Executive Director
THE ORGANIZATION: NORTH VANCOUVER RECREATION & CULTURE COMMISSION
The North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission (“NVRC”) was established in 1970 through agreement between the City and District, and enables joint planning and delivery of municipal recreation and culture services. The authority to determine the governance structure, composition and mandate of the Commission lies with City and District Councils.
NVRC provides recreation, sport, and arts and cultural programming, activities and events on behalf of the City and District. They operate 10 community recreation centres, the North Vancouver Tennis Centre and Centennial Theatre, the North Shore’s largest performing arts theatre. Their facilities include six fitness centres, six gymnasiums, five art studios, four pools, three licensed preschools, three squash/racquetball courts, two ice arenas, two pottery studios, and one woodworking studio. Their arts and cultural services include an arts & culture grants program, an artist residency program, an art display program and a public art program. They also manage room and venue bookings for facilities, fields and outdoor spaces across North Vancouver.
NVRC respectfully acknowledges the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nation peoples on whose traditional, unceded territories we operate.
To learn more, please visit North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission’s website.
THE OPPORTUNITY: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Reporting to the six-member North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission, the Executive Director (“ED”) leads the organization that delivers recreation and culture services for the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver. The ED is responsible for the successful day-to-day operation of a network of community recreation centres, pools, arenas and fitness facilities, a broad portfolio of programs serving residents of all ages and abilities, public art programs and community arts grants, and a large unionized workforce.
This is a hands-on executive role for a proven recreation leader: someone who knows what a well-run recreation centre looks and feels like, who builds programs that fill and communities that participate, and who manages budgets with discipline. The role also carries a distinctive dimension: NVRC serves two municipal owners, and the ED maintains productive working relationships with both while running one seamless system for all North Vancouver residents.
Reporting Relationships:
The ED reports to the Commission and keeps it fully informed on strategy, operations, finances and policy, serving as its chief administrative resource. The ED works closely with senior staff and finance officials of both municipalities on budgets, capital planning and collective bargaining, and reports to both Councils as required.
Key Responsibilities
Recreation Centres and Facilities Operations:
- Ensure safe, clean, welcoming and well-utilized recreation facilities (community centres, pools, arenas, fitness centres and multi-purpose spaces) that residents are proud of and staff are proud to work in;
- Set and monitor service standards for customer experience, cleanliness, maintenance response, safety and lifeguarding/supervision requirements across all sites;
- Oversee facility scheduling, allocations and rentals, balancing community programs, sport user groups, drop-in access and events; maintain fair, transparent allocation practices;
- Direct preventative maintenance and lifecycle planning for buildings, pools, ice plants and equipment; respond effectively to facility incidents and closures;
- Drive utilization, membership and visit growth through data on attendance, capacity and customer feedback;
- Champion continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Strategic Leadership:
- Support the development and implementation of long-term strategic plans and priorities;
- Advise the Municipalities and Commission on emerging trends, risks, and opportunities;
- Lead organizational change, innovation and continuous improvement;
- Build collaborative partnerships among participating municipalities.
Programming and Community Services:
- Lead the planning and delivery of a comprehensive program portfolio: aquatics and learn-to-swim, fitness and wellness, skating and arena programs, sport development, children's and youth programs, camps, older-adult programs, and arts and culture programming;
- Refresh program offerings seasonally based on registration trends, waitlists, community demographics and emerging interests; retire what isn't working and pilot what's next;
- Ensure programs are affordable and accessible, with fee assistance, adapted and inclusive options, and outreach to residents facing barriers to participation, including youth and under-served populations;
- Oversee registration, booking and communications systems that make it easy for residents to find, register for and attend programs;
- Oversee the public art programs and community arts grants, and support local arts, culture and sport organizations.
Budget and Financial Management:
- Prepare and manage the annual operating budget and capital plan; deliver services within approved budgets and report clearly on variances;
- Set revenue targets and manage cost-recovery performance across admissions, memberships, registrations, rentals and concessions; recommend fees and charges that balance revenue with affordability;
- Monitor financial performance monthly through program-level and facility-level reporting; take corrective action to keep revenues and expenditures in balance;
- Build sound capital cases for facility renewal and equipment replacement; manage capital projects on time and on budget;
- Pursue grants, sponsorships and partnership revenue that expand services without raising costs to residents.
