Senior Program Supervisor - Cultural Events & Services

Senior Program Supervisor - Cultural Events & Services

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

FY2027-01120

Department

Parks, Recreation & Culture

Division

Cultural Events & Services (1436)

Opening Date

07/30/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

FLSA

Exempt

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

The Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture takes pride in the quality and variety of programs, services, events, and activities it provides to the community and seeks passionate and dedicated individuals who can contribute to this well-deserved reputation. We have an immediate opening for an experienced professional to manage and lead an Events Team that plans, organizes, supervises, and executes signature City events and programs, including the Gaithersburg Book Festival, Oktoberfest, SummerFest, Winter Lights Festival, as well as parades and themed events that meet community needs and contribute to the well-being of residents and visitors. You can click here to learn more about special events programming and activities in Gaithersburg.

The Cultural Events & Services Senior Program Supervisor identifies and analyzes community needs through public outreach and communication and develops, implements, and oversees high-level and enriching events and programs that promote enjoyable and stimulating activities for people of all ages and abilities. The position requires extensive public contact and experience in community outreach, engagement, and inclusion, including with under-resourced diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility populations. The position is responsible for recruiting managing, training, and motivating a diverse group of staff members, including seasonal, part-time, and full-time employees, so the successful candidate must have an approachable management style and thrive on working collaboratively with others in order to lead and build an effective team and create a positive and productive work environment.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced, creative, and resourceful event professional who will bring a fresh perspective to existing events and programs. You must be experienced in managing, planning, scheduling, implementing, and overseeing a variety of programming and have a proven track record in using creative and innovative approaches and ideas to successfully deliver, optimize participation in, and promote community events. Must have excellent leadership, communication (verbal and written), organizational, and time and resource management skills, and demonstrated skill in analytical review and evaluation of community needs, program success, and staff performance. You must be able to work evenings and weekends as part of your core work schedule to meet program needs. Customer service inside and outside the organization must be a top priority, with special emphasis on the delivery of quality events and programs to the public.

Starting salary for this position is negotiable within the target hiring range ($79,000 - $85,000) and will be offered at a level consistent with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. The City provides comprehensive insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision, life), paid time off, generous retirement contributions, tools to assist with paying down student loan debt and managing student loans, training and professional growth opportunities, and excellent work/life balance.

Job Functions

What you will do with us:

• Develop strategies to enhance and expand community event offerings; evaluate and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of programs through customer and staff engagement; implement improvements to meet community needs, in accordance with strategic and operational plans.
• Facilitate event program planning process; analyze current offerings and develop creative program options to meet community needs; review and assess policies, staffing levels, registration, inclusion program, and facility use and make recommendations for improvements; develop best practices for efficiency and productivity.
• Create, develop, organize, and negotiate terms for entertainers, vendors, marketing/promotional and community partners to participate in City events in a manner that results in high-quality programming at best value.
• Ensure that events and programs are equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all citizens.
• Oversee and manage a volunteer community advisory committee; engage in community engagement to elicit feedback about events and City programs.
• Manage major procurements and related contracts.
• Recruit, hire, motivate, and manage staff and volunteers; foster a collaborative culture; organize and lead training for event staff and volunteers.
• Communicate and model cooperation and collaboration to ensure a high level of customer service and ensure a quality customer experience.
• Develop and monitor assigned program budgets to meet fiscal objectives, including determining program operating expenses, fees, and part-time staff pay rates.
• Coordinate marketing efforts to ensure accurate and effective promotion of programs, events, and activities.
• Seek new community resources to support various events and programs.
• Develop and oversee training programs for full time, part time and volunteer staff.
• Provide outstanding service, pursue continuous improvement, and exceed expectations.

Key job responsibilities are highlighted above; please click here to view the classification description for the Recreation Senior Program Supervisor position. The classification description indicates the full salary range established for this position to provide opportunity for growth and development (Grade 109 in the Citys FY 2027 Schedule of Salary Ranges).

Qualifications

What you will need to be considered:

• Relevant Bachelors degree.

• At least 5 years of relevant paid, professional events programming and management experience, including experience developing marketing strategies and materials, coordinating event logistics, and managing and motivating diverse staff.

• Experience securing and negotiating terms with vendors, entertainers, marketing/professional, and other community partners.

• Experience managing program budgets.

• Proven leadership and management skills with experience managing volunteers and full-time and part-time employees.

• An effective and thoughtful communicator.

• Strong interpersonal skills with adults and children.

• Demonstrated effective conflict resolution and sound decision-making skills.

• Experience coordinating with VIP's and elected officials.

• An understanding of the needs of an ethnically and economically diverse community.

• Solid technology skills (Microsoft 365, specialized software for registrations and scheduling or financial/recreation management).

• Valid drivers license and safe driving record.

• CPR, AED, and First Aid certification (may be obtained through the City upon hire).

• Or any acceptable equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to satisfactorily perform job duties.

Additional Information

To be considered, interested applicants must submit:

• A complete online application

• Current Resume (attached to the online application)

• Letter of interest (attached to the online application); your letter of interest should include why you are interested in this position and highlight the special skills and abilities that make you uniquely qualified to serve in this position.

