City of Buda, TX –Parks and Recreation Director
Please follow this link to view the full brochure: https://www.affionpublic.com/position/parks-and-recreation-director-buda-tx/
The Community
Located along the Interstate 35 corridor in Hays County, just minutes south of Austin, Buda is a rapidly growing community of approximately 18,000 residents. Known as the “Outdoor Capital of Texas,” Buda combines the character and welcoming atmosphere of a small town with convenient access to the employment, educational, cultural, and entertainment opportunities of the greater Austin metropolitan area. Its historic downtown, community traditions, and strategic location have made Buda an increasingly attractive place to live, work, and do business.
Buda offers a high quality of life supported by parks, trails, recreational amenities, live music, festivals, local businesses, and community events. As the city continues to grow, it remains committed to preserving its unique identity while thoughtfully planning for the services, facilities, and infrastructure needed to serve current and future residents. This balance of progress, outdoor recreation, and authentic Texas charm distinguishes Buda within one of the nation’s most dynamic regions.
Government
Incorporated in 1948, Buda is a home-rule city operating under the council-manager form of government. The City Council serves as the City’s legislative and policy-making body and consists of the Mayor and six Councilmembers. The Mayor and the Councilmembers representing At-Large Positions 1, 2, and 3 are elected citywide and must reside within the city limits.
The City Council appoints the City Manager, who serves as the City’s chief administrative officer. The City Manager is responsible for overseeing the City’s daily operations, managing personnel, implementing policies established by the City Council, and administering the City’s programs and services.
The Position
The Parks and Recreation Director provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the City of Buda’s parks and recreation system. The Director is responsible for the planning, development, operation, maintenance, and long-term stewardship of City parks, recreational facilities, athletic complexes, programs, and major community events. A key area of responsibility is Buda Championship Park, including its maintenance, tournament operations and recruitment, athletic partnerships, customer experience, revenue generation, and long-term performance.
As a member of the City’s leadership team, the Director establishes departmental priorities and performance standards; develops and administers operating and capital budgets; leads and develops staff; oversees capital improvement projects; negotiates and administers contracts; and cultivates strategic partnerships and funding opportunities. The Director also provides professional recommendations to executive leadership, the Parks and Recreation Commission, City Council, and other stakeholders.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the Parks and Recreation Department, including departmental priorities, policies, procedures, performance standards, budgets, and long-range planning.
- Leads and develops administrative and field staff and establishes staffing and maintenance schedules necessary to support seven-day operations, including evenings, weekends, holidays, tournaments, and special events.
- Develops and administers operating and capital budgets; monitors revenues and expenditures; and prepares financial forecasts, business plans, financial pro formas, and other complex analyses.
- Provides comprehensive oversight of Buda Championship Park, including maintenance and field conditions, tournament operations and recruitment, contractual agreements, athletic partnerships, operating standards, facility scheduling, customer experience, revenue generation, and long-term facility performance.
- Establishes and maintains partnerships with local, regional, state, and national athletic leagues, associations, tournament operators, and sanctioning organizations to attract softball, soccer, and other competitive sporting events.
- Negotiates, prepares, executes, and administers tournament agreements, facility-use agreements, vendor contracts, professional service agreements, and other contracts within established authority.
- Develops and maintains standard operating procedures for departmental facilities and operations, including maintenance, tournament operations, staffing, safety, scheduling, and customer service.
- Directs major capital improvement projects involving parks, recreation, and athletic facilities, parking areas, pavilions, trails, playgrounds, landscaping, irrigation systems, and related infrastructure from planning and design through construction and operational readiness.
- Oversees the maintenance and long-term stewardship of parks, athletic fields, landscaping, irrigation systems, playgrounds, trails, and other recreational assets, applying knowledge of plant materials, growing seasons, turf and grass health, irrigation, and landscape practices appropriate for Central Texas conditions.
- Leads the planning and execution of large-scale concerts, festivals, and community celebrations, including events comparable in scale and complexity to Red, White & Buda, coordinating entertainment, vendors, contracts, public safety, parking, logistics, staffing, and interdepartmental support.
- Prepares professional memoranda, reports, policies, agenda items, executive summaries, presentations, contracts, and other complex documents for executive leadership, advisory boards, and City Council.
- Serves as staff liaison to the Parks and Recreation Commission and leads or participates in high-level meetings and presentations involving elected officials, executive leadership, consultants, community partners, and other stakeholders.
- Develops strategic partnerships and identifies grant and sponsorship opportunities and other funding sources to enhance parks, recreation, athletics, facilities, and programming.
- Evaluates departmental performance and uses financial, operational, maintenance, participation, tournament, and customer-service data to support continuous improvement and informed decision-making.
Education and Experience
Qualified applicants should possess a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation administration, public administration, business administration, sports management, landscape architecture, construction management, or a related field, along with seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in parks and recreation, municipal operations, athletic facility management, public facility management, or a closely related field, including at least three (3) years of management or supervisory experience.
Qualified candidates should demonstrate significant experience in multiple areas, including parks and facility operations; athletic complex or tournament management; capital improvement projects; budgeting and financial analysis; contract negotiation and administration; parks, landscape, or turf maintenance; and large-scale public event production. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
Professional certification through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) or a comparable professional organization is preferred.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished parks and recreation professional who combines strategic leadership with a strong understanding of day-to-day operations. The successful candidate will possess advanced knowledge of parks and recreation administration, municipal operations, budgeting, personnel management, strategic planning, and public facility management, along with broad experience in parks and facility operations, athletic complex management, tournament recruitment, capital project delivery, contract administration, and large-scale event production. Experience managing a high-profile athletic facility or sports tourism destination will be particularly valuable.
The City is seeking a visible, engaged, and supportive leader with exceptional communication skills and the ability to build productive relationships with elected and appointed officials, employees, athletic organizations, tournament operators, contractors, vendors, sponsors, and community partners. Sound judgment, initiative, integrity, and a genuine commitment to providing high-quality parks, facilities, programs, and community experiences are essential.
Salary
The City of Buda is offering a competitive salary range of $130,000 - $157,000, commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will be available for the successful out-of-area candidate.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to:
resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: BUDADPR
Affion Public
PO Box 794
Hershey, PA 17033
717-214-4922
www.affionpublic.com
*The deadline to receive resumes is October 20, 2026*
The City of Buda is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
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