People Leadership:
- Lead, develop and inspire a large workforce of full-time, part-time and auxiliary staff across multiple sites; build a positive, high-performing, service-driven, safety-first culture;
- Negotiate and administer the collective agreement; maintain constructive union relationships and sound labour relations practices;
- Recruit and retain hard-to-fill front-line roles (lifeguards, instructors, facility operators); invest in training, certification and succession planning;
- Foster an inclusive and respectful workplace and promote employee engagement, health and safety.
Working with the City and the District:
- Maintain strong, trusted relationships with both municipal owners (their Councils, senior administrators and finance staff) recognizing this dual relationship is what makes the role unique;
- Administer the shared cost and funding arrangements between the two municipalities;
- Respond to the differing needs of the two communities within one integrated service system;
- Advise both municipalities on facility needs, capital priorities and partnership opportunities.
Partnerships and Community Relations:
- Build delivery partnerships with school districts, health authorities, sport organizations, arts groups, neighbourhood houses and the non-profit and private sectors;
- Build respectful, ongoing relationships with the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and pursue shared recreation and culture opportunities;
- Coordinate with the Parks departments of both municipalities on joint delivery in parks, playgrounds, beaches and outdoor settings;
- Represent NVRC in the community; engage residents and user groups regularly and visibly.
Governance and Administration:
- Support the Commission with agendas, reports, minutes and orientation; ensure timely, well-prepared decision materials;
- Maintain required insurance coverage, risk management, emergency preparedness, privacy and records practices, and legal and regulatory compliance;
- Serve as the principal advisor to the Board;
- Ensure compliance with municipal, provincial, and federal legislation;
- Develop and implement organizational policies and governance practices.
THE PERSON
Qualifications and Experience:
- A degree in recreation, leisure services, business, public administration or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Ten or more years of progressively senior leadership in recreation or community services, including direct accountability for multi-site facility operations, programming and budgets;
- Strong working knowledge of recreation facility operations (aquatics, arenas and fitness) including safety standards and regulatory requirements;
- A track record of successful program development and revenue and cost-recovery management;
- Experience leading in a unionized environment; collective bargaining experience is an asset;
- Experience working with a board, commission or council, and comfort operating in a public, politically-connected environment;
- Experience with capital projects or facility renewal is an asset.
Key Leadership Competencies:
- Operational credibility: understands what it takes to run pools, rinks, fitness centres and programs safely and well every day;
- Community-first orientation: visible, approachable and genuinely curious about what residents of all ages, cultures and abilities need;
- Financial discipline: credible with finance professionals; makes sound trade-offs and delivers on budget;
- People leadership: builds morale, develops leaders, and sets front-line staff up to deliver great resident experiences;
- Relationship builder: earns trust across two municipal partners, a Commission, staff, unions and community groups;
- Continuous improvement: uses data and customer feedback to sharpen programs, services and facility performance.
Other Competencies and Characteristics:
Leadership – Achieves desired organizational results by encouraging and supporting the contribution of others; a proactive and positive team player who acts with a sense of urgency and leads by example; sets and communicates clear goals.
Accountable – Holds self and others accountable for responsibilities; focuses on results and measuring attainment of outcomes in a business focus.
Strategic – Develops a plan in support of organizational strategic direction. Demonstrates an understanding of the link between one’s job responsibilities and overall organizational goals.
Integrity and Honesty – Demonstrates a resolute commitment to and respect for the spirit behind the rules and core values of the organization, setting an example of professionalism and ethical propriety.
Influential and Collaborative – Has an open and consistent approach to working with others and possesses strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and develop/maintain partnerships, obtaining partner agreement.
Creativity and Innovation – Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.
Effective Working Relationships – Treats colleagues, and stakeholders with respect; resolves conflicts in a timely manner, negotiates effectively, and provides effective feedback to colleagues/employees.
Communication – Clearly presents written and verbal information; writes with clarity and purpose; communicates effectively in both positive and negative circumstances; listens well.
People Development – Fosters learning and development of others through coaching, managing performance and mentoring; has a genuine desire to develop others and help them succeed; formally and informally recognizes deserving staff and colleagues.
Partner Focused – Anticipates and attends to the needs of internal and external partners of the organization; keeps partner interests in the forefront.
COMPENSATION: A competitive compensation package will be provided including an attractive base salary with an anticipated 2026 range between $222,800 and $247,582, plus excellent benefits. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.
To Apply: Please email us a cover letter and resume (PDF or Word document only – preferably in one document) and indicate the role title along with the name of the organization in the subject line.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Robin Noftall or Greg Longster
LEADERS INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE SEARCH
#1160 - 595 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 2T5
Phone: (604) 688-8422
Email: connect@leadersinternational.com
