Director of Recreation Services

Recreation Services Division

Posting: Internal/External

Work-Life Balance: Enjoy a 35-hour work week (Monday to Friday). Earned Day Off (EDO) eligible!

Competition No. RES-26-23

Join Our Team!

The City of Wetaskiwin

Welcome to the home of possibility!

Do you want to be a part of a different kind of local government? We are a diverse and eager team that knows what needs to be done, and we are doing it!

Councils Strategic Plan focuses on exploring opportunities to grow our community, enhance public safety, strengthen community connections, and protect our environment. Complementing this direction, the City's Corporate Business Plan prioritizes a people-first philosophy, recognizing that our greatest strength is our people.

Wetaskiwin is a collaborative and inclusive place where ideas are welcomed, shared, and transformed into meaningful action. Guided by our values of Trust, Resourcefulness, and Integrity our team is dedicated to building positive, trusting, and fulfilling relationships that cultivate well-being.

We serve our community through collaboration, partnerships, and capacity building, working together to strengthen relations, create opportunities, and enhance the overall well-being of the community we share.

Conveniently located only 35 minutes south of Edmonton and 55 minutes north of Red Deer, the City of Wetaskiwin provides all the amenities and quality of life of an urban-rural center.

The Opportunity

The Director of Recreation Services provides strategic and operational leadership for the City's recreation programs, aquatic and recreational facilities, playgrounds, active-living initiatives, community partnerships, and related service areas. The position ensures services are accessible, inclusive, safe, fiscally responsible, and responsive to community needs. The Director translates Council priorities, community demand, asset-management requirements, and operational realities into sustainable service plans. Through effective people leadership, partnership development, evidence-informed decision-making, and clear advice to senior administration and Council, the Director contributes to a vibrant, healthy, connected, and welcoming community.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership, Governance and Financial Management

• Develops and implements recreation strategies, business plans, service levels, policies, procedures, fees, agreements, and capital priorities aligned with Council's strategic direction.
• Provides advice, analysis, options, risk assessments, recommendations, and presentations to senior administration and Council on recreation programs, facilities, and related investments.
• Prepares and administers operating and capital budgets; monitors revenues, expenditures, grants, contracts, lifecycle costs, service demand, and performance measures.
• Uses community data, participation trends, leading practices, and public input to inform equitable and sustainable service delivery.
• Contributes to corporate planning, policy development, continuous improvement, and interdepartmental initiatives as a member of the management team.

Programs, Facilities, and Service Delivery

• Plans, directs, evaluates, and improves recreation, aquatics, active-living, facility-rental, and recreation programming services within approved resources and service levels.
• Oversees safe, efficient, and customer-focused operation of assigned recreation, aquatic, and playground facilities, including scheduling, maintenance coordination, inspections, security, accessibility, and emergency procedures.
• Guides facility renewal, capital projects, equipment replacement, and asset-management planning in collaboration with internal departments and external specialists.
• Establishes service standards, operating procedures, work plans, schedules, and reporting practices that support consistent and responsive service.
• Administers leases, licences, contracts, grants, sponsorships, and service agreements; ensures compliance with scope, budget, timelines, safety requirements, and expected outcomes.
• Responds to complex or sensitive inquiries concerning facilities, programs, allocations, fees, accessibility, and community needs.

People Leadership and Partnerships

• Leads, coaches, and develops direct reports; establishes clear expectations and supports accountability, workforce planning, engagement, learning, and succession planning.
• Builds productive relationships with sport, culture, school, regional, Indigenous, non-profit, business, and community partners.
• Promotes inclusive participation, citizen engagement, volunteerism, and collaborative approaches to service delivery.
• Maintains clear communication with staff, partners, users, residents, and service providers.

Emergency Management & Other Duties

• Participates in emergency-management planning, training, exercises, and assigned response roles.
• Supports corporate initiatives and other departments as required.
• Model's responsibilities under the City's Health and Safety Management System.
• Performs other related duties consistent with the position.

Education, Qualifications, and Work Experience

• Degree or diploma in recreation administration, leisure services, kinesiology, public administration, business administration, facility management, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Leadership and management training is required; municipal administration education is an asset.
• Relevant facility, aquatics, recreation, project-management, or asset-management credentials are assets.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible senior management or leadership experience in municipal recreation, aquatics, facility operations, community programming, or a related environment.
• Demonstrated experience with budgets, capital planning, contracts, service agreements, policy development, and staff leadership.

Before commencing employment, the successful candidate must provide all necessary certifications and documentation, including but not limited to a driver's abstract and employment-related record checks.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Through knowledge of recreation-service planning, facility and aquatic operations, community development, accessibility, risk management, and public-sector administration.
• Strong leadership, coaching, change-management, conflict-resolution, and team-development capabilities.
• Strong financial, analytical, project-management, procurement, vendor-management, and reporting skills.
• Ability to develop partnerships, facilitate engagement, balance competing interests, and provide clear recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presentations to Council and the public.
• Knowledge of applicable legislation, occupational health and safety requirements, industry standards, and municipal practices.
• High integrity, sound judgment, political acuity, and commitment to inclusive public service.

Work Environment & Conditions

• Combination of office recreation-facility, aquatic-facility, and community settings.
• Weekly or bi- weekly evening
• Regular attendance at meetings and events outside normal business hours.
• Frequent critical thinking, public interaction, and decision-making in a higher accountability environment.
• Occasional exposure to facility noise, heat, humidity, chemicals, and active work areas, with required controls and personal protective equipment.

Physical Effort and Safety Commitment

The employee is responsible Occupational Health and Safety program, including compliance with all rules and regulations, and for continually practicing safety while performing their duties, and monitor and enforce subordinate compliance with the OH&S program.

• This position is considered a sedentary position which includes light effort including but not limited to, standing, walking, climbing, stairs, kneeling manual dexterity, visual acuity, lifting up to 10 lbs (most office positions).

What We Offer

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance benefits upon first day of hire.
• Pension through Local Authority Pension Plan (LAPP)
• Employee Family Assistance Program.
• 4 Personal Days per year, plus an additional day off to celebrate your work anniversary!
• Renumeration will also include Deputy City Manager (DCAO) pay per rotation each year.
• Competitive paid vacation and sick time.
• Discounted (optional) membership to the Manluk Regional Aquatic and Fitness Centre.

Application Deadline and Details

Application Deadline: December 6, 2026

Interested applicants are invited to submit a cover letter and resume outlining their qualifications, experience, and interest in the position.

The personal information submitted pursuant to this advertisement will be utilized for this employment opportunity only and is subject to compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

The City of Wetaskiwin is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, HR@wetaskiwin.ca