Department:

Parks Recreation and Natural Resources

Start Here. Grow Here. Stay Here.

Represents the interests of Sarasota County Government as a premier sports community with various sports, recreation, and tourism-related organizations. Oversees the development of processes and programs that facilitate first-rate customer service to all users of Sarasota County athletic facilities. Ensures that the strategy for sport tourism is implemented, monitored and evaluated. This position works closely with Visit Sarasota County, event rights holders, and community members to strategically plan and provide support within County-owned and/or supported venues, ensuring successful events resulting in increased economic impact for Sarasota County. The position requires occasional evening and weekend work.

About the Position

In this role, you will...

Sports Tourism Strategy

• Work in partnership with Visit Sarasota County, non-profits, other agencies, and organizations in the development and implementation of major sporting and recreational events aligned within the overall tourism strategy.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with various County business units, Visit Sarasota County, and other partners by facilitating various initiatives in a timely and efficient manner in support of sports tourism and the desired economic results.

• Serve as an advocate for sports tourism within all PRNR and County (Fire, Emergency Management, Planning & Development Services, etc.) departments to identify opportunities to improve sports tourism by creating efficiencies.

• Utilize County facilities to maximize sports tourism opportunities while supporting the overall mission and intended use as designated by PRNR. Optimize the usage of County assets to support sport tourism events (mobile stage, equipment, etc.)

• Develop and manage budget allocations. Reviews and recommends financial commitments. Monitors expenditures during the year and makes recommendations for budget modifications.

• Prepare detailed analysis and make recommendations regarding staffing, services, facilities, and programs that impact the annual budget.

• Track trends, maintain records, and keep statistical data obtained from multiple sources. Produces reports, presentations, and other material. Communicates and disperses information.

• Research best practices for event hosting in partnership with Visit Sarasota and other partners.

• Develop, maintain, and implement policy and/or guidelines detailing the parameters of usage of County-owned assets for sports tourism-related events.

• Monitor and support the collection of sports tourism economic impact figures. Generates, organizes, and maintains information relevant to the ongoing measurement and analysis of data for sports tourism.

• Serve on boards and various committees representing the County.

• Assist in the development of locally owned sports events in partnership with VSC, facility operators, and other local organizations.

• Support Visit Sarasota County in the development of event bids by providing information about PRNR facilities, event support services, etc.

 Sports Tourism Event Support

• Develop partnerships with local organizing committees in conjunction with Visit Sarasota, supporting the delivery of well-managed sports tourism events. Engages with partners and represents the County during events. Assist with event delivery as needed.

• Guide sports event rights holders and Visit Sarasota County through reservation and permitting procedures for various county facilities.

• Manage the implementation of the Sports Tourism Ambassador Program, utilizing volunteers to support sports tourism events. Provide on-site logistic support for major sports tourism events supported by PRNR and/or Visit Sarasota as needed.

• Serve as primary County contact for event rights holders when support is needed from various divisions and departments (i.e., Beaches and Water Access, Recreation, Emergency Management, Planning and Development, etc.)

• Assist in the development of major event budgets with Visit Sarasota County and facility operating partners.

• Work with Visit Sarasota County to activate community engagement plans surrounding major events, including but not limited to PR campaigns, local business opportunities, welcome signage, welcome bags, etc.

Athletic Field Programming

• Serve as primary liaison for athletic leagues and user groups utilizing North Sarasota County fields and facilities. Provides communication about booking processes, requirements, etc., to ensure an accurate and timely field allocation process.

• Implement strategies for balanced and optimized booking of PRNR-managed athletic fields and facilities.

• Oversee, evaluate, and improve processes for athletic field reservations and prioritization, including tournament request processes, field allocation methodology, etc., in coordination with STFP management staff and Sports Coordinators.

• Manage tournament and special event bookings of PRNR-managed athletic fields.

• In collaboration with STFP management, creates staffing plans for tournaments & events to ensure first-rate customer service for event organizers and participants.

• Coordinate with Sports Coordinators to ensure proper reservations, permitting processes, and entry into RecTrac.

• Stay up to date on best practices and trends within community athletics programming.

About the Schedule

Work Hours:

• Full-Time, 40 hours per week.

• Evenings and weekends are required on occasion, based on sports tourism event schedules and needs.

• As a reminder, all county employees are considered essential and must be prepared to protect and support the community and its citizens. Each employee, without exception, will have a duty assignment and be required to work during a disaster or declared emergency.

About You

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree n Public Administration, Business, Finance, Tourism, Recreation, Sports Management, or a job-related field -AND- three (3) years of professional experience within sports tourism/events and development. 
• A master’s degree is preferred and can count for one year of experience.
• Seven (7) years of professional job-related experience in the management of technical projects/programs and strategic planning can be substituted at management discretion for the required education.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience in sport tourism with a track record of success.
• Experience working in complex multi-stakeholder and multi-sport events with a solid understanding of the business objectives of tourism and the sport tourism industry.

About Everything Else

Starting Pay: $61,734.00 annually

Our interview process could include phone interview(s), Microsoft Teams video interview(s), and/or in-person interview(s).

If you are selected to join our team, please click on this link to review the Required First Day Documents. You will need to present the following items on your first day:

1. I-9 Acceptable Documents to show your identity and authorization to work. Use this link to learn more and review the different document options: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

• If your position requires a Florida Driver’s License, this must be one of your documents. (Your Florida Driver’s License can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List B Documents.)  

2. U.S. Social Security Card (signed, physical card). This is a requirement of our Payroll Department and failure to provide this document could jeopardize timely compensation. (Your U.S. Social Security Card can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List C Documents.)  

Benefits:

• Enjoy great benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Florida Retirement System (FRS) and many, many more! Choose one of three great medical plans, including one with a $0 premium option, with completed preventative visits!
• For more information about employee benefits, please click this link or visit SCGov.net for additional information.
• Utilize our award-winning wellness program including free gyms at multiple Sarasota County Government locations. 
• Enjoy 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days and 16 paid vacation days in the first year of full-time employment with increasing accrual rates with years of service. (That adds up to a possible 30 days off in your 1st year!)​​

A different blend of voices prompt better conversations, choices and results for everyone. Sarasota County – Many Voices, One Team.

We celebrate and value the experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, talents and strengths that make us different.

Our vision is to attract, develop, retain and engage a talented workforce broadly representative of the citizens and communities we serve. To further value creativity, innovation, collaboration and great customer service – internally and externally. 

A job applicant with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to participate in the application/selection process is requested to make known the need for an accommodation to Human Resources or appropriate county staff members. For assistance with the application, please call 941-861-5353.

Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities. View the complete policy at scgov.net (keywords: ADA Compliance).

Sarasota County Government is a Tobacco-Free/Drug-Free Workplace.