Position Summary

This position provides strategic leadership for the Recreation and Community Development Department and is responsible and accountable for the development and delivery of community based and targeted recreation, sport, culture and parks programs, services and recreation infrastructure; and the development of representative, responsive and accountable community-based organisations.

The work you'll be involved in:

• Oversee the planning, delivery, and evaluation of all division programs and services, including community initiatives, social development, sport, recreation, and leisure facilities, customer service, and park program planning, ensuring they are inclusive, responsive, and meet community needs.
• Lead and manage departmental operations by directing professional and technical staff, including mentoring, training, career development, and performance management to build a skilled, motivated workforce.
• Set strategic direction by ensuring all sections within the department prepare work plans informed by community needs, social inclusion priorities, and strategic intelligence, in alignment with the City’s vision, mission, values, and strategic plan.
• Plan, evaluate, and report on performance by developing, collecting, and monitoring strategic and operational indicators, measuring program effectiveness, community outcomes, and preparing complex reports and recommendations for City Council, Standing Policy Committees, and other committees.
• Build partnerships and foster inclusion by collaborating with community members, external agencies, and other departments to design and deliver cooperative, inclusive programs including those for Indigenous peoples, newcomers, seniors, economically disadvantaged residents, people with disabilities, children, and youth.
• Oversee customer service excellence by developing and monitoring strategies that ensure clear communication, timely responses to inquiries and complaints, and a positive experience for all community members accessing leisure services, recreation programs, and facilities.
• Provide policy and planning leadership by developing and implementing departmental policies and master plans, ensuring alignment with legislation, regulations, civic bylaws, collective agreements, and strategic priorities, and providing direction on key corporate policy positions.
• Represent the department to City Council, the public, the media, and stakeholders, advocating for departmental initiatives and services.
• Manage financial resources by preparing and controlling operating and capital budgets, business plans, and user fee strategies, ensuring they are fiscally responsible and aligned with corporate objectives.
• Oversee contract management including selection, supervision, evaluation, and compliance of contracted resources
• Perform other duties related duties assigned.

Qualifications

• University Degree in business, recreation administration, social science, community development or related field.
• Ten years progressively responsible experience related to recreation and community development, including at least five years at a senior management level.

Leadership Competencies:

• Engagement – Mobilizing employees, citizens, and partners. Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, empower and mobilize individuals and groups to work toward a shared purpose in the best interests of the organization and the City of Saskatoon. Builds and maintains high level of credibility with staff, partners and/or citizens.
• Pragmatic Decision Maker – Recognizes priorities and changing approaches. Shows common sense and intuitive judgment abilities to analyze and synthesize a wide array of subjective and objective information to recommend appropriate short term and long term direction and goals for their department or division.
• Turning Strategy into Action – Analyzes and interprets the strategic organizational direction, has a firm understanding of the vision, mission, values and objectives of the workplace, applies these to develop responsibilities, tasks, goals and implement initiatives that align with long term plans and growth. Reflects on past experience, organizational practices and processes in order to determine the correct course of action.
• Team Building – Understands and applies concepts and techniques to build and support effective work teams. Sets the tone and standards for team behaviors.
• Political Acumen – Politically astute and sensitive to City Council's issues. Maintains and develops relationships inside and outside of the organization to ensure best practices and enhance general knowledge.
• Innovation Management – Has good judgment about which creative ideas and suggestions