Park Attendant

Park Attendant

The Town of Palm Beach boasts a world-class, dynamic Recreation Department dedicated to creating high-quality community spaces and maintaining pristine public assets. The premier network includes the award-winning Town of Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course, the bustling Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center (featuring a state-of-the-art fitness center, athletic fieldhouse, café, and multi-purpose rooms), as well as pristine clay tennis courts, playground, and welcoming lawns of Seaview Park. The Town also offers an 84 slip superyacht marina. The department seeks a forward-thinking team player to assist the team at Phipps Ocean Park after a historic $31 million renovation. Through a landmark partnership with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, this 18-acre oceanfront jewel is undergoing transformation into a self-sustaining botanical oasis. The progressive overhaul features a 22-foot-high protective oceanfront dune system, two miles of scenic curving trails, playground, the oldest schoolhouse in Southeast Florida, and the installation of over 80,000 native plants cultivated to create an organic, chemically pesticide-free master ecosystem. The Park Attendant is responsible for helping protect this major capital investment and assisting with municipal operations that keep this modern environmental landmark safe, spotless, and functional. Under the direct supervision of the Park Operations Coordinator, performs specialized working functions and skilled work in the daily operation, maintenance, public safety, and contract coordination of Phipps Ocean Park. The Attendant acts as the 'eyes and ears of the park,' serving as an on-site municipal point of contact for the Town, assisting with daily logistics and collaborating closely with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach and the contracted landscape maintenance vendor to ensure the integrity of the park's native ecosystems and high-traffic amenities. Additionally, the Attendant serves as a key public ambassador, monitoring park activity and visitor behavior, addressing violations of park rules, and proactively responding to operational or public concerns.

Key Responsibilities

• Park Operations: Performs a variety of daily park maintenance and operational duties under the direction of the Park Operations Coordinator to ensure park facilities, grounds, and amenities are maintained in a safe, clean, and aesthetically pleasing condition. Performs daily opening and closing procedures, including unlocking and securing park gates, buildings, restrooms, and other facilities.
• Public Relations & Guest Services: Interacts daily with residents, visitors, and the general public in a professional and courteous manner; answers questions, provides directions and information, and assists in resolving routine concerns. Refers complex issues or complaints to the Park Operations Coordinator or appropriate Town personnel as appropriate.
• Rules Enforcement & Compliance: Monitors park activities to promote public safety and compliance with Town ordinances and park rules. Politely educates visitors on park regulations and reports violations, unpermitted activities, or safety concerns to the Park Operations Coordinator or appropriate Town personnel. Assists law enforcement or code enforcement personnel as needed.
• Incident Response & Problem Solving: Responds to routine operational issues within the park, including reporting maintenance deficiencies, safety hazards, medical emergencies, wildlife concerns, or other incidents. Takes appropriate action within the scope of the position and promptly notifies the Park Operations Coordinator of significant issues.
• Reporting & Coordination: assists in maintaining maintenance records and reports operational concerns, equipment needs, safety issues, and completed work to the Park Operations Coordinator to support efficient park operations.
• Inter-Agency Collaboration: Assists the Park Operations Coordinator in coordinating with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach during educational programs, special events, volunteer activities, and other park-related initiatives.
• Contract Support & Facility Maintenance: Serves as the Town's on-site representative in monitoring the work of landscape maintenance and restroom cleaning contractors by observing completed work and reporting deficiencies. Performs light restroom cleaning and servicing between scheduled vendor visits as needed.
• Infrastructure & Pathway Maintenance: Performs maintenance of all nature, pedestrian, sand, and ADA accessible pathways by removing debris, sand accumulation, vegetation, and other hazards to maintain safe public access.
• Park Stewardship and Asset Protection: Conduct routine inspections of park facilities, clean, and perform routine maintenance of Town-owned park facilities, including the playground, beach pavilions, restrooms, showers, shade structures, signage, furnishings, and border walls. Reports repair needs to the Park Operations Coordinator.
• Resource Management & Logistics: Assists with event setup and breakdown, post-event site restoration, trash collection, dumpster management, and other logistical support activities to ensure park readiness.
• Environmental & Safety Monitoring: Assists with iguana removal coordination, pest mitigation efforts, and monitoring of park lighting, parking gates, irrigation systems, and other infrastructure. Reports deficiencies requiring repair or follow-up.
• Equipment Operation: Safely operates utility vehicles, pressure washers, and other grounds maintenance equipment necessary to perform assigned duties.
• Emergency & Storm Response: Participates in storm preparation, emergency response, and post-storm cleanup activities to restore park operations and ensure public safety.
• Departmental Support & Adaptability: Performs landscaping, grounds maintenance, playground inspections, Har-Tru tennis court maintenance (if assigned), irrigation support, athletic field preparation, and related maintenance activities at Phipps Ocean Park and other Recreation Department facilities as operational needs require. Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum and Preferred Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High school diploma or GED equivalent; supplemented by three (3) years of experience in park maintenance, commercial grounds operations, golf course maintenance, or public works infrastructure maintenance. Experience handling public interactions and code/rule enforcement in a public park setting is highly desirable.
• Licensure: Valid Florida Driver's License

Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of Park & Grounds Maintenance: working knowledge of public park infrastructure, hardscape upkeep, and public playground equipment safety standards, alongside general familiarity with all standard tools, materials, and operational requirements of a public park system.

This is a non-exempt position paid on an hourly basis which is eligible for overtime. The Town of Palm Beach offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, prescription, dental and other supplementary benefits. Refer to the General Employees Benefits page and Retirement Guide for more information on these programs.