Director of Recreation Services

Job Title: Director of Recreation Services
Department: Therapeutic Recreation
Reports To: Vice President of Community Programs
Supervises: Recreation Department staff
FLSA: Exempt

SUMMARY
The Director of Recreation Services provides overall direction, leadership, coordination, and supervision for Life Unlimited's Therapeutic Recreation Department. This position develops, oversees, and evaluates a diverse range of community-based therapeutic recreation services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Director is responsible for staff leadership, program quality, participant engagement, budgets, funding documentation, community partnerships, event leadership, compliance, strategic planning, and program growth. The Director represents the Recreation Department and Life Unlimited publicly and ensures services promote physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being, independence, inclusion, and meaningful community participation.

BASIC FUNCTIONS AND GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership and Department Operations
• Recruit, hire, onboard, schedule, supervise, coach, and evaluate Recreation Department staff.
• Ensure staff assignments, coverage, and deadlines support safe, effective, and high-quality program delivery.
• Facilitate regular department meetings to promote communication, collaboration, accountability, and staff development.
• Attend applicable agency leadership meetings and provide departmental reports, updates, data, and recommendations as requested.
• Participate in organizational strategic planning and other committees or initiatives as assigned.
• Ensure departmental staff complete required training and maintain continuing education units, professional certifications, and state or national professional memberships.
• Review and select appropriate conferences, seminars, and professional development opportunities for department staff.
• Provide leadership and oversight for weekday, evening, weekend, and special-event programming as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Community Programs.

Therapeutic Recreation Program Management
• Develop, oversee, direct, and evaluate community therapeutic recreation services for individuals with I/DD.
• Ensure recreation activities enhance the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, leisure, and community-integration outcomes of individuals served.
• Apply therapeutic recreation knowledge, instructional methods, activity rules, and equipment adaptations to meet cognitive, physical, and physiological needs.
• Oversee facility reservations, supplies, transportation coordination, staffing, and other logistics required for recreation activities.
• Monitor program schedules, participant enrollment, attendance, and service delivery to ensure programs are responsive and accessible.
• Resolve medical, behavioral, safety, and logistical concerns that arise during programming and events.
• Ensure services are person-centered and support choice, dignity, independence, community participation, and meaningful relationships.
• Maintain familiarity with applicable standards and best practices in therapeutic recreation, public recreation, leisure services, and services for individuals with I/DD.

Quality Assurance and Improvement
• Review the progress, effectiveness, quality, and outcomes of therapeutic recreation services.
• Monitor participant satisfaction, program data, incident trends, and other performance information to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Conduct or support investigations related to accidents, incidents, participant concerns, or program operations as assigned.
• Ensure accident and incident documentation is complete, accurate, and submitted according to agency requirements.
• Evaluate program modification and expansion needs through the collection and analysis of participant and service data.
• Develop and implement quality improvement strategies that strengthen participant experiences, staff performance, safety, and program outcomes.
• Collaborate with leadership and Quality Assurance staff to support agency standards, accreditation requirements, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Financial Management and Funding Documentation
• Develop, coordinate, justify, and monitor the departmental budget in collaboration with leadership and Finance.
• Monitor department revenue, expenses, donated funds, and other resources to ensure they are appropriately used, documented, and accounted for.
• Maintain familiarity with funding requirements, regulatory guidelines, and billing expectations that apply to Recreation services.
• Aggregate, monitor, and submit departmental service data and supporting documentation for Eitas, DDRB, and other applicable billing or reporting.
• Collaborate with the Finance Department to address billing, utilization, budget, variance, and documentation concerns.
• Identify financial risks, resource needs, and opportunities to improve operational efficiency and sustainability.

External Partnerships and Funding Collaboration
• Represent the Recreation Department by attending scheduled meetings with funding agencies and community partners, including monthly DDRB and Eitas meetings, as assigned or required.
• Maintain effective communication and collaborative working relationships with funding partners to support program operations, compliance, service delivery, and strategic planning.
• Share program updates, participate in discussions regarding services, and collaborate with internal leadership on funding-related initiatives.
• Maintain effective community liaisons, networking relationships, cooperative planning, and partnerships with public agencies, service groups, businesses, schools, municipalities, parks and recreation departments, and other community organizations.
• Participate in affiliated committees, boards, community meetings, presentations, and outreach activities as assigned.
• Conduct liaison with Center for Human Services, DDRB, Eitas, and other partners as needed to establish and maintain participant eligibility and service access.
• Represent Life Unlimited professionally and promote positive public relations for the Recreation Department and the organization.

