College Intern - Parks & Recreation

About the role

Working for the City of McKinney is more than a job. It is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and to have a hand in the development of one of the fastest growing communities in the nation. Proudly recognized on the Top Workplaces USA list by USA TODAY, the team is dedicated to making McKinney one of the best places to work, live, and raise a family.

Our core values

All new employees are expected to embrace and live by the City’s core values—Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE)—and commit to helping sustain an exceptional, high-performance work environment.

Summary of position

Under general supervision of the Division Manager, or designee, this internship provides the opportunity to perform a full range of duties related to department functions. You will work on real projects that align with your interests and career aspirations, with your contributions taken seriously as part of a collaborative team. The internship culminates in the implementation (as practical) and presentation of a final project that benefits both the City of McKinney and your academic and professional development.

Essential functions

General expectations for all employees

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and City goals are interconnected.
• Contribute to a positive work culture.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Assess your own work performance or that of the team.
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the working unit or overall organization.
• Work as part of a team, demonstrate team skills, and perform a fair share of team responsibilities.
• Continuously learn and develop through internal and external training opportunities and, if applicable, encourage subordinates to do the same.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Assists with researching local, state, and national programs, policies, etc. to ensure the department is at or above standard.
• Complies with all written City policies and procedures.
• Adheres to assigned work schedule as outlined in City and department attendance policies and procedures.
• When assigned to Parks & Recreation:
  • Assists with collecting site data and developing recommendations to improve the parks system.
  • Assists with planning and marketing programs and special events.
  • Assists in class development, instructor recruitment, class schedule/coordination, marketing and promotions for classes, creating surveys and compiling data from feedback, etc.
  • Assists with preparing a wide variety of promotional literature for the endorsement of facilities, programs, events, and overall communications for the Parks and Recreation Department.
  • Assists with registering program participants, maintaining information by keeping classes, fees, etc. current, inputting new programs, etc.
  • Assists with preparing weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports on class registrations, memberships, usage, revenue, etc.
  • Assists with developing, promoting, and coordinating sponsorship opportunities in regard to recreation programs and activities.
  • Assists with responding appropriately to citizen inquiries and routes calls to the appropriate City personnel as needed.
  • Coordinates and/or provides assistance in coordinating tournament scheduling as needed (for Athletics Assignment).
  • Works a flexible schedule that may include weekends, evenings, and holidays and maintains regular attendance as required.
  • Drives a city vehicle as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned or directed.

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors

• Ability to embrace and embody the City’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE).
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and service recipients.
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
• Resourceful and naturally driven to find answers.
• Demonstrates a sense of responsibility, self-motivation, flexibility, and independence.
• Ability to work with little supervision.
• Ability to operate various types of office equipment and computer programs, such as word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, and database programs.
• When assigned to Parks & Recreation: Knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) preferred.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualifications: Any work-related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the below minimum qualifications may be an acceptable substitute. Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program at an accredited college.