Parks Planning and Development Manager

Mac's List
Bellevue, Washington
Full Time

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Description Salary : $126,684.00 - $174,811.50 Annually

Location : Bellevue, WA

Job Type: Regular

Job Number: 25-00247

Department: Parks and Community Services

Division: PCS Parks Planning+Development

Opening Date: 07/14/2025

Closing Date: 7/28/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA: Exempt

Bargaining Unit: NONAFF

Come Join the City of Bellevue!

Please fill out your application as fully as possible. The City evaluates candidates based on the information provided in the online application only. Do not submit resumes and cover letters. Read the "Hiring Process" section below to learn more.

New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Job Summary

Bellevue Parks & Community Services (PCS) is seeking an experienced leader and creative systems-thinker to serve as Parks Planning and Development Manager within the Planning, Design and Project Management (PDPM) division. This position leads a team of nine charged with delivering a portfolio of varied capital projects and programs totaling approximately $40 million a year. This position oversees budget development, project delivery, community engagement processes, landscape and architectural design, and construction of major capital and renovation projects. Further, as a key member of the PCS Management Team, this individual is skilled in personnel management, strategic planning, performance management, and contract management. Excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and political acumen are needed to be successful in this publicly facing position.

With over 2,700 acres of parks and open space, Bellevue is known as "A City in a Park." The city is dynamic, international and multicultural, future-focused, diversity-driven, and high-performing with a vision for a livable, vibrant, and equitable community. The Parks & Community Services Department builds a healthy community through an integrated system of exceptional parks, open spaces, recreation, cultural arts and community services. Consider joining a team dedicated to realizing a vision where, in Bellevue, everyone can connect to each other and to nature through experiences that help them to live, grow, and thrive.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leads staff team delivering capital development projects and programs as well as the department's capital facility renovation program.
Plans, organizes, evaluates, coordinates, and directs the work of staff; selects, hires, coaches, counsels, and disciplines staff and makes other personnel decisions; prepares and delivers performance evaluations.
Develops and prepares division budget proposals, performance metrics reports and workload plans.
Provides leadership and direction in the planning, preparation, and management of contracts, project design, and community outreach.
Negotiates and prepares formal agreements to establish projects and/or public and private partnerships.
Develops and implements policies; ensures compliance with relevant federal, state, and local codes and regulations.
Collaborates with customers, stakeholders, elected and appointed officials and residents on project and policy issues. Facilitates large or small groups dealing with controversial and/or competing viewpoints and desired outcomes.
Prepares and delivers presentations to a variety of audiences including city leadership, councilmembers, commissions, and the general public.
Establishes and maintains a working environment conducive to positive morale, individual style, quality, creativity, and teamwork.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives occasional feedback from a manager; sets objectives and goals for a program.
Supervises multiple professional and technical staff.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Extensive knowledge of capital project portfolio planning, design, construction practices, project schedule management and budget control for small and large, complex projects.
Experience in leading and supervising a sizable staff team.
Knowledge of applicable city, state and federal policies, laws, and regulations affecting capital improvement project portfolios.
Ability to preemptively identify risks or obstacles to project completion and develop options to mitigate.
Significant ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with employees, consultants, other governmental agency representatives, city officials, and the general public.
Ability to mediate between groups and convey differing opinions for policy makers/Council. Strong leadership skills with ability to build consensus with diverse groups.
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relations with associates, colleagues from other departments, representatives of other organizations and grant agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, City officials, and the public.
Considerable skill in negotiating contracts and determining cost estimates on complex projects.
Knowledge of architectural and engineering principles; ability to read and interpret architectural and landscape plans, profile drawings, survey and maps.

Education, Experience, and Other Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business or public administration, project/construction management, urban planning, landscape architecture or related field.
Five or more years of progressively responsible related experience in capital construction project management.
Equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
Possess a Washington State driver's license.
Pass a criminal background check.

Supplemental Information

Physical Demands:

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Work involves moving, communicating, operating objects, tools, or controls and reaching.
Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
The employee may be required to push, pull, lift, and/or carry up to 20 pounds.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet while in the office or moderately loud when in the field.

HIRING PROCESS

The City evaluates candidates based on the information provided in the online application only. Do not submit resumes and cover letters. To evaluate all candidates fairly and equitably, the City will make all applicants anonymous when we are screening the applications. We will redact information from our application such as your name, address, and other demographics. To help us, please complete the online application form as fully as possible.

