The City of Bellingham Parks & Recreation Department is seeking an inspiring leader to direct the planning, design, construction and repair of parks, trails and facilities in our community’s outdoor spaces. This role is part of the department’s management team and participates in strategic planning, budgeting, and organizational collaboration. If this role aligns with your skills and passion, we encourage you to apply today.
The Park Design and Development Manager manages long-range planning and development of the comprehensive parks and recreation goals of the City. Applies park planning and development knowledge in forming and administering the City’s comprehensive plan recommendations for parks, trails, open space and related facilities. Oversees the planning, budgeting, staffing, property acquisition, design, construction management and development of all City parks, trails, greenways, athletic fields, landscape areas, street trees, park buildings, and other facilities. Manages the work of engineers, landscape architects, planners, inspectors and project managers to organize, implement and efficiently administer the park system capital facilities planning and development, including the design, permitting public involvement, construction and inspection for a variety of projects, producing facilities which reconcile divergent public interests.
WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?
Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The current full salary range for this position is $10,565/month - $12,842/month. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the E-Team Handbook and City policy.
The City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor’s degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master’s degree in a related field when the master’s degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications. The City's HR Department regularly evaluates minimum qualifications to provide equitable employment opportunities.
For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.
At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.
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13.33 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
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12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
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40 hours of sick leave upon hire + 8 hours accrued monthly
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Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
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Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
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Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
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Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
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Optional 457 deferred compensation savings plan and 401(a) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match
Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.
Closing Date/Time: Mon. 08/03/26 8:30 AM Pacific Time
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:
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Plans and oversees the development, administration and implementation of Parks capital plans for the City to ensure effective completion of projects in compliance with budgetary, regulatory and schedule guidelines. Oversees the development and administration of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space element of the Comprehensive Plan, six-year capital improvement plan, Greenway Levy Program, Park Impact Fee Program, and other programs.
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Plans, organizes, coordinates, assigns and evaluates the work of professional and technical staff in the Park Development Section. Provides technical assistance, guidance and training as needed. Effectively recommends employees for hire, establishes performance standards, conducts performance appraisals and recommends disciplinary action as necessary. May recruit and train volunteers. Resolves problems between developers, contractors, consultants and City staff.
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Oversees and coordinates public work capital projects. Prepares project budgets, and reviews bids for award of contracts. Negotiates contracts, schedules work and monitors for compliance with specifications and completeness. Approves design changes, progress payments and change orders. Addresses inquiries and complaints. Reviews feasibility studies, participates in public meetings, and assesses environmental impacts. Provides information and assistance as needed and expedites decisions on critical issues.
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Prepares or oversees preparation of requests for proposals, contract documents and plans, specifications, cost estimates, and environmental impact statements; reviews and approves final design estimates; negotiates and/or recommends award of contracts and oversees consultant/contractor agreements.
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Reviews the work of civil engineers, architects, landscape architects and other professionals to assure that all phases of work meet acceptable standards. Resolves difficult disputes, claims, and inspection problems referred by subordinates. Ensures projects meet building codes, ADA and environmental standards; oversees application for conditional use permits.
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Makes presentations on projects to the City's Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, City Council, community groups, and other decision-making bodies; leads public input processes.
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Develops policies and procedures. Collects and analyzes information related to the parks, recreation, trails and open space needs of the City and develops recommendations for modifications or revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and related City ordinances.
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Reviews public and private development proposals to assure compliance with recommendations, goals, policies and standards of the park, recreation and open space element of the Comprehensive Plan.
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Reviews and researches management plans that address landscape enhancement, landscape restoration and wildlife habitat. Assesses natural functions and values of development and conservation sites related to public projects.
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Coordinates park planning activities with key staff within the Parks and Recreation Department and with city planning and other personnel; provides input on relevant issues of administrative policy and practice.
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Oversees, negotiates and monitors property acquisitions and leases with property management staff. Makes recommendations on park dedications and donations.
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Prepares budgets, manages and tracks expenditures to ensure projects are completed within funding and time limits. Forecasts funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; monitors and approves expenditures; recommends adjustments as necessary.
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Oversees capital grant funding utilizing both State and Federal funding sources. Includes researching funding opportunities, writing grant applications, delivering presentations and managing awarded grants by monitoring expenditures and ensuring compliance with all reporting requirements, rules and regulations.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed primarily in an office setting with the majority of time at a computer workstation. Some time spent in urban undeveloped and developed parkland and open space, underdeveloped land parcels and on project construction/development sites. Regular travel to meetings is expected. This is a position with minimal to moderate physical exertion requirements.
Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including:
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Frequently operate a computer and other office machinery such as a keyboard, mouse, phone, and fax machine;
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Frequently communicate accurate information and ideas with others;
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Occasional exposure to outdoor weather conditions;
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Occasionally traverse uneven terrain;
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Remain stationary for long periods of time;
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Transport objects weighing up to 35 pounds.
**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**
Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City’s commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.
Interviews for the most qualified candidates are tentatively scheduled for August 21, 2026. Invitations to participate in the Interview process will be sent via e-mail on or around August 12, 2026.
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.
Equal Opportunity:
The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.
Fair Hiring Practices
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The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
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The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
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The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
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The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.
