Director, Community Services

Job Brief

Responsible for the overall management, leadership and strategic direction of the Community Services Department which encompasses Building and Property Construction and Maintenance, Municipal Service Centres and Parks

When you come to work for the City of Kawartha Lakes, you are joining a community of municipal workers who take pride in knowing that every day you are having a positive impact in the community. Our mission is to deliver the highest standards of municipal services while creating a healthy and sustainable future for all Kawartha Lakes’ residents and businesses. We work to our values of Accountability, Respect and Teamwork and we want you to Jump In with us!!

We are an equal opportunity employer which values equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. We foster a safe and creative work environment, where training and skill development are prioritized, with opportunities and support for career advancement. As a team member at the City of Kawartha Lakes, you may be entitled to the following: flexible work hours, remote and hybrid working arrangements, OMERS pension (defined benefit), employer paid benefits package including short and long term disability income replacement, education reimbursement and other programs that foster innovation, leadership, and career advancement.

Under the direction of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Director, Community Services is responsible for the overall management, leadership and strategic direction of the Community Services Department which encompasses Building and Property Construction and Maintenance, Municipal Service Centres (including the Corporate Customer Service Program), Parks and Recreation, Trails, Forestry, Cemeteries, and various Municipal funding programs.

Salary: $148,766 - $174,488 per year (2024)

Essential Duties

Specific to this role:

• Provides leadership and strategic support to the respective Community Services division managers in the achievement of the department’s strategy that compliments and supports the City of Kawartha Lakes Corporate vision and strategy
• Evaluate, plan and implement short and long term community facilities, parks, recreation and culture needs and service delivery; develop pricing and cost recovery strategies
• Maintain final decision authority over projects, parkland, Municipal Trails, and facility acquisitions/dispositions/maintenance
• Oversee City’s Customer Experience Strategy and Customer Services programs
• Oversee the Building and Property program in determining short and long term needs of municipal facility stock through Facility Condition Assessments and space allocation reviews
• Identify community risk exposure and ensure appropriate risk management practices are in place
• Ensure that the organization is appropriately positioned to meet and exceed provincial service standards while actively maintaining knowledge of industry changes, pending changes, best practices and local partner needs and requirements
• Liaise with Kawartha Lakes Library Division regarding their facility and shared-service needs

As a member of the senior leadership team:

• Develop and implement strategic goals, priorities and measurements, consistent with performance management, engaging a continuous improvement mindset and recommend improvements to CAO and Council
• Conduct continuous research, analysis of industry trends, issues and future objectives resulting in recommendations to the Chief Administrative Officer and Council
• Conduct reviews and analysis of organizational service observes and ensure standards are achieved
• Ensure collaborative partnerships are maintained with community partners, agencies, legislators, public institutions and neighbouring service providers aligned with service delivery of the department
• Ensure collaborative partnerships are formed and maintained inside of the organization including maintaining a cohesive team environment to support staff’s achievement of objectives
• Prepare and review Council reports, providing advice and recommendations on departmental matters; follow through on Council directives and report on progress
• Develop comprehensive budgets for the department, present recommendations to Council; implement and monitor the department’s annual expenditures per guidelines specified
• As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to corporate planning including employee related strategies, financial planning, and organizational programs
• Model the desired organizational values and competencies; monitor performance of applicable corporate policies, directives, procedures, agreements
• Responsible for the overall performance outcomes of direct reports applying applicable actions aligned with organizational values; includes actions not limited to hire, lead, coach, train, discipline
• Act as a supervisor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• University Degree in Leisure Studies, Parks and/or Facilities Management or related discipline
• Minimum ten (10) years of related progressive experience, preferably in a municipal environment
• Management experience in a unionized environment, along with a comprehensive knowledge of municipal recreation management including a number of diversified programs, services, and functions
• Thorough knowledge of provincial or inter-governmental legislation, programs, policies, and guidelines that relate to the various services provided in Community Services
• Knowledge of municipal structures, functions, and financing of local governments, and their relations with federal and provincial governments
• Understanding the use of Business Intelligence (BI) and demonstrated use and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs
• Extensive experience in public relations, facilitation and conducting presentations in public forums
• Demonstrated negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Strong organization and team building skills to oversee a diverse complement of full-time, part-time and seasonal staff, complemented with an understanding of collective agreements and working within a unionized environment
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills at a level to ensure successful program and employee performance outcomes and management
• Effective oral communication and strong interpersonal skills; excellent written communication skills; attention to detail, accuracy and follow-through
• Demonstrated customer service skills at a level to develop and maintain cooperative and collaborative working relationships both within and outside the organization
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of financial budget and business planning processes
• Demonstrated time-management skills with the ability to prioritize workloads and meet deadlines with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and tact while maintaining a high degree of confidentiality at all times, complying with all applicable privacy legislation and policies and procedures
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, the internet and any other related software
• Possess and maintain a valid Ontario Class “G” Driver’s Licence or the ability to frequently attend work related activities at various sites within the municipalities or at other sites within Ontario
Possess and maintain an acceptable Criminal Record. Upon a conditional offer of employment, a Criminal Record Check will be required.

Key Performance Competencies

Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication, cooperation, interpersonal relations, teamwork, supportive work environment, demonstrating support (compliance) of established policies and processes, ensuring confidentiality is maintained, in situations where it is expected and policy and procedure require it.

Creativity and Innovation

Thinks beyond the confines of traditional models to recognize opportunities and find new and better ways of doing things, utilizing Lean Six Sigma as appropriate for continuous improvement.

Culture Management

Models the organization’s vision and values and reinforces the desired culture in support of the achievement of organizational strategic goals.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Uses critical thinking to evaluate problems, gather information, understand causes, and identify best possible solutions. Invests time in planning, discovery and reflection to drive better decisions and continuous improvement.

People Leadership

Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to achieve organizational strategic goals; coaches, mentors, and manages employee experience, and employee performance, through mindful preparation; creates space for others to lead.

Planning and Results Orientation

Invests time in upfront planning to achieve organizational goals and objectives while meeting quality standards, following the appropriate processes, and demonstrating continuous commitment and improvement.

Risk Management

The ability to assess and mitigate the degree of risk in plans or actions; makes contingency plans to limit the magnitude of risk. This includes any risk to the organization such as Health and Safety, financial, compliance, etc.

Service Excellence

Superior customer focused actions, both internal and external to the organization, demonstrating ethical, transparent behaviours, respect for others, listening to concerns and taking appropriate actions.

Strategic Leadership and Execution

Applies vision to think beyond the immediate situation and explores multiple potential paths; invests time in planning, discovery, and reflection to better drive decisions and more efficient implementation; ensures that corporate goals are met by executing, monitoring, and adjusting the organizational strategic plan.

Accommodation

Accommodation requests will be reviewed on an individual basis in compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and any other Federal or Provincial legislation.