Social Planner III

Requisition ID: 41003 

Organization

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities and is working towards being the greenest city in the world. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

Main Purpose and Function
The senior position is responsible for cultural policy and program development, for overseeing the City’s arts and cultural grants and awards programs, and for managing cultural planning initiatives. The position identifies new and emerging trends in grants and awards, determining new criteria, evaluations and performance targets for the Cultural Grants portfolio and the City’s cultural awards programs, impacting new programs and initiatives and setting long-term planning objectives.

Key Contacts and Reporting Relationships
This is a senior position in the Arts, Culture and Tourism Department reporting to the Assistant Director. This senior role combines the skills of professional cultural planning, with extensive experience in the not-for-profit arts and cultural sector. Liaising with elected officials, a range of civic departments, other government and private sector organizations, arts community members and community groups, the incumbent initiates community consultation processes, formulates cultural development strategies, and implements funding programs, including joint programs with other funding agencies and oversees program evaluation.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for grant program evaluation, programming, reviews and develops and makes recommendations to City Council on current and new support programs.
• Provides supervision and direction to a staff of five (5) planners, multiple consultants, and senior planners in other departments to identify new and emerging trends in grants and awards.
• Foresees and responds to the Vancouver’s changing demographics and cultural ecology with coordinated grant implementation strategies.
• Leads the annual budget allocation for each of the grant program streams.
• Oversees the preparation of council reports, policy documents and other written materials; to make presentations to Council, relevant advisory committees, other civic staff and community groups, attends arts and cultural events.
• Liaises with internal/external government representatives, private sector interests, creative industry representatives, artists, non-profit organizations and community groups.
• Leads a variety of cultural planning and development assignments.
• Coordinates and chairs internal and external meetings, as well as represents the department on extra-departmental reviews and projects.
• Responsible for and leads the delivery of the  Arts Awards, the Vancouver Book Award, Poet Laureate etc.
• Oversees the grants management system and a national arts database – repositories of key data for assessing, monitoring, and reporting on the City’s funding impact in the arts sector.
• Responds to internal and external inquiries and perform other work as required.

Qualifications
Education and Experience:

• University degree, preferably at a Masters level in the arts, arts management or community planning, with considerable (10 years) experience, or a combination of education and relevant experience.
• Considerable experience working with or within the arts and culture sector.
• Demonstrated experience working with complex planning issues within the public sector and municipal processes.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of the arts and culture sector and sources of sector information.
• Ability to apply core equity lenses: Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Intersectionality and Systems Orientation. 
• Strong relationships and experience working with local Nations xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and urban Indigenous peoples and equity deserving communities.
• Ability to synthesize information, support prioritization, and balance the diverse interests of communities and partners while applying ethics of care principles to advance work in relational and effective ways. 
• Applied knowledge of Vancouver Charter, project approval processes, other applicable regulatory frameworks, and of how various regulations relate to each other.
• Ability to identify, analyze and prioritize issues and to develop and implement action plans.
• Ability to organize, coordinate and track multiple, multi-dimensional projects and interdepartmental.
• staff teams with extensive layers of information and complex partner and stakeholder relationships.
• Ability and experience working in a political environment and ability to work diplomatically and persuasively with staff and community groups.
• Ability to work with and support various levels of government, non-profit organizations and other community stakeholders and professionally represent the City of Vancouver and Arts, Culture and Tourism.
• Ability and experience in effectively managing a team with strong leadership skills including: decision making, providing clear direction, setting performance expectations, delegating tasks, managing deadlines, and providing constructive feedback. 
• Skilled in conflict resolution and the ability to collaborate, problem solving, plan and present solutions in clear and compelling terms.
• Ability to manage public meetings having controversial subjects under discussion.
• Ability to respond effectively to media inquiries with communications.
• Ability to multi-task and work in a complex fast paced environment within defined time lines.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office Suite of programs is required and working knowledge of grants management systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, the ability to communicate ideas effectively and the ability to work within a team environment are required.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite.  At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department: Arts, Culture and Community Services (1200) 

Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Position Start Date: June, 2024 

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-034: $63.84 to $75.51 per hour

Application Close: May 19, 2024

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

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In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.