Survey Manager

Reports to: Director of Operations Initiatives

Department: Park Operations

Schedule: Full-time/40 hours a week. Daily start and end times will vary due to survey parameters and shift times for the survey staff.

Duration: Temporary position - 14 months only. The exact start and end dates of the assignment are approximately: April 13, 2026 – June 18, 2027.

Note: This is an in-person position. This role is expected to be mobile (working at the 5th Avenue office, 79th St Operations Facility, and throughout Central Park). This is a 14-month, grant funded position that will end on June 18, 2027. Schedules are determined based on project needs and may change. Weekend and evening work, and some holiday work, is required.

About Central Park and the Central Park Conservancy

Central Park is one of the world's most famous and beloved public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country's first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park, which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of over $1.6 billion in the restoration of the Park, which now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.

The Conservancy is one of the largest and most successful public private partnerships in New York City and is considered a major civic institution given its impact on the health and vibrancy of both the Park and the City. The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an annual operating budget of $100 million.

Position Summary

The Central Park Conservancy seeks a Survey Manager to oversee a year-long, comprehensive Park User Survey and visitation count. The Survey Manager is responsible for the supervision of a team of contracted surveyors and day-to-day project operations. The project consists of manual visitation counts and collecting exit surveys via tablets at Park entrances across the Park, across all seasons.

Working under the general supervision of the Director, and in close collaboration with both the Operations department and the Office of the President, the Survey Manager is responsible for shift supervision with all parties, operational quality assurance, general day-to-day management, upkeep of program materials and additional administrative tasks.

Essential Duties

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Serve as day-to-day point-of-contact with the Conservancy’s contracted staffing agency.
• Coordinate with the staffing agency and research consultant to meet daily, weekly, and seasonal targets, especially around aligning and confirming shift schedules.
• Guide and provide technical assistance to contracted surveyors, providing coaching as needed.
• Collaborate with the Director to make recommendations for program improvements.
• Facilitate survey training programs.
• Coordinate with other departments as needed.

Program Management

• Assist the Director in measuring and reporting project progress.
• Inspect and monitor work to ensure compliance with organization’s standards of methods and practices, safety and other established requirements.
• Inspect and ensure upkeep of all program materials and maintain inventory and proper care of all equipment materials and supplies: radios, tablets, uniforms, etc.
• Initiate the purchase of supplies, materials, and other related equipment.
• Respond to and handle visitor concerns, comments and complaints that cannot be settled at the surveyor level.
• Step in to conduct surveys/visitor counts and perform general survey operation tasks as needed.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from accredited college in a related field; 6 years of experience, preferably in the field of visitor engagement and/or social science research, including a minimum of 3 years in the management and supervision of others; or
• Valid Drivers’ License that must be maintained for the duration of employment.
• Possess a fundamental understanding and knowledge of project management and visitor engagement management using modern practices; experience in high-visitation settings is desirable.
• Ability to provide both oral and written communication that is easily understood and direct in its content.
• Ability to engage critical thinking skills that allow for prioritizing issues, coordinating multiple projects, problem solving, and managing event logistics.
• Ability to interact with the public in a courteous, diplomatic, and professional manner at all times.
• Ability to serve as a collaborative and flexible part of a team.
• Ability to work weekends, evenings, holidays and outdoors in all seasons.

Salary range: $89K - $100K (based on experience)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an inclusive and democratic space for all. Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park. In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself and the dynamic city it serves.

Safety Requirements

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and be in compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations. Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities. Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.). If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she should alert other employees and notify his/her supervisor immediately.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Central Park Conservancy offers a competitive benefits package.