Overton Park Conservancy seeks a Park Ranger to support the Conservancy’s mission and goals by providing operations support and extensive customer service to park visitors and supporters. The Park Ranger is responsible for keeping Overton Park welcoming and safe to ensure an excellent visitor experience.

Job Title: Park Ranger

Salary Range: $16 to $20 per hour, based on experience and qualifications. Employees who are fluent in both English and Spanish will qualify for additional compensation.

Benefits: Paid time off, holidays, and health insurance coverage.

Reports to: Operations Manager

Schedule: This is a full-time, hourly position requiring 40 hours per week, including mandatory weekend shifts.

Essential Duties

Primary responsibilities:

• Greet rental customers and ensure the facilities are ready for them
• Monitors trails, picnic areas, pavilions and similar park areas (via foot, bicycle, and motorized vehicle) to promote public safety and ensure proper use of parks and facilities
• Lead regular inspections of park facilities (including restrooms, playgrounds, gardens, and trails) and provide minor maintenance to such areas
• Assist with maintaining park cleanliness by picking up litter, restocking restrooms, and restocking dog waste bag stations
• Report and manage any unsafe and deteriorating conditions on SmartSheet or via City work orders
• Educate and encourage proper use of the park. Should any security concerns arise, rangers will communicate with the Memphis Police Department, Memphis Fire Department, or other agencies as required
• Investigate and take appropriate action in response to public complaints or inquiries; initiate improvements to eliminate continuing problems
• Maintain a relationship with the janitorial and landscaping crews. Check in with them daily and provide additional support when needed. Provide refills for cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Coordinate routinely with the Programs Manager to prepare sites for special events and facility rentals
• Assist with outreach, planning, set-up, execution, tear-down, and close-out of a variety of programming, volunteer, and fundraising activities hosted by the Conservancy
• Coordinate with companies and organizations to plan volunteer opportunities, lead monthly Ranger-led volunteer events, maintain Volunteer Participant Database
• Collect, report and relay to staff park trends and maintain a data journal; such as improvements in education approach to park issues, park trends, busy park hours, etc
• Cross train with visitor services coordinator to understand and provide backup on facility rental process

Qualifications Requirements

• Operations experience in a related field preferred, including parks & recreation, grounds maintenance, horticulture, landscaping, turf management, tree care and/or facility maintenance
• Demonstration of strong interpersonal competencies, including navigating conflict and crisis management with empathy, integrity, and compassion
• Strong communication skills interacting with diverse groups of people at various levels within the organization, as well as external stakeholders and the general public
• Proactive self-starter; takes initiative to identify and address needs; follows through on projects in a timely and dependable manner
• Uses good judgment and is able to work independently
• Ability to engage, educate, and discuss policies and procedures with the public and treat all park goers with respect
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to changing information and situations by using critical thinking and leadership skills

Typical Physical Conditions: Must be able to communicate with management, colleagues, and the public. Requires driving motor vehicles and long periods of walking and standing to monitor park areas. This position requires lifting of items up to 25 pounds and set-up/take-down of special events.

Typical Working Conditions: Work is performed in an outdoor environment in all exposures to outdoor weather conditions including exposures to dust, pollen, noise, etc. Work involves contact with the public. Requires the ability to operate equipment such as computers, handheld devices, and smartphones. Ongoing daily technology communication with supervisor and daily written reports. Work schedule includes working weekdays and weekends, and occasionally evenings and holidays.

Overton Park Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively encourages applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, including age, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, etc.

How to Apply:

No phone calls, please. Send cover letter and resume to [email protected]. We will begin reviewing applications on May 13.