THE OPPORTUNITY

The Desert Recreation District (DRD), headquartered in Indio, California, seeks a talented governmental finance leader to serve as the next Administrative Services Director. This special district is committed to serving its many Coachella Valley communities in an equitable fashion through delivery of high-quality recreational amenities and services.

THE DESERT RECREATION DISTRICT

The Desert Recreation District (DRD) focuses on providing recreation services throughout the Coachella Valley. The DRD was created in 1950 and is the largest recreation and park district in the state of California serving more than 380,000 residents in the incorporated communities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indio, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and Coachella, and the unincorporated communities of Thousand Palms, Bermuda Dunes, Indio Hills, Mecca, Thermal, Oasis, Vista Santa Rosa, 100 Palms, and North Shore. Covering more than 1,800 square miles, DRD is responsible for over 43 recreational facilities throughout the Coachella Valley that include community and fitness centers, sports fields, swimming pools, a golf course and driving range, and various parks and open spaces.

The District provides its services with 81 FT FTEs and 76.87 PT FTEs for a total of 157.87 FTEs. The District’s FY 2025 all funds budget is $37.6 million, composed of a $17.2 million Capital Budget and an Operating Budget of $20.4 million.

THE POSITION

The Administrative Services Director is the top financial officer for the District and has the responsibility to plan, direct, supervise and coordinate the activities of Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, and Risk Management for the District. This is an at-will position, reporting directly to the General Manager. The Administrative Services Director will be a hands-on Director and will be assisted by three staff members in Finance, three in Human Resources, and three in Information Systems. Primary job duties include planning, organizing, coordinating and maintaining finance related activities and administrative functions for the District; compiling and preparing the District’s annual budget; developing, overseeing, and monitoring long-range financial planning and investments; preparing financial reports for the General Manager, Board of Directors, and District department heads; administering a contracts management and financial management/reporting system; and ensuring that contract billing and collection schedules are adhered to and that financial data and cash flow are steady and supportive of operational requirements.

The Desert Recreation District seeks a candidate who will be a hands-on working leader with a commitment to timely execution, accountability, and transparency. The next Director will be progressive, proactive and flexible in their approach and will thrive in a position that requires great attention to detail. The ideal candidate will have a strong government finance background with deep budget experience; have an entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to innovate; demonstrated experience in developing staff to prepare them for larger roles in the future; and a humble, people-centric leadership approach with a focus on what’s best for the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration or a related field is required. A Master’s degree is preferred.

• Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible experience in governmental finance, including at least three years of supervisory experience is required. Experience overseeing Human Resources, Information Systems, and Risk Management functions is valued by the District.

• Certifications: A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification is highly desirable.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The Desert Recreation District provides a competitive compensation and benefits package. The salary range for the Administrative Services Director is $136,578 to $170,567, with specific placement within this range dependent on qualifications and experience. Key elements of the District’s benefits program include retirement with the District contributing 7.5% of salary toward a defined contribution retirement plan.  In addition, employees may participate in deferred compensation with a matching contribution up to 2.5% of salary. Together, if an employee contributes 2.5% of salary, the District matches with a 10% contribution. DRD does not participate in CalPERS.

In addition, DRD contributes up to $1,200 per month towards the medical, dental, and vision plans of full-time team members and their qualified dependents (choice of HMO, PPO, or EPO) and provides substantial paid leave annually; a District vehicle; and relocation expenses.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

To be considered for this position, interested candidates must submit a cover letter and résumé below. Candidates are encouraged to apply immediately, as this recruitment will close once a sufficiently strong pool of stellar candidates has been established.

This recruitment will be handled with strict confidentiality. References will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.

Confidential inquiries are welcomed to:

Bryan Noblett | bryan@mosaicpublic.com | (916) 550-4100

Greg Nelson | greg@mosaicpublic.com | (916) 550-4100