A natural drive to challenge the status quo, with a relentless focus on innovation, efficiency, and excellence. The ideal candidate will foster a culture of ongoing improvement throughout the department.
• Exceptional Interpersonal Skills: Strong people skills are essential-not only to provide inspirational leadership to staff, but also to build and sustain strategic partnerships across the community.
• Change Leadership: With a new vision for the department, the next Deputy Director must bring effective change management skills.
• Master Planning Experience: Demonstrated experience in parks and recreation master planning is critical.
• Commitment to Excellence and Accreditation: With the department recently achieving its first CAPRA accreditation, the Deputy Director will be expected to uphold and advance the standards of an accredited agency.
• Community Presence and Engagement: Even in a large city, there is a strong expectation for the department leadership to be visible, accessible, and engaged-regularly visiting work sites, attending community events, and maintaining a strong presence throughout the city.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Parks & Recreation Management, Horticulture, Public or Business Administration, or a related field.
• Seven years of increasingly responsible experience in parks and recreation management and at least three years of marketing, administrative and supervisory responsibility.
• Valid Driver's License.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Public or Business Administration, or related field.
• Certified Park and Recreation Professional or Certified Park and Recreation Executive.

Salary & Benefits

The City of Fort Worth is offering a starting salary range of $150,000 - $177,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Additionally, the City provides medical, dental, vision, Paid Time Off, Pension Plan, and Professional Development Opportunities. Find out More!

Application Process

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume online no later than October 16, 2025.

Inquiries may be made by contacting Victor Escobedo at (817) 392-7778 or Victor.Escobedo@FortWorthTexas.gov.

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.

Closing Date/Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025

• 

• City of Fort Worth

• (817) 392-7750

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