The City of Portland, OR is seeking a Parks and Recreation Director. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a bureau that serves as a cornerstone of community life in a city known for its commitment to nature, public spaces, and neighborhood vitality. Reporting through the City Administrator's Office, the Director will lead a complex organization responsible for parks, natural areas, recreation facilities and programs, urban forestry, capital projects, and environmental stewardship. The bureau employs approximately 1,000 full-time staff and nearly 2,000 employees during peak seasonal operations.
The next Director will provide strategic leadership during a pivotal period of organizational and governmental transformation. Success will require balancing long-term vision with operational excellence while advancing financial sustainability, asset stewardship, workforce engagement, and exceptional public service.
The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and a practical doer: someone who can articulate a ten-year direction while confronting today’s budget, workforce, service, and maintenance realities. This leader will be politically astute without becoming political, confident without being rigid, and compassionate without avoiding accountability. They will tell the truth about tradeoffs, remain composed under scrutiny, and help others move from competing interests toward shared solutions. Just as important, this person will lead with curiosity and humility. Portland needs a leader who learns the city, respects the expertise of employees and partners, and then makes clear, timely, and defensible decisions.