Deputy Director of Regional Parks

Position Information

The County of Sonoma is pleased to accept applications for Deputy Director of Regional Parks.


Starting salary up to $93.93/hour ($ 196,043 /year) and a competitive total compensation package!*



About the Position

The Deputy Director of Regional Parks provides leadership and operational oversight responsibilities across major functional areas within the Department, to include park operations and maintenance, natural resource management, community engagement, administration, and marina operations. In addition, this position serves as a department-wide resource, assists in aligning departmental mandates, goals, and abilities, and acts on behalf of the Director during their absence.
The Deputy Director of Regional Parks will directly supervise up to six staff members and will play a key role in establishing work priorities and assisting in the alignment of departmental strategic planning, goals, and objectives. In addition, this position will provide oversight responsibilities for up to six divisions, including Community Engagement, Natural Resources, Operations, Maintenance, Marinas, Administrative services, Marketing, and Planning. Additional responsibilities include:

• Developing departmental processes and procedures
• Evaluating and interpreting changes to federal, state, and local laws or regulations that impact park services
• Directing the implementation of park program updates, policies, and regulations
• Preparing Regional Parks'$50 million annual budget, by assisting division managers in developing and managing division budgets, pursing grants and alternative funding, and by working with the budget manager and division managers on cost recovery and revenue
• Representing Regional Parks in various engagements with other governmental agencies, community organizations, the media
• Collaborating with other County departments, local tribes, nonprofit partners, community organizations, and state and federal agencies

The ideal Deputy Director of Regional Parks candidates will be a collaborative leader who thrives working with other County departments, agencies, the public, and County officials. The Deputy Director of Regional Parks requires superb communication and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to effectively build relationships and work alongside diverse communities. Excellent strategic planning, and public speaking skills are essential to succeeding in this role. Additionally, the ideal candidate will possess significant experience supervising and managing staff, and experience in the following areas:

• Developing and improving organizational systems and workflows
• Negotiating contracts, agreements, the drafting of request for proposals and quotes, and similar type of documents
• Overseeing risk management and safety protocols, and implementing effective performance management systems to ensure high-quality service delivery and operational accountability
• Working with municipal budgets and the administration of public meetings
• Working knowledge and experience in park operations, natural resources, operating marinas, and park maintenance

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Deputy Director of Regional Parks position in the Regional Parks Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education, experience, and training which would likely provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

Experience: Normally, four years of progressively responsible experience in park management within a significant department or agency with a mid-sized public park, recreation or open space system including at least two years of supervisory and administrative experience.

Education: Normally, significant coursework from an accredited college or university in park management, recreation administration, horticulture, natural resources management; public or business administration, management, finance, accounting, economics, physical education or a closely related field. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any of the above fields is highly desired.

License: Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: modern principles, practices and methods of park and recreational land use including development, maintenance and operations; general management principles including project management, budget and fiscal management, public administration, human resources administration, property and lease management, grant preparation, and labor relations; federal and state laws and regulations relating to local parks and public assembly facilities; program planning; risk assessment and management in park and recreation settings; public safety programs including park security, park ranger law enforcement, crime and accident prevention; English syntax and grammar.

Working knowledge of: administrative problems of large governmental parks and recreation department or similar organization; group and/or team dynamics; long range planning and park development including capital projects and acquisitions, planning, design, easements, and associated funding mechanisms; laws and regulations related to environmental issues, including principles of environmental mitigation and CEQA/NEPA compliance; methods, materials, tools and equipment used in construction, maintenance and repair of park facilities, basic principles of mechanical plants; methods of fire prevention and insect and plan disease control; marketing and public relations.

Ability to: plan, organize and direct comprehensive programs; understand, interpret, explain and apply laws, regulations, and policies; develop or improve policies, procedures and regulations; advise groups, boards, and commissions orally and in writing concerning specific programs and projects; speak effectively before groups and audiences; assemble, organize and present complex information, solutions and recommendations to the public, commissions, committees, and officials, in written and/or oral form; develop and implement training and performance management programs; orient, train, supervise and evaluate the performance of subordinate managers and other staff; effectively coach and advise managers and supervisors on variety of employee performance and training problems; lead the preparation and justification and execution of the department’s budget; assess budgetary needs and forecast additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; read and interpret blueprints, plans and drawings; work independently and make sound decisions; handle multiple tasks simultaneously and effectively; analyze data, draw logical conclusions and implement effective changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and establish and adjust priorities as needed.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CA

HR Technician: VH

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: Management*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 12/11/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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