| Job Description: |
The Chicago Parks for People Program Director is responsible for implementing all aspects of a partnership with the Chicago Park District, City of Chicago, Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail and other public and private partners to develop the Bloomingdale Trail (BT), a nearly 3-mile long elevated park on the northwest side of Chicago, as well as other programs as they are developed. The BT effort will create three new grade level access parks, expand three existing parks, and create a multi-purpose elevated path atop 37 viaducts. The Program Director will manage TPL’s role in a dynamic public/private partnership that will design, fund, build and steward the BT as Chicago’s next great park that will be owned and managed by the Chicago Park District.
TPL serves as the Chicago Park District’s program coordinator for all aspects of the BT development including civic engagement, programming, resource and stewardship development, and owner’s representative for design and phased construction coordination. The Program Director will manage a team of TPL staff, consultants and interns as well as serve as the primary representative to our community and agency partners. He/She will also lead a process to develop public/private stewardship models to optimize the long term maintenance, programming and use of the BT. Critical aspects of the position involve managing a complex partnership with a particular focus on involving community stakeholders in both design, funding, construction and park stewardship process.
Essential Functions
- Project Management: Working with the Chicago Director, manage TPL’s role as BT program coordinator for the Chicago Park District and serve as a liaison to the Chicago Park District. The Program Director will take primary responsibility for all BT related project schedules and budgets and day-to-day project oversight. Activities include multi-agency coordination, development and implementation of strategies and programs for civic engagement, public programming, resource development and stewardship plan. Manage design and development for access parks as opportunities arise. Manage other Parks for People Program projects as opportunities arise.
- Stewardship: Oversee the development and implementation of stewardship plan to increase public agency and community capacity for long term BT maintenance and operations. Working with the Chicago Director, the Program Director will maintain existing and develop new relationships with agency representatives, create agency staff and community collaboration to implement stewardship tasks, and engage community volunteers in BT design and development process. The Program Director will also serve as TPL’s representative to the board of The Friends of the Bloomingdale Trail, TPL’s key community partner.
- Governmental Relations: Manage relations with public agency representatives, including the Chicago Park District, the City of Chicago Departments of Transportation, Housing and Economic Development, Cultural Affairs, Environment and others involved in providing funding or partnering in project implementation for the Bloomingdale Trail and other Parks for People Program opportunities. Working with the Chicago Director, manage relations with elected officials who represent the BT neighborhoods.
- Partnership Development: Oversee program partnerships with local non-profits in support of BT development, stewardship goals and other Parks for People Program opportunities.
- Fundraising: Oversee all aspects of the program’s public funding efforts, including identification of public funding sources, application process, execution of funding agreements, and reimbursement processes with assistance from TPL Federal Affairs staff and Chicago Director. Work closely with the Chicago Director, Chicago Director of Philanthropy, and regional philanthropy staff in their efforts to raise private funds for the program, especially through in-person presentations to private funders and foundation leaders.
- Budgeting: Manage multi-year program budget in support of funding goals and annual expenditure forecasts.
- Marketing: Develop and oversee the implementation of public outreach plans in coordination with Chicago Director and other staff to promote program visibility and funding efforts. Supervise staff in hosting public events.
- Strategic Planning: Support Chicago Director in the development of annual and multiyear strategic plans for the BT project and Parks for People Program.
- Supervision: Manage BT team of TPL staff, consultants, and interns in the implementation of TPL’s BT civic engagement, programming, stewardship, and design and phased construction functions. Responsible for driving the production of program deliverables on timely basis.
Qualifications
- Proven ability to manage people, programs, program schedules and budgets.
- Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of work experience in the field of urban planning, community development, park design and development, or project management is required. Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, or Public Administration is a plus.
- Experience in project management, including oversight of planning, design and construction professionals, budgets, project schedules.
- Experience orchestrating a collaborative planning or design process involving community members, public agencies and other community stakeholders.
- Prior work experience with diverse stakeholder groups.
- Work experience in Chicago, IL.
- Experience procuring and administering public grants and administering public contracts.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills. Experience working with local media and public speaking a plus.
- Highly detail oriented and organized.
- Willingness to attend evening meetings as necessary.
How to Apply:
To apply, please send letter and resume, indicating salary requirements to: jobs2@tpl.org
TPL is actively recruiting a diverse workforce.
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