• Philadelphia, PA
• Posted 6 years ago
• Applications have closed

Organizational Overview:
Fairmount Park Conservancy exists to champion Philadelphia’s parks. We lead capital projects and historic preservation efforts, foster neighborhood park stewardship, attract and leverage investments, and develop innovative programs throughout the 10,200 acres that include Fairmount Park and more than 100 neighborhood parks around the city. Philadelphia has one of the largest urban park systems in the world, providing residents with extensive health, environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits – including access to some of the region’s most famous attractions.

Position Overview:
Fairmount Park Conservancy is seeking a Director of Capital Projects who will be responsible for planning, executing, evaluating, and overseeing maintenance on park projects. Working with Conservancy staff, and the City of Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department, they will oversee the construction of park projects with local partners and community groups. They will manage timelines, budgets, and outcomes while ensuring quality control and meeting all applicable standards and requirements. They will coordinate with and oversee the work of planning and design consultants as well as construction and other contractors. They will also be a critical partner to the City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department in the ongoing maintenance of legacy projects constructed by the Fairmount Park Conservancy and new projects to come.

Key initiatives include the design and construction of Phase II of Centennial Commons, a $13.3M project bringing state-of-the-art park amenities and play spaces to the historic Centennial District in East Parkside, oversight of an upcoming master planning process for FDR Park, a 348-acre park in South Philadelphia, and oversight/management of community engagement strategies for green storm water infrastructure projects in neighborhoods designated by the Philadelphia Water Department. Additionally, the Director of Capital Projects will oversee any projects assigned to the Fairmount Park Conservancy through Rebuild, a $500M initiative aimed at renovating parks, recreation centers, and libraries across Philadelphia. The Conservancy is one of 21 nonprofit project users allowed to bid on projects through Rebuild.

The Director of Capital Projects will also assist with preservation projects as needed. This position is a part of the Conservancy’s senior management team and reports directly to the Executive Director.

Responsibilities:

• Work with Conservancy staff, City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, partner organizations as well as community groups and residents to deliver dynamic and inspiring projects in our parks and recreation spaces;
• Procure and manage all phases of capital project development: from concept to schematic design to construction documentation and bidding to ongoing maintenance;
• Ensure all projects meet applicable standards and regulations as set by state and local regulatory agencies;
• Work with the Conservancy’s Stewardship team in engaging communities and gathering input around design inspirations, histories, past and present usage and ensuring engagement staff are up to date on all aspects of park projects;
• Present project updates to key stakeholders on a regular basis in both written and oral formats;
• When applicable, collect, organize and oversee documentation and special conditions required by local, state, federal or other funding requirements;
• Conduct appropriate assessments to determine project impacts on a variety of scales;
• Develop organizational tools and best practices for project management and execution;
• Maintain proper documentation and organized project notes, files and correspondence;
• Work collaboratively with the Finance team to prepare project budgets, and report profits and losses across projects;
• Ensure the Conservancy meets or exceeds budgeted financial objectives, including revenue and margin;
• Manage the negotiation of contract pricing when necessary;
• Support other Conservancy efforts such as events, park stewardship and historic preservation efforts as needed.

Qualifications:

• An MA/MS in urban planning, landscape architecture, government administration, architecture, engineering, construction management or environmental studies or a BA in any above field with at least 10 years working in an above (or closely-related) field with a record of project delivery;
• Knowledge of basic concepts of urban parks & recreation work, i.e. ecology, hydrology horticulture, arboriculture, trail building, environmental planning, cultural landscape management, operations and landscape management;
• Experience working in underserved communities, presenting at community meetings and have an ability to incorporate passionate input and suggestion into the design process;
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with local, state and Federal government levels, philanthropies and community stakeholders;
• Ability to present complex information in an impactful and succinct manner through presentations, written reports, grant narratives, social media and other interactions and engagements;
• An ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, independently and efficiently with numerous deadlines;
• Proficiency in ArcGIS, Adobe, Microsoft, CAD and social media platforms not required but strongly desired;
• Valid driver’s license;
• Comfortability in working evenings and weekends, as needed;
• Enthusiasm for carrying out capital projects that will achieve the Conservancy’s workforce development goals, as well as its goals for partnering with MBWE and locally-owned businesses;
• A passion for design excellence and sustainability;
• A love of the city of Philadelphia and its parks.

Compensation:
Salary for this position is competitive and commensurate with experience. The Conservancy offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, and vision, as well as life, disability and retirement.

Anti-Discrimination Policy:
The Fairmount Park Conservancy does not discriminate based on ethnicity, race, gender or sexual orientation and encourages all qualified individuals to apply.

To Apply:
Thank you for your interest in the Fairmount Park Conservancy. Please send a formal letter of interest, resume, three work related references and salary requirements attached as either PDF or Word documents to hr@myphillypark.org with “Director of Capital Projects” in the subject line.

Please, no phone calls or mailed applications. Deadline for application is March 30, 2018. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.