Description
JOB OVERVIEW
Opened in 2013, the LeFrak Center is a LEED-certified 25,000 square foot facility located in the busy and vibrant southeast corner of Prospect Park. Since opening, the LeFrak Center has remained one of the park’s most popular attractions, offering two open-air ice skating rinks, one covered and the other uncovered. In the warmer months, the covered rink converts to roller skating and the uncovered rink converts to a free water playground (“splash pad”). Today, the site also offers bike and boat rentals, a cafe, and multi-purpose rooms that can be used for private events. In addition, the landscapes surrounding the facility as well as the building’s unique green roofs remain a stand-out asset.
The Director will report directly to the VP of Visitor Experience + Business Development and will be responsible for managing partnerships with third party operators and other key vendors, coordinating with NYC Parks, and leading a diverse team of staff charged with maintaining the site to the highest standard. This position will oversee daily operations of work performed by third party operators as well as Alliance staff – ensuring a high-quality visitor experience and securing outcomes that are aligned with the Alliance’s mission and strategic direction. .
Requirements
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS / KEY JOB OUTCOMES
Leadership & Strategy
- Collaborate with the VP, Visitor Experience to create an overall vision and strategy for operations, programming, and community engagement at the Center.
- Provide direction, training, supervision of the Alliance’s Center team including the Facility Manager and Maintainers.
- Provide oversight and management of the contracted operators (Recreational Programming Operator and Food & Beverage Operator)
- Establish annual operating budgets, quarterly financial forecasts, and business performance tracking systems.
- Collaborate with others including Marketing, Development, Facilities, Design and Construction, Landscape Management, NYC Parks and more, in order to maintain a first-class venue that benefits park goers, the Alliance, and the local community.
- Keep abreast of developments in the areas of visitor experience in parks and other public spaces and participate in park-wide planning around concessions and programming
- Operations Management & Facility Oversight
- Design a comprehensive maintenance plan, including staffing structure, schedule for routine maintenance, and asset management tracking.
- In coordination with the Director of Facilities Management and Director of Landscape Management, oversee the day to day maintenance and operations of a complex public facility including all spaces indoor and outdoor in and around the footprint of the Center working closely and collaboratively with operators, staff, and NYC Parks. Ensure that all maintenance work is tracked via asset management system.
- Oversee the performance of contracted operators with a keen eye toward customer service, community relations, and safety. Collaborate to identify and execute strategies to improve the operations and visitor experience both on and off rink. Maintain or build knowledge of roller and ice skating and maintenance of rinks.
- Coordinate regular meetings with operators and with NYC Parks to review performance and discuss issues.
- Ensure compliance with all contractual requirements between Prospect Park Alliance, NYC Parks, and other city agencies, including the Health Department.
- Work in close collaboration with the Alliance’s Design & Construction Office, COO/CFO, and VP of Visitor Experience to oversee capital and or other construction projects, and coordinate with external vendors as needed.
- Collect and record payments from operators, prepare income reports, and manage and monitor related accounts receivable in accordance with contract terms.
- Coordinate the identification and approval of new concessions and vendors by writing and distributing RFPs, selecting winning bids, drafting and negotiating agreements, and finalizing permits.
Program Management and Partnership Development
- Cultivate and manage positive relationships with the public, partners, and community-based organizations. Working with other Alliance staff, identify and engage key community partners in programming including local schools, community user groups, hockey leagues, and more; maintain positive relationships with all user groups and leverage them to maximize facility with a community-first focus.
- Oversee events at the Center, including those produced by the Alliance, community partners, or operators.
- Ensure that staff and operators create a welcoming, friendly, positive environment for all visitors. Work with operators to measure and monitor customer response assuring programming aligns with the Park’s mission and community needs
Performs other job-related duties and functions as assigned
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s or Masters degree in business management, venue management, or other relevant discipline
- 7- 10 years’ progressively responsible experience, of which at least five (5) years were in a managerial or leadership role running a venue or recreational facility in a public setting; a for-profit commercial business, or a customer-facing entity.