Answer the Supplemental Questions when requested which can be found on the Questions tab of the Job posting.
We do not accept resumes and cover letters during the anonymous application screening stage, unless otherwise stated in the job description.
Applicants advancing to the next stage may be required to provide a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and references.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

All candidates will be required to establish employment authorization and identity at the time of hire. The City is not able to sponsor work visas.
All positions require the completion of references checks, including at least one prior supervisor.
Some positions may require completion of a criminal background check prior to start employment
Some positions may require obtaining a commercial driver's license (CDL), licensures, or additional certifications.

At the City of Bellevue, you'll be part of a team committed to providing exceptional customer service, upholding the public interest and advancing the community vision. The six essential and enduring principles that guide our individual actions, our interactions, and our decision making in the City of Bellevue organization is: Exceptional Public Service, Stewardship, Commitment to Employees, Integrity, Innovation, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. You'll work in an environment that is innovative, collaborative, future focused, and committed to excellence. Bellevue welcomes the world. Our diversity is our strength. We embrace the future while respecting our past. It's what makes the City of Bellevue an exciting place to work, live, and explore.

Have we piqued your interest yet? Come join our team! The City of Bellevue supports workplace diversity. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status. Persons needing assistance with the application process may call the Human Resources Office, at ... or If you are invited to participate in the selection process and need ADA accommodations, please notify HR before you are scheduled for an interview or testing.

The City of Bellevue participates in the E-Verify program. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

For any technical difficulties with your application, please contact the NEOGOV support line at ....

Please be sure to check your junk folder for any messages that may be sent to you about this recruitment.

The City of Bellevue offers employees a comprehensive benefits package providing choice, flexibility, and value!

Please Note: Seasonal, part-time, and variable employees are not eligible for the below benefits except for mandatory participation in the retirement plan assigned to the position, which will be the Municipal Employees Benefit Trust (MEBT 2) retirement plan or the Washington State Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement plan and any other benefits as required by law.

The following summary applies to fully benefited positions:

Medical

Employees are offered a choice of medical coverage through the City's self-insured Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan or Kaiser Permanente (HMO).

Dental

Employees are offered a choice of two dental carriers with plans that offer regular checkups, x-rays, fillings, and crowns. Orthodontia is available through one of the carriers.

Vision

Employees are offered a choice of vision coverage through an annual exam-only plan or a buy-up plan which includes an annual eye exam and hardware coverage.

Retirement Plans - Employees are offered three retirement plans:

Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS): Mandatory participation (PERS, LEOFF or PSERS), depending upon eligibility.
City of Bellevue Municipal Employee's Benefit Trust (MEBT): Optional participation in this 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match contributions that vest on a 3-year schedule.
Deferred Compensation Program (457 DCP): Optional participation in the supplemental Deferred Compensation Program also administered by DRS that allows tax-deferred savings into a variety of investments options.

Other benefits include:

More detailed information about our employee benefits is available at

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Life/Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
Long Term Disability (LTD)
Survivor Income
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
11 observed holidays per year plus 2 additional personal holidays, vacation (standard accrual of 12 days a year), and sick leave (accumulated at the rate of one day per month)
An ORCA Card bus pass
On-site fitness center, and self service food/coffee options
Career development and training programs
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Paydays - The City of Bellevue pays employees on the 8th and the 23rd of each month (24 pay periods per year).

Please note that the City does not participate in the Social Security Administration (SSA) program, and employees do not earn social security credits. The mandatory DRS retirement pension plan provides the required social security replacement plan. Any social security benefits earned at other places of employment may be reduced because they are subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision or the Government Pension Offset.

NOTE: This is a brief summary of the benefit programs for the City's non-represented employees. Every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. Benefits for employees represented by a may have different benefits. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a CBA, the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.

Do you have at least five or more years of progressively responsible related experience in capital construction project management?

In lieu of a cover letter, please explain why you are interested in this position with Bellevue Parks & Community Services. How does your previous experience make you a qualified candidate? The City of Bellevue screens applicants anonymously, so please refrain from using any personal identifiers.

Detail your professional experience supervising staff. How many years of experience do you have supervising and in what capacity? How do you nurture a successful team culture? Provide a specific example of how you have accomplished that.

Describe a capital project, in which you were directly involved, that experienced a significant unforeseen delay. What was the delay? How did you approach the matter to find resolution and resume forward progress?

Briefly identify and describe a specific park, trail, community facility, or other public area in which you enjoy spending time. What feature of that place attracts you and other people to use it and why?

Required Question

Salary126,684.00 - 174,811.50 Annual

Listing Type

Jobs