Recreation Manager - Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Position Title: Recreation Manager

Accountability: Recreation Manager reports to the Outdoor Program Director

About: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden inspires a love of nature and its beauty through unforgettable outdoor experiences. The nearly 400 acres of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden provide visitors with a chance to reconnect with nature in all seasons. The property welcomes guests to spectacular gardens, a conservatory dedicated to the display of tropical plants and orchids, sparkling fountains, a trailhead outdoor hub, nearly 6 miles of trails and a dog park.

The Recreation Program Manager coordinates and leads programs and recreation opportunities for the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. Through the development and enhancement of programs and/or events, this role will assist in driving the recreational efforts for the Garden and its property, providing a wide variety of experiences for each visitor. This position requires a significant amount of interaction with internal and external resources including but not limited to staff, volunteers, vendors, contractors, participants, regional partners, and the general public. An ideal candidate will be highly organized, with excellent communication skills, an innate ability to connect with various groups and audiences, and the ability to work independently and outdoors.

**This position requires working a non-uniformed schedule and will vary weekly. Working nights and/or weekends is a requirement for this position. **

Responsibilities:

• Understands the importance of each guest and member and drives excellence to ensure an optimal experience in every way.
• Proudly serves the local communities, serving as a brand ambassador, promoting awareness and advocacy for the Garden. 
• Effectively interacts with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities to collaborate for the betterment of the organization.
• Works with external stakeholders such as community groups, youth organizations, and other recreation providers to ensure that facilities, programs, and activities are meeting the needs of the community.
• Assists with leading, coordinating, planning, and scheduling for multiple recreation program services, new programs, events, and other activities providing a variety of offerings for diverse audiences within the community.
• Assists with schedule coordination and on-site supervision of volunteers, contract instructors, interns, and service providers.
• Promotes and publicizes recreation programs and offerings, providing content on programs, materials, and editing to internal marketing team for external announcements and promotions.
• Assists in the development of new programs and services.  
• Evaluates existing programming content and methods used in providing recreation services; evaluates facility operations and makes recommendations for areas of improvement.
• Evaluates safety policies, potential hazards, close-calls/accidents, and develops action plans to address problem areas.
• Serves as a valued resource to the Outdoor Program Director, providing guidance and leadership in the absence of the Director.  
• Monitors and maintains natural areas of the Grounds to include but not limited to:
  • Clearing and maintaining of trail spaces
  • Oversight of the maintenance and general upkeep of the dog park
  • Oversight and maintenance of other non-garden-specific natural areas
  • Use of hand tools and machinery associated with natural area maintenance

• Exemplifies the Garden mission statement, supporting staff, departments, and leadership in pursuing and achieving goals.
• Performs any other duties needed to help drive our vision, fulfill our mission, and abide by our values.

Requirements:

• Ability to plan, organize, direct, lead, and troubleshoot daily operations, services, and safety of a multi-program public recreation site.
• Skilled in forward thinking and ability to identify problems or issues and develop effective solutions, resolve complex problems, and gain cooperation among interested groups.
• Ability to accept direction for professional/departmental improvement.  
• Ability to work within a growing organization and adapt to the pace of growth.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• The physical demands 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 disabilities to perform essential functions.
  • Must be able to perform physical requirements of programs at the most rigorous level.
  • May experience exposure to extended periods of sun, rain, cold temperatures, wind, water, and potentially uneven terrain that may contain trip hazards.
  • Must be able to hear distress noises and hear and see distress signals in various environments, keeping safety in mind at all times.
  • Must be able to sit, stand, walk, grab, pull, and push objects, squat down, stoop, kneel, crouch, and jump.
  • Must be able to perform physical requirements of all certifications.
  • Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Must be 21 years of age with a valid driver’s license.  Frequent local travel is required.
• Must obtain and maintain all necessary CPR/First Aid and Safe Server certifications as well as any other certifications required for programmatic experiences.
• Strong customer service skills - Comfortable speaking to a wide range of people and customizing communication accordingly.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree – areas of study flexible depending on experience
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in project management, organizational operations, or related field. 

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden operates under a shared services collaboration with the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.  The Recreation Manager will assist with local recreation efforts executed by Catawba Riverkeeper that include but are not limited to on-the-water programming, community programming, and special events.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Core Values:   

We are an organization of integrity.  
We are a balanced & inclusive team.  
We will foster each other’s growth & wellbeing.  
We will use imagination to fuel innovation.  
We will act with intention & initiative.  

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.