Salary : $86,142.42 - $151,594.04 Annually
Location : Alexandria, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: Recreation Parks & Cultural Activities
Opening Date: 07/28/2026
Closing Date: 8/25/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Bargaining Unit: N/A

The Division Chief:

• Establish clear maintenance standards and daily operational expectations for all park maintenance crews, supervisors, and managers, ensuring consistency, accountability, and high-quality service delivery across the city.

• Ensure parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, natural areas, landscaped spaces, and public amenities are maintained to a premier standard that reflects community pride and the Department's commitment to excellence.

• Develop and implement comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all maintenance functions, while routinely evaluating and updating procedures to incorporate industry best practices, innovation, safety, and operational efficiencies.

• Implement a proactive inspection and quality assurance program that includes routine park inspections, facility assessments, equipment evaluations, and corrective action tracking to ensure deficiencies are addressed promptly and consistently.

• Establish measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and operational dashboards to monitor park conditions, work order completion, inspection compliance, response times, equipment availability, and customer service outcomes.

• Oversee the daily operations of maintenance districts, maintenance shops, fleet and equipment, material inventories, and operational support functions to ensure efficient, safe, and reliable service delivery.

• Ensure all maintenance facilities, shops, vehicles, heavy equipment, tools, and specialized machinery are properly maintained, inspected, inventoried, and available to support daily operations and emergency response.

• Develop preventive maintenance schedules for equipment, fleet, facilities, irrigation systems, athletic field assets, playgrounds, and other critical infrastructure to maximize reliability and extend asset life.

• Promote operational readiness by ensuring crews are properly trained, equipped, and prepared to respond to emergencies, severe weather events, special events, and other operational priorities.

• Foster a culture where supervisors and employees routinely identify opportunities to improve operations, eliminate inefficiencies, enhance customer service, and elevate the overall appearance and functionality of Alexandria's parks.

• Conduct regular field visits to observe operations firsthand, mentor supervisors, engage employees, verify maintenance quality, and ensure Department standards are consistently achieved.

• Collaborate with Recreation Services, Park Planning, Urban Forestry, Natural Resources, Facilities, and other City departments to ensure park operations are coordinated, responsive, and aligned with the Department's strategic priorities.

• Build a culture of ownership where every employee understands that they are stewards of Alexandria's parks and are responsible for creating public spaces that are safe, clean, beautiful, welcoming, and worthy of community pride.

The Division Chief key projects FY27-FY28:

• Develop and implement the Department's Park Maintenance Standards of Care, establishing measurable service levels and maintenance expectations for parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, landscaped areas, facilities, and public spaces to ensure a consistent, high-quality customer experience throughout the city.

• Modernize Park Maintenance Operations by reviewing, updating, and implementing comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that promote operational consistency, employee accountability, safety, efficiency, and industry best practices across all maintenance functions.

• Implement a Comprehensive Park Inspection and Quality Assurance Program utilizing routine inspections, digital work management tools, performance dashboards, and corrective action tracking to proactively identify maintenance needs, improve service delivery, and ensure compliance with established standards.

• Strengthen the Department's Asset Management and Preventive Maintenance Program by implementing lifecycle maintenance strategies, scheduled equipment and infrastructure inspections, preventive maintenance programs, and long-term replacement planning for parks, fleet, playgrounds, irrigation systems, athletic fields, and other public assets.

• Lead a Citywide Park Beautification Initiative that enhances landscaping, horticulture, tree care, cleanliness, signage, amenities, and overall park aesthetics, creating public spaces that are welcoming, vibrant, and reflective of Alexandria's commitment to excellence.

• Enhance Operational Readiness and Workforce Excellence by investing in employee training, leadership development, succession planning, equipment readiness, maintenance shop operations, and performance management while fostering a culture of ownership, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Advance Data-Driven Decision Making and Performance Management by establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), service-level benchmarks, operational reporting, and customer service metrics to evaluate performance, improve resource allocation, and continuously elevate the Department's standard of care.

• Strengthen Cross-Departmental Collaboration and Community Stewardship by working closely with Recreation Services, Park Planning, Natural Resources, Urban Forestry, ACPS, and other City departments to ensure coordinated operations, successful capital project implementation, and exceptional stewardship of Alexandria's parks and public spaces.

What You Should Bring
Each member of our team is accountable for the outstanding delivery of services. You will bring your expertise on parks and recreation, employee engagement, high performing organizational culture, and change management; you will have a demonstrated ability to collaborate with employees throughout the department and City of Alexandria; your personal mission and values align with those of the organization and can analyze, synthesize and make data-informed professional recommendations. You will deliver work products that meets the high standards of excellence determined by residents and visitors.

Minimum & Additional Requirements
Four (4) year college degree in recreations or related field; four (4) years of related professional experience in the recreational field, which shall have included demonstrated supervisory experience and experience in planning, coordinating, and marketing revenue and/or non-revenue producing programs.

Preferred Qualifications
Master's Degree in landscape architecture, urban planning, natural resources, or related field and/or is a certified Landscape Architect, Certified Arborist, Certified Project Manager or Certified Grounds Manager with five (5) years of progressively responsible organizational supervisory and leadership experience in project management, grounds management, urban forestry management, and/or natural lands management activities or any equivalent combination of experience and professional certifications (CPRP, CPRE, ISA, APWA, or similar) which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Notes
This position requires successful completion of a criminal records background check and drug screening prior to employment.