- A valid/unexpired NYS Driver’s License
COMPENSATION + BENEFIT DETAILS
- Job Grade: 2 (Senior Managerial)
- Annual Base Salary: $108,000 - $116,000
- FLSA Status: Exempt
- The Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental, Vision
- Supplemental Options: AFLAC, Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care FSA + Commuter Benefits, Pet Insurance
- 403b Contributions + 2% Employer Contributions
- 20 Vacation Days + 10 Paid Sick Days
- 13 Paid Holidays (all eligible to float/carryover)
*Salary offered will be based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience
COMPETENCIES (Knowledge, Skills & Personal Attributes)
- Passion for the Alliance Mission & Core Values: A passion for public parks and environmental conservation combined with a commitment to treating others with respect, appreciating individual differences, and embracing the values of diversity, equity and inclusion
- Ethics & Integrity: Earns the trust and respect of others through a consistent commitment to integrity, honesty, and professionalism in all interactions
- Job Knowledge: strong knowledge of operating and leading a venue or recreational center including all relevant programming, facility management, customer and P/L management
- Project & Budget Management: Makes effective decisions about department priorities. Proposes defensible budgets and works to control expenditures. Ensures appropriate resources are available to meet the capability and capacity required by objectives. Ensures policies, procedures and measures are in place to support the achievement of objectives
- Marketing & Sales Highly skilled at researching potential business prospects, raising awareness to external audiences about food concession business opportunities in the park, and developing effective sales pitches and promotions that result in the successful closing of business transactions
- Concession Stand Knowledge. Knowledge of scheduling, and compliance, ability to continually instruct for improvement and efficiency of staff
- Contract Negotiation: Understand contract components, resolve differences amicably and obtain maximum value for the Alliance
- Communication Skills: Superior written and oral communication skills, including the ability to convey technical information in a clear, culturally competent and understandable manner. Demonstrates effective listening skills and openness to other people’s ideas and suggestions.
- Leadership: Promotes organizational mission and goals and demonstrates ways to achieve them. A natural leader with the ability to inspire and meaningfully engage colleagues in support of the work of the Volunteer Services department. Ability to gain other’s support for ideas, proposals and solutions. Ensures policies, procedures and measures are in place to support the achievement of department goals
- Staff Management & Coaching: Inspires and motivates team members. Enables staff to grow and be successful in achieving goals through meaningful feedback, instruction, encouragement, support and professional development
- Decision-Making & Judgment: Integrates broad knowledge of information sources, garners insight from abstract data that can be used to assess problems and exercises sound judgement to make decisions. Thoroughly analyzes the impact of possible solutions and decisions and shares probable impacts based on experience. Is proactive in deciding best course of action, anticipating likely outcomes or implications
- Planning, Organizing & Problem-Solving: Able to manage multiple projects effectively. Defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives and ensures the optimal use of resources to effectively solve problems and accomplish work objectives. Alerts others to possible problems in a timely fashion and knows when to seek support and direction from others to solve problems, while offering possible solutions. Acts on solutions selected and decisions made
- Organization & Accountability: Meticulously well-organized with diligent attention to detail, ability to set priorities, meet deadlines and takes pride in consistently producing accurate, timely and quality work products with minimal supervision
- Collaboration & Teamwork: Committed to working in collaboration with others, promoting cooperation and commitment to others and being a positive team contributor
- Project & Budget Management: Makes effective decisions about department priorities. Proposes defensible budgets and works to control expenditures. Ensures appropriate resources are available to meet capability and capacity required by objectives. Ensures policies, procedures and measures are in place to support achievement of objectives
- Customer Service: Exhibits a strong commitment to delivering excellent, welcoming and responsive service to customers and patrons of the food concessions in the park
- Technology: Proficient with automated technologies that support area of responsibility including G-Suite and Microsoft Office Suite
WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
- Work is normally performed in an interior office setting which does not subject the employee to any hazardous or unusual elements
- Requires operating a motor vehicle, and use of a desktop, laptop or video display terminal
- Requires routine physical movements with limited physical exertion
- Requires communicating information with co-workers, stakeholders, and/or the public; reading correspondence, instructions, and/or technical documents; writing correspondence and/or reports and filling in forms
Diversity Makes Us Stronger Together: Prospect Park Alliance serves park users of all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and strives to reflect this diversity throughout our operations and in our leadership, staff, stakeholders and supporters. We know that by creating an equitable and inclusive workplace built on mutual respect and the appreciation of difference, our employees will feel safe to express themselves, voice their opinions and work together to find common ground and solutions. Integral to this vision is our longstanding commitment to provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment.
