Team Leader, Recreation Operations

As one of the fastest growing cities in Alberta, the City of Airdrie is a recognized leader in building a vibrant and sustainable community through innovation.

At the City of Airdrie, incredible opportunities happen every day in a flexible work environment that is tailored to each department. Our inclusive culture and values create a workplace where we welcome aspiring, driven and creative individuals to help us accomplish our business and community goals. We are supportive of one another, and we have fun while we serve our community. We are passionate about improving the lives of our residents through care and respect; that is the foundation of our organization. At the City of Airdrie, we learn, grow and accomplish great things together. We’re proud to foster a workplace culture built on dedication, teamwork, and genuine care. Our commitment to creating a positive environment is reflected in our employee feedback from the 2025 Employee Engagement Survey, with 92.8% of employees saying they enjoy their work, and 92.6% feeling equipped with the resources they need to stay safe on the job.

If you have a passion for building a better community and are ready to join the excitement, we’d love to hear from you!

The Opportunity:

The Team Leader, Recreation Operations is responsible for leading the day-to-day work functions of the department as well as overseeing the longer-term asset management and preventative maintenance strategy. The Recreation Operations team enhances the quality of life of Airdrie residents by overseeing the functionality, comfort, safety, and efficiency of all core and enabling assets within Genesis Place, Ron Ebbesen Twin Arena, the Curling Club ice operations, Plainsmen Arena, Ed Eggerer Athletic Park and our upcoming SW Recreation facility including, life safety, arena mechanical and pool mechanical systems. This role works closely with the Building Maintenance team who oversees all plumbing, HVAC mechanical, electrical and structural building assets.

Responsibilities include:

1. People and operational leadership:
• Lead, coach and support Recreation Operations employees working across multiple facilities and service areas.
• Establish clear work priorities, service expectations and accountabilities.
• Provide ongoing feedback, mentoring and performance management.
• Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, training, competency development and succession planning.
• Maintain a visible presence in facilities and support employees in responding to technical, operational and service-delivery challenges.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable and safety-focused team culture.

2. Recreation asset operations:
• Provide operational oversight for the City’s recreation asset portfolio, including aquatics, arenas, gymnasiums, fitness centres, field houses, athletic parks and specialized recreation equipment.
• Establish operating standards and ensure assets and systems are operated safely, reliably and in accordance with applicable requirements.
• Monitor system performance, equipment reliability, maintenance history and service disruptions.
• Lead or coordinate operational responses to equipment failures, facility interruptions and emerging asset risks.
• Balance maintenance needs with programming, bookings, public access and service continuity.

3. Preventive maintenance and lifecycle planning:
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive preventive maintenance program for recreation-specific assets and equipment.
• Maintain accurate asset inventories, maintenance records, inspection requirements and lifecycle information.
• Use condition, criticality, maintenance history, failure risk and service impact to prioritize work.
• Develop short, medium and long-term maintenance and renewal forecasts.
• Identify emerging lifecycle pressures and provide evidence-based recommendations for operating and capital budgets.
• Monitor maintenance performance and adjust frequencies, procedures or asset strategies based on results.

4. Technical oversight and risk management:
• Provide technical leadership for recreation systems, including pool circulation and treatment systems, arena refrigeration and ice-making equipment, score clocks, field and turf systems, and other specialized recreation assets.
• Review technical reports, inspections, maintenance findings and consultant recommendations.
• Assess operational risk and determine when equipment should remain in service, be restricted, be repaired or be removed from service.
• Ensure operating procedures, maintenance practices and staff training reflect manufacturer requirements, legislation, adopted standards and sound industry practice.
• Engage qualified consultants, contractors, engineers or trades when issues exceed internal expertise or regulated scopes of practice.

5. Capital planning and project participation:
• Develop operating and capital budget submissions supported by asset condition, risk, service impact and lifecycle information.
• Contribute recreation-operational expertise to new construction, refurbishment and asset-replacement projects.
• Participate in design reviews, constructability and operability reviews, commissioning, deficiency resolution and operational handover.
• Ensure maintenance access, staffing, training, documentation, spare parts and lifecycle implications are addressed before assets enter service.
• Coordinate facility shutdowns, annual start-ups and major maintenance periods with programming and facility teams.

6. Financial, contract and organizational leadership:
• Prepare and manage operating and capital budgets within approved authorities.
• Procure and administer contracts, service agreements and specialized maintenance services.
• Establish contractor performance expectations and monitor safety, service quality, responsiveness and financial performance.
• Develop reports, business cases and recommendations for senior leadership, Council and committees.
• Build effective working relationships with Building Maintenance, Health and Safety, Procurement, Finance, Information Technology, recreation-programming teams and external service providers.

You Bring:

• Post-secondary education in recreation facility management, asset management, or equivalent.
• Alberta Pool Operator Level 2 certificate.
• Alberta Building Maintenance Level 2 certificate would be considered an asset.
• Alberta Arena Operator Level 2 certificate.
• Fifth Class Power Engineering certificate would be considered an asset.
• Five years of experience in a related management/supervisory role in an arena/recreation facility environment or equivalent.
• Experience in municipal government or public institution is an asset.
• Five years of experience in pools and arena operations is considered an asset.
• Experience in commissioning new facilities and systems is considered an asset.
• Management capabilities that include successfully hiring, coaching, motivating, developing and leading a team operating out of multiple facilities.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in facility management functions including organizational management, facility/lifecycle planning, preventative maintenance and forecasting.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in managing maintenance and lifecycle of building vital systems including specialized equipment.
• Knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety standards.
• Experience with project management, change management, training, auditing, investigating and technical writing.
• A dedication to providing a high level of public service.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, strong decision-making skills, political acumen, exceptional organizational skills and the ability to work effectively in stressful situations.
• Proficient organizational skills, with the ability to complete day-to-day responsibilities while managing the demands of special projects.
• Solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and people management skills.
• Ability to complete work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to implement positive changes and develop new processes.

We Offer:

Along with a competitive compensation program and City paid health and dental premiums, this position also includes:

• Excellent health, dental, paramedical and benefits plan
• First-in-class pension plan
• Career development and tuition reimbursement
• Employee discounts, gym membership, social events and health & wellness initiatives

Continuous learning through training and development is encouraged as are flexible work arrangements, when possible. We recognize that our people work best when they feel engaged in their environment and appreciated for their efforts and our overall benefits package reflects that.

Additional Information:

This is a full-time position that is expected to work 37.5 hours per week.

Please include a cover letter, accompanying your resume.

Next Steps:

Candidates are invited to apply online. We only accept resumes and additional application documents through our online recruitment system. In-person applications, email or other online forms will not be considered.

If you require an accommodation during any part of the application or hiring process, please contact us at [email protected] and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The City of Airdrie is committed to fostering a workplace culture where belonging, equity, accessibility, and diversity are deeply ingrained into all parts of the City, where employees feel they belong, are treated with respect, and where everyone can thrive and contribute to the City’s success.

Postings close at 10:00 PM MT (Mountain Time) on the closing date listed in the posting. We recommend applying as soon as possible as we are not able to accept late applications.

Please review the job competition carefully and be sure to attach any specifically requested documentation in the My Documents section of your application.

Interviewing and hiring may commence prior to the posted closing date.

Thank you for your interest in the City of Airdrie.