Area Manager (20645598)

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) has an excellent career opportunity for experienced and motivated Area Managers who will plan, organize, manage, oversee, and participate in all activities of the Land Stewardship & Trails Department; including oversight, coordination, and reviews of staff performing maintenance and repair of Midpen’s lands.  Midpen aims to recruit and retain employees who embody professionalism, accountability, and respect, and who value working in a purpose-driven agency that aspires to contribute to an inclusive, diverse and equitable community.  This position will play a key role in supporting work culture initiatives to foster a positive, inclusive and engaged workplace.  Ideal candidates will inspire a high level of trust, demonstrate strong ethics and share a passion for Midpen’s mission.

About Midpen: Midpen helps plants, animals and people thrive throughout the greater Santa Cruz Mountains region by preserving a greenbelt of more than 70,000 acres of public open space with 250 miles of trails in 27 extraordinary preserves, permanently protected for natural resource conservation and ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education. Midpen is a public agency with a focused mission that guides our work, and where every employee makes an impact.  If you are looking for an outstanding opportunity to contribute to the legacy of open space protection, natural resource restoration and outdoor recreation, working with an incredible team of like-minded colleagues, we invite you to apply for this position! 

About the Position: 

Midpen has two vacancies for the position of Area Manager in the following geographical areas. The start date for these positions is October 2025. Positions may include District Housing for rent.

Foothills Area Manager (reporting locations):

• Foothills Field Office (FFO) – Cupertino (Address: 501 Rancho San Antonio Drive, Cupertino, CA 95014)
• South Area Office (SAO) - Campbell (Address: 240 Cristich Lane, Campbell, CA 95008)

Skyline Area Manager (reporting locations):

• Skyline Field Office (SFO) – La Honda (Address: 21150 Skyline Blvd., La Honda, CA 94020), at the intersection of Skyline and Page Mill Roads MAP

• Coastal Area Outpost (CAO) - La Honda (Address: 5710 La Honda Road, San Gregorio, CA  94074)

The Land Stewardship & Trails Department is Midpen’s largest, with over 70 employees during construction season. This position requires strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with team members who may be geographically dispersed. The Area Manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative operations of their assigned field office and has supervisory responsibility over one administrative assistant and supervisory level staff.  Each geographical area consists of up to 18 full-time staff members as well as seasonal staff. The ideal candidate will be an accomplished professional with a highly collaborative management style, strong emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills. The Area Manager is knowledgeable in the principles and practices of public access and land management, open space and preserve maintenance, resource management, managing budgets, prioritizing work tasks, as well as responding to public, stakeholder agencies, and other department inquiries.  For additional information about the position, see the Job Description on our website. 

Key responsibilities include:

• Assumes management responsibility for all maintenance and operations functions and activities of the field office, including maintenance of preserves, public access, facilities, vehicles, and resource management.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the Department; participants in long term and short-term project planning; recommends within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; recommends and administers policies and procedures.
• Participates in the development and administration of and oversees Area budgets.
• Serves as a liaison for assigned Area to other District departments, outside agencies, neighborhood groups, and concerned citizens.
• Coordinates with fire agencies on fire risk prevention activities.
• Provides highly complex staff assistance to the Land Stewardship & Trails Manager; develops and reviews staff reports related to assigned activities and services; may present information to the Board of Directors and various commissions, committees, and boards; provides staff support to commissions, committees, and task forces, as necessary.

A Few Reasons Why You May Love This Job

• Collaborative work that directly supports Midpen’s mission to protect and restore the natural environment and contributes to providing nature’s benefits to everyone
• You’ll be part of a talented and dynamic team of bright, energetic, and motivated professionals with a passion for the outdoors, trails, and preserving open space
• Excellent employee benefits, including medical, dental, vision, tuition reimbursement, and a retirement pension through California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)

Work Environment: This position reports to the Land Stewardship & Trails Manager and will be assigned to a field office. The Area Manager works in an office setting primarily, and will attend various meetings and visit District field sites, which may require hiking through steep terrain and wildland areas and driving in remote areas on dirt roads.  Employee may be exposed to blood and body fluids when rendering First Aid and CPR. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 100 pounds, or heavier weights, with the use of proper equipment. Current work schedule is on site Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., recurring 9/80 Monday day off.

Midpen reserves the right to limit or deny off-duty employment or business ownership which creates a conflict of interest or an incompatibility with District employment. Additional information can be found in the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual Section 4.13 Off-Duty Employment and Business .  

Education and Experience:  Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:   

Education: Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, with major coursework in park administration, resource management, natural sciences, or a related field.

Experience: Five (5) years increasingly responsible experience in the protection, operation, or maintenance of parks, open space, forests, or public recreation areas and/or related facilities including two (2) years of supervisory or administrative responsibility.

Licenses & Certifications Required:    

• Possession of a valid California Driver’s License;
• Possession of, or the ability to obtain, Basic First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid First Responder or equivalent certificate
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, the level of certification in the Incident Command System Courses as specified under the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a District approved Fire Suppression Training certification.

Benefits:   Midpen provides a competitive benefits package including health, life and disability insurance, CalPERS pension and paid leaves.

Ready to apply?  Great!  We welcome your application online at CalOpps.org. 

(To avoid missing important email communication about this recruitment, we suggest adding mpropenspace@calopps.org to your contacts or list of safe senders.)

Application deadline is Sunday, August 24, 2025.  Applicants with the most relevant experience and qualifications suitable for the position will be contacted for an interview.

The following application items are required to be considered*:

1. Fully completed CalOpps employment application 

2. Cover letter 

3. Resume 

4. Supplemental question responses

*Incomplete CalOpps employment applications, or applications without the required application items listed here, will not be considered for the position.

Recruitment Timeline: we are unable to accommodate individual schedules:

First interview (virtual): Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Final interview (in-person): Wednesday, September 17, 2025

A note to applicants who currently live outside of the San Francisco Bay Area: before committing to the application process, and if you haven’t done so already, we suggest evaluating the feasibility of relocation. We recommend researching the cost of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, the cost to relocate, and typical commute times to Los Altos from outlying areas.

At Midpen, we believe open space is for all. Our public lands are shared spaces provided for the community by the community. All people, regardless of background, deserve respect, dignity, safety, and a sense of belonging. Midpen welcomes all people to enjoy the public open space preserves we hold in trust, supporting the mental, physical, and social well-being of our region.

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the Human Resources department at (650) 691-1200 or via email at hr@openspace.org.   

Put your passion for Open Space to work!