Review of applications will begin immediately, so prompt application is strongly encouraged. The position will remain open until filled; recruitment will close without notice when a sufficient number of qualified applications are received or all hiring decisions have been made.

This is a full-time salaried "exempt" position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week (not eligible for overtime compensation under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Citys personnel regulations). The position requires working evening and weekend hours to meet program needs, and can accommodate limited remote work (at the discretion of the Department Director). Direct deposit of paychecks is a condition of employment for all City of Gaithersburg employees.

The successful candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation. The City has established an alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace which applies to any person employed by, conducting business with, or applying for a position with the City. Each employee, as a condition of their employment, may be required to participate in pre-employment and reasonable suspicion testing. Employees classified as safety sensitive are also subject to immediate post accident and random testing.

For more information about the position, please contact Events Administrator Lauren Neal at Lauren.Neal@gaithersburgmd.gov or 240-805-1524. Questions regarding the online application process may be directed to the Department of Human Resources at hr@gaithersburgmd.gov or 301-258-6327.

This recruitment will establish an eligibility list which will be used to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill other openings in this classification which occur in the next 12 months.

The City of Gaithersburg offers its full-time employees a broad range of benefits to enhance their personal and professional lives. Employees are eligible on their first day of employment (unless otherwise specified). We provide employees with competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and an environment that supports a healthy work/life balance.

HEALTH BENEFITS

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage - employer pays 85% of premium in each tier
• Multi-tiered coverage options (single, single + spouse, single + child, single + children, family)
• Retirement Health Savings contribution (for non-participants in medical or dental plans)

Medical Insurance

• CIGNA HealthCare Open Access Plan
• Prescription Drug Plan
• Wellness Initiatives

Dental Insurance

• Sun Life Indemnity Plan
• Use a dentist of choice or participating dentist for increased savings
• Basic or Enhanced Plans offered

Vision Insurance

• National Vision Administrators
• Use a provider of choice or participating provider for increased savings

RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS

• Eligible for immediate enrollment in all plans upon hire
• 401A - Employer contribution equivalent to 8% of employees annual base salary; fully vested after 5 years
• 401K - Employer 3% matching contribution on the first 5% of employees annual base salary contributed by the employee; fully vested after 5 years
• 401A Supplemental - Additional 5% employer contribution to eligible employees in the Public Works and Police Departments who have physically demanding jobs on a consistent basis; fully vested after 10 years
• 457-deferred compensation plan and Roth IRA (employee contributions only)

PAID LEAVE

• Vacation (12 - 24 days accrued annually; accrual rate based on years of service)
• Sick Leave (13 days accrued annually; unlimited accrual)
• Personal Leave (28 hours granted annually)
• Family Care Leave (up to 8 weeks in rolling 12-month period for eligible employees) to care for newborn/newly adopted/newly placed child or family member
• Holidays (11 holidays observed each year)
• Volunteer Service (12 hours granted annually)
• Jury duty, bereavement leave, military leave (as needed)

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tools to assist with paying down student loan debt and managing student loans
• Employer paid Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
• Long-Term Disability & Workers Compensation Insurance
• Multilingual Stipend ($2,080 per year for eligible employees, paid biweekly)
• Language Learning Program (through Babbel)
• Housing Stipend (Up to $3,600 per year for eligible employees)
• Tuition Assistance (Up to $5,250 per year eligible after 1 year of service)
• Healthy Lifestyle Incentives
• Employee Assistance Program
• First-Time Homebuyer Assistance
• Ongoing Training/Personal Development Programs
• Credit Union
• Recreation & Leisure Opportunities & Discounts
• Direct Deposit (required)

Click on the link below to view general information about the benefits available.

Summary of Employee Benefits (pdf)

01

Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and may be used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, false statements, omissions, or partial information ("see resume" is not acceptable) may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question truthfully and certify that your responses can be verified from information included within your application?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have at least five years of professional experience in event administration, programming, or management similar to the activities described in the job posting? (Be sure this experience is reflected on your application.)

• Yes
• No

03

Concisely describe an event that you created/managed. Describe your role, the decision-making process for creating the event, event budget, the planning involved, and the final outcome. Include the age range and number of participants attending. Please highlight any lessons learned from the experience.

04

Do you have professional experience supervising staff (including recruiting, training, scheduling, motivating, and evaluating performance)?

• Yes
• No

05

How many total employees have you supervised at any one time? Please also indicate the number of full-time staff and the number of part-time/seasonal staff and/or volunteers supervised and indicate the number of staff directly supervised and the number indirectly supervised. If you do not have professional experience supervising staff, please indicate "None."

06

List any relevant current professional certifications, licenses, or other credentials that you possess. Include the date completed or attained. If none, please state "None."

07

Do you possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

08

Are you First Aid and CPR/AED certified?

• Yes
• No

09

How did you first learn about this employment opportunity?

• City of Gaithersburg Website
• Job Interest Card Notification
• Indeed
• GovernmentJobs.com
• MRPA
• Social Media
• Other Website
• Friend or Relative
• I am a Current City Employee
• Other

Required Question

Employer City of Gaithersburg

Address 31 South Summit Avenue

Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20877

Phone 301-258-6327

Website http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/job-opportunities