Program Manager, Leisure Services

Program Manager, Leisure Services

The City of Richmond is committed to be the most appealing, livable, well-managed community in Canada, a vision that is only made possible by developing our most valuable asset – our people. This is a great opportunity to join our team and shape our community. The City of Richmond offers competitive pay programs, comprehensive benefits and attractive incentives. If you are looking to make a difference, and to share our vision, then please apply.

Overview

Reporting to the Manager, Community Recreation Services, the Program Manager, Leisure Services will provide leadership and operational support in the areas of seniors and youth programming, youth outreach, and janitorial services in relation to facility operations and service delivery at the City's community centres.

This position will supervise Youth Outreach Workers, and the Supervisor, Building Service Workers (BSW's), and provide leadership and support to the Community Association Youth and Seniors Coordinators across the City. The Program Manager will deal in matters of a confidential and political nature and will be the subject matter expert contributing ideas to strategic and long-term seniors and youth programming plans for the Parks, Recreation and Culture Division. Other key areas of responsibility include public relations, budget preparation and monitoring, policies, procedures, and human resources, as well as the health and safety of staff and community centre patrons. Outstanding interpersonal skills are needed to establish and maintain effective and collaborative relationships with various internal and external stakeholders, including the ability to navigate challenging situations with integrity, respect and tact. This challenging position requires a professional with enthusiasm and initiative, a collaborative leadership approach, accountability, excellent communication skills as well as sound knowledge of community development approaches, recreation programming, and janitorial services.

Key Accountabilities:

• Provides leadership for the day-to-day planning, development, and delivery of city-wide youth and seniors programming and outreach services, including program initiatives, analysis, marketing and promotions for programs and outreach activities in alignment with City strategies, community needs, trends and leading practices within community recreation sectors.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with Community Association boards, youth and senior serving community agencies, and internal departments to strengthen program service delivery.
• Provides leadership to Community Associations Youth Development and Senior Coordinators, and janitorial and maintenance team at community centres, including supervision of staff, budget management, and coordination of facility maintenance and custodial activities.
• Supports the Manager in ensuring exemplary experiences for community centre patrons by monitoring facility operations, building maintenance and janitorial services. Responds to public incidents, conflicts or concerns as required, in a responsive, respectful and timely manner.
• Supports the Manager in ensuring that the community centre environments are safe and welcoming for facility users, guests and staff. Ensures measures are in place to manage and mitigate risks and accidents) and assists incident response, safety audit, and emergency preparedness planning in collaboration with Human Resources (Health, Safety and Wellness), as well as Vancouver Coastal Health and WorkSafeBC as required.
• Assists the Manager with ensuring effective, responsive and timely human resources practices across the youth and seniors programming areas, and janitorial services, and creating and maintaining an environment conducive to effective performance. Leads recruitment, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and provides guidance to supervisory staff (i.e. Supervisor - Building Service Workers) to ensure effective teamwork, high quality work, and fosters a culture of continuous learning, professional development and innovative thinking.
• Prepares capital requests related to facility maintenance. Monitors janitorial and staff expenditures related to annual operating budgets for community centres, in conjunction with direct reports and their respective areas of responsibility. Liaises with Finance on budget-related items.
• Prepares and monitors annual operating and capital budgets, including expenditures Provides recommendation to the Manager of potential cost over-runs, and makes recommendations to the Manager for the annual budget review cycle, including the identification of proposed additional levels or capital requests.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge and understanding of principle, practices, and strong foundation in the concepts of recreation programming and facility management.
• Knowledge and understanding of program development, implementation, marketing services and special events for diverse participants, with a focus on seniors and youth programming and engagement.
• Knowledge of risk management and health and safety principles in recreation, and proven ability to identify risks, maintain general awareness of facility conditions, mitigate risks and resolve issues which may include applying emergency management practices and principles.
• Knowledge of the methods, materials, and equipment used in building maintenance and repair and janitorial work. Understanding of healthy and safety standards and protocols, the importance of chemical safety, and safe work procedures and operating procedures with regards to maintenance of cleaning equipment.
• Knowledge of the City’s customer service standards, corporate values, and Organizational Development program.
• Knowledge of trends and leading practices in the community recreation services sector.
• Knowledge of hiring, recruitment, and training processes and methodologies.
• Ability to provide direct supervision and leadership to supervisors and support staff, including ongoing coaching and development, annual work plans, performance reviews and training opportunities, while ensuring alignment with corporate goals, plans and strategies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with other levels of government, community members, and organizations.
• Ability to manage, prepare and analyze complex operating budgets, using PeopleSoft or a similar financial management system, and allocate assets and resources effectively.
• Ability to design and develop initiatives, programs, strategies and operating procedures.
• Excellent communication skills in a variety of methods including oral presentation to large or small groups; professional, report, grant, strategy and public writing; preparation of technical analysis and briefing papers
• Ability to identify and effectively solve complex and/or politically sensitive situations and problems while exercising emotional intelligence, active listening skills, critical thinking, tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to consult, engage and coordinate activities with various stakeholder groups including the ability to participate in strategic planning initiatives and lead public consultation initiatives on complex and sensitive topics.
• Excellent decision-making, problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently, deliver results and exercise a considerable degree of independent judgement within the sensitivities of a political and regulatory environment.
• Experience using Xplor Recreation or similar, MS Office and REDMS or a similar records management system.
• Ability to successfully clear a Police Information Check.

Qualifications and Experience:

• A university degree in Recreation Management, Facility Management, Leadership, Business Administration, Public Administration, Kinesiology, or Developmental Psychology or in a relevant field is required, supplemented by course studies in business administration, recreation programming, youth or senior program development.
• The ideal candidate will possess a minimum of 5 years of progressive supervisory and management experience in public recreation, health and fitness, senior’s and youth programming or youth outreach sectors, preferably within a unionized environment.
• Experience supervising a large multi-service recreation or sports facility and overseeing daily janitorial and maintenance for recreation facility operations is an asset.
• Experience managing and supervising staff working in recreation services, program delivery, events, and senior’s and youth program delivery.
• A combination of training and experience may also be considered.

Additional Information:

Employee Group: Exempt
Position Status: Regular Full-Time
Duration of Appointment: Ongoing
Salary Range: $109,182 - $136,478
Hours of Work: 8:15am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday on a compressed schedule
Application Posted: 10/30/25
External Closing Date: 11/20/25
PCC#: 1598