City of Laredo, TX - Parks & Recreation Director

Are you a visionary parks and recreation professional who can oversee complex recreational operations, lead large teams, and enhance quality of life through innovative programs and facilities? If so, apply to be the City of Laredo’s next Parks & Recreation Director!

We’re looking for an exceptional servant leader who is:

• Passionate about parks, recreation programs, and community wellness

• Skilled in managing diverse facilities, special events, and capital projects

• Comfortable engaging with residents, elected officials, and employees across all levels

Laredo, Texas, is a vibrant and culturally rich border city that blends deep history with modern economic strength. Located along the Rio Grande and connected by four international bridges, Laredo is a critical hub for international trade, transportation, and logistics between the United States and Mexico. 

Laredo operates under a Council-Manager form of government, with the policy-making and legislative authority vested with the City Council. The City Council appoints the City Manager to oversee the municipal operations. The new Parks & Recreation Director will be under the general direction of an Assistant City Manager.

The ideal candidate will be a passionate and community-focused parks and recreation professional with experience managing diverse recreational operations, facilities, programs, and capital projects. The chosen individual should possess outstanding time management skills to juggle multiple priorities/programs and keep initiatives moving forward.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent communication and public speaking skills, along with the ability to engage effectively with residents, elected officials, staff, and community stakeholders from all backgrounds. They will possess strong financial and budgeting acumen, promote best management practices, and bring a proactive, visionary leadership style to the organization. The next Director will be a servant leader with high emotional intelligence who inspires trust, builds strong teams, and confidently makes decisions while maintaining focus on improving community quality of life through parks and recreation services.

The salary range for this position is $123,156 - $160,118, depending on experience and qualifications.

For more information on this position, contact:

Doug Thomas, Executive Vice President of Recruitment & Leadership Development

[email protected]

863-860-9314

Required qualifications include:

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Sports Management, Recreation Administration, Leisure Services, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.

• At least seven (7) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in parks and recreation program administration, with at least three (3) years in a managerial capacity.

• Residency within the City of Laredo is required within a reasonable period of time following appointment

• If an applicant holds an out-of-state license, a State of Texas Driver’s License must be obtained within 6 months of employment

Preferred qualifications include:

• Master’s Degree in Sports Management, Recreation Administration, Leisure Services, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field

• National Recreation & Park Association Certification

• Experience with Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA)

The salary range for this position is $123,156 - $160,118, depending on experience and qualifications.