Review Vacancy
AgencyParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Office of
TitlePark Manager 1 (NY HELPS) - Cave of the Winds
Occupational CategoryAdministrative or General Management
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $66951 to $85138 Annually
"Other" Explanation Variable schedule including nights, holidays, and weekends. 6:00am-2:30pm in winter; work hours within the window of 6:00am-11:00pm are possible in summer.
Workday
Duties Description Under the supervision of the Park Manager 2, SG-21, or their designee, the incumbent will serve as second-in-command for Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls State Park. Duties include, but are not limited to:
• Recruit, hire, and supervise operations and support staff, lower-level trades crew supervisors and skilled and semi-skilled trades workers as needed to administer, plan, and supervise the building, maintenance and removal of decks and walkways at the Cave of the Winds attraction.
• Evaluate the need for and arrange or conduct training programs to improve skills of the deck builders and service mechanics.
• Assign and review work, conduct performance evaluations, and provide ongoing feedback and coaching to ensure high-quality service and operations.
• Schedule and direct daily operations of the attraction, ensuring efficient and effective delivery of services and maintenance.
• Monitor and oversee time ticketing systems, ticket verification points, queuing lines and adjusting staffing levels at various stations, as necessary.
• Regularly review the maintenance and repairs of media systems, elevators, backup generators and adjust schedule of work as required to ensure minimal impacts to the operation.
• Identify and prioritize routine and critical maintenance and repair activities in consultation with the Park Manager 2 or designee.
• Develop and submit budget requests, track expenditures, and operate within assigned budget allocations.
• Manage inventory levels ensuring products are stored properly, anticipating demands and initiating the process to requisition and purchase these materials.
• Serve as a liaison to local community groups, volunteers, and stakeholders to promote park events, foster partnerships, and build positive relationships.
• Handle public inquiries, resolve complaints, and ensure adherence to park regulations and policies to maintain a positive image of the park.
Minimum Qualifications This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).**
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:
Either 1. six years of experience working in a park, recreational facility, or campus* in any two of these functional areas: administration (business, personnel, finance); capital or operational planning; recreational programming; public relations/visitor services; maintenance; or environmental education/interpretation. This experience must have included two years of supervisory experience;
Or 2. a bachelor's or higher-level degree in environmental education, environmental management, environmental policy, environmental sustainability, forestry, golf course management, historic preservation, horticulture, natural resources management, park administration, park management or recreation management AND two years of supervisory experience working in a park, recreational facility, or campus* as described in any of the functional areas listed in option 1 above.
Examples of non-qualifying experience include but are not limited to: working at a gym, ski area/resort, and sport stadiums.
Examples of non-qualifying degrees include but are not limited to: accounting, anthropology, archaeology, biology (all majors), business, history, hospitality, physical education, recreation therapy and sports management.
*A park, recreational facility, or campus is defined as a location that offers at least three of the following elements: athletic fields, skating rink, campgrounds, golf courses, hiking trails, historic structures, marinas, picnic areas, playgrounds, recreation programs, swimming facilities or education, environmental or interpretive programming. You must clearly list this information on your application.
If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.
Candidates may also be qualified for permanent competitive appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.
Transfer Opportunity: Candidates must be current New York State employees and have one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service in a title eligible for transfer under Section 52.6 or 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.
Additional Comments OPERATING NEEDS:
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Class A CDL driver’s license*** with passenger endorsement that allows the candidate to legally operate a commercial motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Must be able to work a variable schedule which includes weekends and holidays.
• Must be willing to work in the field in inclement weather conditions as needed.
***Under the provision of the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act (1991), this position has been designated Safety Sensitive. The incumbent is required to participate in pre-employment, random, and post-accident drug and alcohol testing.
BENEFITS:
Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:
Paid Time Off:
Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:
Paid Time Off:
· 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
· PEF: Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
· Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
· Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
Additional Benefits:
· New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
· NYS Deferred Compensation
· Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
· Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
· Paid Parental Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx.
**For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a permanent non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024 and June 11, 2025. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective June 12, 2025 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
This position may require a background check prior to appointment.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Email Address niagara.employment@parks.ny.gov
Address
Street Regional Business Office, Niagara Falls State Park
P.O. Box 1132
Notes on ApplyingIf you feel you meet the minimum qualifications and the agency’s operating needs, and are interested in being considered for this vacancy, you can obtain an Employment Application from your local park office, your region’s administrative headquarters or you can download an application from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website at www.parks.ny.gov/employment.
Please forward your application and resume, if available, within (10) calendar days of the posting of this notice to Courtney Zimmerman, Regional Business Office, Niagara Falls State Park, P.O. Box 1132, Niagara Falls, NY 14303. Resumes may also be emailed to: Niagara.Employment@parks.ny.gov.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications and agency operating needs.