Parks Operations and Maintenance Manager

Job Description

Description

The City of Santa Clara’s Parks & Recreation Department is hiring a Parks Operations and Maintenance Manager. This is a front-line management position responsible for maintenance and repair activities in city parks. Incumbents are responsible for planning, directing, and supervising field staff.

The Department:

The Parks & Recreation Department is dedicated to enriching the lives of Santa Clara residents through our parks, facilities, events, and programs. The Parks Division oversees the operations and maintenance of over 300 acres of parks and facilities including the Community Recreation Center, Reed & Grant, Youth Soccer Complex, and the City’s crown jewel - Central Park. The Division also supports City-wide events through the year including 4th of July, Arts & Wine Festival, and Tree-Lighting Ceremony.

The Position:

This is a management position in the City's Unclassified Service responsible for managing activities within the Parks Division of the City's Parks and Recreation Department. The Parks Operations and Maintenance Manager assists the Division Manager in planning, organizing, and supervising activities of one or more Park Maintenance sections of the Parks Division, and performs related duties as assigned. Incumbents are responsible for the administration and supervision of construction, maintenance and repair activities of one or more of the following sections, including but not limited to: Park Landscaping and Buildings, Athletic Fields, Sports Courts, Aquatic Facilities, Dog Parks, and Playgrounds.

As a member of the City's Unclassified Service, this is an "at-will" position and the incumbent serves at the discretion of the City Manager.

Additional Information:

Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write “see resume, NA, or personnel file.”). Years of experience are considered on the basis of full-time-equivalent experience (2080 hours per year). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at www.santaclaraca.gov . Applications must be submitted by the filing deadline of Tuesday September 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED ABOVE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT. MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW. APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR POSITIONS ADHERING TO ALL APPLICABLE CITY POLICIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CMD 033- EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES .

The annual salary range for this position is $142,750.80 - $184,752.36. This position may be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.

Typical Duties

Follow this link to view the entire Class Specification, which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Minimum Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate's degree in Forestry, Horticulture, Landscape Design or Architecture, Civil Engineering, Public or Business Administration, or a related field; and
• Four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience in construction, repair, and maintenance of landscaping, swimming pools, athletic and park facilities, two (2) years of which in a supervisory capacity.

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION

• Graduation from high school or equivalent AND additional years of increasingly responsible experience in construction, repair, and maintenance of landscaping, swimming pools, athletic parks and facilities in a supervisory capacity may be substituted for the education requirement on a year for year basis.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Possession of a valid Class C California Driver’s license is required at the time of hire and for the duration of hire.
• Certified Arborist Certification issued by the International Society of Arboriculture or Qualified Applicator Certificate in categories B (Landscape Maintenance), C (Right of Way) and F (Aquatic) issued by the Department of Pesticide Regulation is required within one year of appointment.
• Additional license(s) and/or certification(s) that may be required by future regulation during the duration of employment.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree in Park Management, Business or Public Administration, Forestry, Horticulture, Civil Engineering, Landscape Design or Architecture, or a related field is desirable;
• Certificate of completion of the Certified Playground Safety Inspector course administered by either the National Recreation and Park Association or California Parks and Recreation Society is desirable;
• Possession of an Agricultural Pest Control Adviser License is desirable;
• Certificate of Completion from the National Recreation & Parks Association, Park & Recreation Maintenance Management School, or California Parks & Recreation Pacific Southwest Maintenance Management School is desirable;
• AutoCAD, computer software maintenance and troubleshooting is desirable;
• Public Sector Experience is desirable.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS
May be required to work unusual hours in shift assignments, in emergency situations, and to be on an "on-call" basis as assigned.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job assignment.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Incumbents in this position are required to file a Conflict of Interest statement upon assuming office, annually, and upon leaving office, in accordance with City Manager’s Directive 100.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov .

City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #9
Miscellaneous Unclassified Management

This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara’s benefits available to Bargaining Unit #9 employees in 2026. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager’s Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.

Retirement:

• Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
  • Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula -employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
  • New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula - employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
• Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
  • Employee pays 6.20% up to $11,439 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay

Health Insurance:

• The City contributes up to 100% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee Only and Employee + 1 Dependent plans, and up to 90% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan of the Employee + 2 or More Dependents plan
• Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
• No cash difference is paid if an employee elects a plan cheaper than the max City contribution
• To be eligible for the City’s contribution toward health, employees must be on a paid status for at least 80 hours in the month prior to the month of coverage
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
• Employees hired on or after 1/1/2023 who opt-out of City-offered health insurance and provide annual attestation and acceptable proof of alternative required coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable, are eligible for a cash-in-lieu amount of $250/month. Contact Human Resources for more details

Dental Insurance:

• Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Vision Insurance:

• Choice of two VSP plans
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA):

• City contributes $50.00 a month toward employee’s VEBA account
• Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)

Life Insurance:

• City pays for $50,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
• Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children

State Disability Insurance (SDI):

• Employee pays 1.3% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
• 7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Paid Family Leave (PFL):

• Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
• No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance:

• Benefit is 60% of basic wage up to $13,333; max $8,000/month
• City paid benefit. City pays $.207/$100 of insured earnings
• 60 calendar day waiting period
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment

Deferred Compensation:

• Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
• Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules
• Additionally, the City contributes $300 a month toward employee’s 457(b) account. This dollar amount will factor into the above mentioned IRS rules and limits

Flexible Spending Account (IRS Section 125 Plan):

• Employee may contribute up to $3,400 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $7,500 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $340 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan

Vacation:

• Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
  • For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
  • For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
  • For 10 - 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
  • For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
  • For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
• Maximum accrual is 480 hours
• Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 80 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out in up to two cash-outs the following calendar year

Sick Leave:

• Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
  • Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
  • Up to 32 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
• Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
• Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service

Management Leave:

• 120 hours of management leave credited to employees each January 1st
  • New employees hired between January 1st and June 30th receive 120 hours of management leave their first year
  • New employees hired between July 1st and December 31st receive 60 hours of management leave their first year
• Unused management leave may be carried over from one calendar year to the next; however, an employee may never have more than 180 hours of “banked” management leave

Holidays:

• Seventeen paid eight-hour holidays per year (13 & 4 holidays between 12/25 to 1/1 of following year)

Mobile Communication Device Allowance:

• $80/month in lieu of carrying a City-issued cell phone

Auto Allowance (an alternative to mileage reimbursement or use of a City vehicle):

• Department Heads receive $320/month (up to $520, with City Manager approval). Assistant Department Heads and Division Managers can receive $200/month (Up to $500 with City Manager approval)

Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program:

• Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
• City paid benefit

Retiree Medical Reimbursement Program:

• Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
• Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $438/month in 2026 (amount adjusted annually)
• After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $262/month in 2026 (amount adjusted annually)

Alternate Work Schedule:

• An employee shall be eligible to work a 9/80 alternate work schedule according to the conditions, criteria, and requirements set forth in City Manager's Directive 71. Requests to work a 9/80 schedule shall be made through or by the Department Head to the City Manager. The City Manager must approve the schedule and the City Manager or Department Head (for employees other than Department Heads) may terminate the schedule at any time.

Closing Date/Time: 9/8/2026 4:00 PM Pacific