Work where you play!
Join our team at Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.

Who We Are
Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70+ parks, 80+ miles of trails, 1,000+ acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.

Why You’ll Love it Here
Come work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Parks Tacoma are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. You’ll receive a competitive wage, along with an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, retirement, vacation, holidays, and much more. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.

Position Information
The Agency’s Outreach & Engagement Unit within the Business Administration and Planning Department (BAP) is responsible for helping Parks Tacoma build relationships with community, with an emphasis on connecting staff with historically underserved communities. The unit guides a cross-District team in the collection of both quantitative data and qualitative input to inform decision-making in support of Parks Tacoma's commitment to a community-driven, equity-based budget process and deployment of resources to areas impacted by decades of underinvestment. The unit facilitates internal and external dialogue to help identify and address gaps and disparities within programs, levels of service, capital projects, and policies to equitably serve marginalized and historically underserved communities.

Under the general direction of an assigned supervisor, participate in the development, coordination, implementation, and delivery of District Outreach & Engagement activities. Develop and execute strategic Outreach & Engagement Plans that incorporate the community’s voice in decision-making processes, emphasizing efforts to expand participation by historically served communities of focus.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, customers and suppliers.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards.

• Develop strategic Outreach & Engagement Plans that garner public input for assigned initiatives such as the development of the agency’s biennial budget, capital projects, policies, programs, and levels of service.
• Assist in development, coordination, scheduling, delivery, and evaluation of outreach and engagement opportunities.
• Develop, prepare, and administer O&E plans, data bases and reports.
• Maintain records and data related to public engagement and input received. Prepare analysis and observations to staff who are in a position to consider and make decisions in response to community input.
• Coordinate communication and activities with community organizations, academic institutions, government entities, and Park District departments to implement, facilitate and promote public engagement in Parks Tacoma initiatives and operations. Serve as a District representative at various community meetings as assigned.
• Prepare and deliver presentations for both internal and external audiences to facilitate communication loops between the public and staff.
• Assist in the preparation of interpretive presentations, exhibits, exhibit texts and similar programs as required.
• Provide public input received to supervisor who will respond to and coordinate.
• Provide background and support as assigned by supervisor to support community outreach strategies to reach underserved populations including:
  • Identifying areas of focus for community involvement
  • Assisting in the planning of public outreach within underserved communities as a component of strategic communication plans.
  • Designing stakeholder engagement and partnerships for projects.
  • Responding to and coordinate interactions between Parks Tacoma and individuals, businesses, non-profit agencies, other governmental agencies and community groups.
  • Coordinating public meetings and outreach with staff, A&E’s, consultants, and project partners
• Strategic circulation of Districtwide communications and public service announcements
• Participate in/lead a variety of meetings, committees, and/or training sessions internally and/or externally in collaboration with the Chief Equity Officer and/or Marketing and Communications Business Unit to support District JEDAI initiatives.
• Execute assignments to advance Language Access Plan.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Administration, or similar and a minimum of 3 years community engagement experience.
• JEDAI training, with certification desired.
• Minimum 2 years work with historically underserved populations.
• An additional 4 years of related experience can substitute for the degree requirement.
• Bi or multilingual, highly desired.

LICENSE & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid Washington driver's license with acceptable driving record.
• Ability to obtain valid first aid and CPR certification within probationary period.
• Ability to work flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings and holidays as required

ENVIRONMENT:

• Combination of office environment with high level of offsite meetings engaging with community and staff throughout the district.
• Extensive public contact.
• Driving a vehicle to conduct work.
• Flexible schedule requiring evening, weekend and holiday hours.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate computer keyboard, other office equipment and safely operate a motor vehicle.
• Standing for extended periods of time.
• Hearing and speaking to exchange information and make presentations.
• Sight to read and develop written and visual materials; monitor personnel and assigned operations and activities.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds.

HAZARDS:

• Potential interactions with dissatisfied or abusive individuals.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Planning, organization, and direction of assigned activities.
• District policies and procedures.
• Organizations serving historically underserved communities.
• Principles and practices of administration, supervision, training, and staff development.
• Benefits of the agency’s parks and programs to the health and well-being of communities of focus.
• Effective written and verbal communications.

ABILITY TO:

• Develop and administer strategic Outreach & Engagement Plans
• Assess and evaluate situations effectively.
• Collect, analyze and communicate qualitative community input in a manner that enables decision-makers to understand trends, particularly those adversely impacting historically underserved communities.
• Extract and record data and carry out calculations accurately.
• Set up and operate equipment that can require selection from options or different settings.
• Screen, interview, select, train and provide work direction and evaluate personnel.
• Assign and review the work of others.
• Develop reports and presentations that effectively communicate community input received, using appropriate templates that following District brand standards.
• Prepare and give presentations tailored for diverse stakeholders.
• Interpret rules and regulations.
• Perform emergency first aid and CPR as needed and according to established guidelines.
• Communicate clearly verbally and in writing.
• Exert optimal effort in successfully completing tasks.
• Manage time efficiently and effectively through scheduling and prioritization. Work within and contribute to the effectiveness of a team, respecting differences.
• Take initiative with minimal supervision.
• Manage time efficiently and effectively through scheduling and prioritizing.
• Work within and contribute to the effectiveness of a team, respecting differences.
• Work a flexible schedule, which may include evenings, weekends and holidays. Report for work on time and according to scheduling agreed upon in advance with Outreach & Engagement Supervisor.

PARKS TACOMA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability or any other merit factor. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

Tacoma Parks employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Parks Tacoma is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resources at hr@tacomaparks.com.

Employment is subject to a national background check.

This position is an at-will position with no written or implied contractual agreement.