Event Committee Leadership
• Chair and lead the organization's interdisciplinary Event Committee, comprised of representatives from multiple departments.
• Coordinate the planning, delegation of responsibilities, and execution of the organization's three annual participant events: Spring Fling, Art Exhibition, and Fall Festival.
• Facilitate committee meetings, establish project timelines, assign responsibilities, monitor progress, and ensure effective collaboration across departments.
• Coordinate event logistics, facilities, accessibility, staffing, volunteers, vendors, supplies, communications, safety, and participant support.
• Monitor event budgets and resources in collaboration with leadership and Finance.
• Evaluate event outcomes and recommend improvements to enhance future programming, accessibility, collaboration, and participant engagement.

Growth and Innovation
• Identify opportunities to expand therapeutic recreation services, increase participation, and strengthen community access.
• Develop and implement innovative recreation, leisure, wellness, and community-integration opportunities based on participant interests, needs, and outcomes.
• Recruit eligible program participants through phone, email, in-person communication, flyers, newsletters, mailings, community outreach, and other appropriate methods.
• Develop and maintain relationships that create new program, volunteer, sponsorship, and partnership opportunities.
• Monitor trends, emerging practices, and community needs within therapeutic recreation and services for individuals with I/DD.
• Use participant data, feedback, and program results to guide short- and long-term planning and support strategic growth.

Communication and Collaboration
• Maintain positive and professional communication with individuals served, families, guardians, staff, volunteers, funding partners, community agencies, and organizational leadership.
• Collaborate across departments to support coordinated services, organization-wide initiatives, and participant events.
• Provide timely program updates and communicate concerns, trends, risks, and resource needs to the Vice President of Community Programs.
• Oversee Recreation newsletters, website content, program calendars, and other departmental communication materials.
• Promote a culture of respect, teamwork, accountability, inclusion, and person-centered service consistent with Life Unlimited's mission and values.

Participant Records, Reporting, and Technology
• Monitor, document, and maintain accurate participant, program, attendance, service, and departmental information.
• Coordinate and consolidate information in ProClass or other agency-approved systems needed for scheduling, reporting, billing, and program operations.
• Process new participant registrations and ensure required eligibility, enrollment, and supporting documentation is completed and maintained.
• Maintain departmental records regarding programs, services, utilization, and outcomes.
• Prepare and submit required agency, funding, and departmental reports within established timelines.
• Effectively and efficiently use computers, mobile devices, Microsoft Office, databases, and other technology to input, access, store, retrieve, analyze, and report information.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS
• Comprehensive knowledge of therapeutic recreation, adaptive recreation, public recreation, leisure services, and person-centered supports for individuals with I/DD.
• Ability to develop, implement, administer, evaluate, and improve recreation programs that achieve positive participant outcomes.
• Strong leadership, supervision, coaching, communication, organization, delegation, and project-management skills.
• Ability to develop short- and long-range operational plans that support departmental and organizational goals.
• Ability to work tactfully and effectively with the public and establish cooperative relationships with participants, families, staff, funding agencies, and community partners.
• Ability to anticipate needs, identify risks and opportunities, develop workable solutions, and implement new ideas.
• Strong analytical, time-management, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, programs, meetings, and events.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, professional boundaries, accurate records, and ethical standards.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to perform all requirements of the position as outlined in this job description.

PHYSICAL EXPECTATIONS
• Requires extended periods of walking and standing, with periods of sitting depending on program activities and participant needs.
• May require light to heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds independently and occasional stooping, kneeling, bending, reaching, or climbing stairs.
• May require occasional physical intervention when confronted by a person displaying combative or potentially dangerous behavior, consistent with agency training and policy.
• Requires the ability to drive an agency or personal vehicle for community-based programming, meetings, events, and participant transportation when needed.

WORKING CONDITIONS
• Work is performed in office, recreation, community, home, event, and outdoor environments.
• May be exposed to common office and household noises, small machinery, weather conditions, bloodborne pathogens, or infectious diseases.
• May require evening, weekend, holiday, prolonged, or irregular hours to meet participant, program, event, or organizational needs.
• Regular local travel is required.

QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation, Human Services, Physical Education, Adaptive Physical Education, or a related field from an accredited college or university is required.
• Current Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) is required and must be maintained throughout employment.
• A minimum of three to four years of successful therapeutic recreation, recreation, human-services, or related field experience is required; supervisory experience and experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities are strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in community development, program planning, staff supervision, budgeting, event coordination, and partnership development is preferred.
• Working knowledge of funding, billing, and regulatory requirements related to community-based disability services is preferred.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and the ability to learn agency databases and software systems is required.
• Must not have disqualifying criminal convictions or substantiated abuse or neglect findings under applicable law and agency policy.
• Must demonstrate safe practices and professional standards.
• Must obtain a Missouri Class E driver's license during new-hire orientation and maintain automobile insurance coverage required by law and agency policy.
• Must receive the seasonal influenza vaccination as required by Life Unlimited policy.

Equal Opportunity Employer