Division Chief
Closing Date: January 20, 2023
Montgomery County Government is in search of highly qualified individual for a Division Chief position within its award-winning Department of Recreation. The Division Chief is an executive level Management Leadership Service (MLS Manager II) position responsible for improving the delivery of services to the community through dynamic, innovative, and highly motivated leadership; and responsible for fostering an esprit de corps among Recreation's management team and key organizational leaders.
Who We Are Looking For
The successful candidate will be a knowledgeable, experienced, detail-oriented and progressive manager. Work in this position requires a mastery of managerial principles and skills, combined with advanced knowledge of the recreation industry. Responsibilities will include: fiscal management, operating and capital budget development and oversight, business operations, information technology functions and all human resources components for the agency.
The individual in this position will have substantial input on department wide administrative policy and significant influence on special interest groups and key stakeholders. The incumbent will represent the Department at meetings with elected or appointed officials, boards, commissions, and community groups, and will provide analytical guidance, and advise executive officials on industry best practices.
The successful candidate will be highly adaptable; openly accept a portfolio of administrative assignments and work effectively in a demanding environment with competing and changing priorities; exhibit timely and impartial administrative responsiveness; have a strong customer focus; have the ability to balance budgeted resources with the competing needs of diverse programs; and make operational decisions of County-wide significance in conjunction with the leadership team and the Department Director.
It is expected the ideal candidate will possess experience commensurate with the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
Effectively plan, develop, and manage the annual operating budget preparation and coordination of the CIP Budget with department leadership and other County agencies.
Provide advice, support and planning to County Departments on Department administrative policies and procedures.
Ability to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate departmental operations for efficiency and effectiveness, make data driven decisions to implement or modify departmental controls and/or operational methods, recommend program or facility enhancements, and develop innovative solutions to difficult problems.
Ability to plan, direct, and supervise the work of subordinates, supervisory, professional, administrative, and labor personnel.
Maintain awareness of new technologies, philosophies, and trends in recreation, stays up to date on industry literature; maintains professional affiliations; and represents the Montgomery County as an industry leader.
Manage assigned team members, develop goals and priorities, schedule and assign tasks and projects, monitor work and evaluate performance; manages staff development and training, ensuring staff work is timely and meets County quality standards.
Effectively recommend the hire, transfer, assignment, promotion, reward, discipline, suspension, or discharge of departmental personnel.
Develop, implement, and lead organizational change while ensuring performance measures are attained and services are provided.
Prepare or direct the preparation of complex reports and studies, analyze, and interpret independent research and findings, review, analyze and propose policy.
Ability to communicate effectively and experience with making presentations to multiple audiences and organizations, elected officials and senior management, on a variety of subjects including defending budgets and controversial project assignments.
Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies, including state and federal labor laws.
Thorough understanding of negotiation techniques, and ability to use them effectively in interactions with a variety of audiences.
The Division Chief is a key member of the Department's leadership team responsible for supervising and maintaining the stability of a significant portion of the Department's workforce by modeling desired behaviors through consistent and positive work ethic; by providing direction and guidance through clear articulation of priorities; and by advocating on behalf of the Director and leadership team. As a manager/supervisor of unionized employees, this position has a responsibility for fostering a positive labor relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.
This position frequently requires work beyond the typical 40 hours and during non-traditional hours to include early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and in varying weather environments. This position is considered "Essential," and must be available to handle emergencies during working and non-working hours and must report to work during a period of general emergency or liberal leave.
To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.
Additional Employment Information
Effective August 30, 2021 all new hires will be required to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus prior to their first date of employment. Individuals who are unable to be vaccinated should contact OHR@montgomerycountymd.gov to discuss possible accommodations.
OHR reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position/IRC.
Montgomery County Government is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email to OHR@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
Montgomery County Government also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, please refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for interview.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Experience: Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in managing and overseeing operational and administrative functions (such as budgeting, human resources, financial services and other management functions) of a large and complex department or organization, three years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity. Note: The term "executive" is further defined as a high echelon or high-level position in an organization that is assigned technical research, management advisory services responsibilities, or policy-making duties and responsibilities that exerts considerable influence on organizational policy, plans, and operations through technical research, management advisory services, and/or policy-making duties and responsibilities (e.g., County positions at Grade 30 or above).
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.