Director of Parks, Recreation, & Neighborhood Services
City of San Jose, CA

Known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” the City of San José plays a vital economic and cultural role in anchoring the world’s leading innovation region. Encompassing approximately 181 square miles at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, San José is Northern California’s largest city and the 13th largest city in the nation.

With nearly one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities and has one of the largest municipal park and recreation systems in the nation with 200 neighborhood parks, 10 regional parks, 65 miles of trails, 83 sports fields in 47 parks, and a network of community centers and civic spaces that serve residents of every age and ability.  Signature destinations include Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, Emma Prusch Farm Park, Alum Rock Park, Lake Cunningham, three municipal golf courses, and San José Family Camp, a 51.2-acre campground in the Sierra Nevada. 

The City is recruiting for their next Director of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department (PRNS) to oversee a department with approximately 930 full-time equivalent positions and an annual operating budget of $190 million.  The Department has 5 core function areas: Animal Care and Services, Community Facilities Development, Community Services, Parks Maintenance and Operations, as well as Recreation Services. 

The ideal candidate will be an inspiring, innovative, results-driven executive who brings both a bold vision and a pragmatic approach to leading a large, complex, and highly visible department; adept at navigating evolving challenges; caring for aging park infrastructure in a resource-constrained environment; balancing cost recovery with affordability and access; addressing the impacts of unsheltered homelessness on parks and trails; reducing wildfire and vegetation risk in open spaces, and ensuring a well-run Animal Care and Services Shelter.

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management, public administration, business administration, or related field; a master’s degree in a related field is preferred; 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience demonstrating proficiency in the management and policy-making functions of a public- and/or private-sector organization responsible for a complex range of programs and activities; and at least 5 years in a management-level position, preferably within a parks, recreation, or similar large public-service organization in local government.

Location: San Jose, California
Salary: $217,940 - $353,022
Final filing date: Monday, December 14, 2026
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Please make sure to have your Resume, Cover Letter, and List of References ready for upload before you start the application process. One combined document that includes all three items is preferred.