Manager of Culture, Venues and Special Events

Manager of Culture, Venues and Special Events

Job Type: Permanent Full-time, Non-Union

Salary Range: $107,652.66 to $144,287.69 per year

Under review

Posted: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Application Deadline: Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 11:59 pm

The Opportunity

Recreation and Culture Services builds vibrant, healthy, active and connected communities by providing facilities and programs that give all Barrie residents an opportunity to participate in recreational activities. Key responsibilities include identifying community recreation needs and interests, developing and delivering recreation opportunities which meet these needs and interests, maintaining and operating recreational and cultural facilities to provide a setting for these activities, and managing the provision of space to external community providers and groups.

Under the general guidance and direction of the Director of Recreation and Culture Services, the Manager of Culture, Venues and Special Events is responsible for the management, operation and administration of the Culture, Venues and Special Events Branch within Recreation and Culture Services. Specifically, the Manager is responsible for overseeing and directing the overall program implementation, operation and strategic planning of cultural initiatives including special events, arts and cultural community partnerships while ensuring effective resource management of culture venues. Overall, this position assists in the development of policies, procedures, goals and strategies while liaising with community organizations, businesses and individuals to foster development of new arts and cultural development, programming and special events.

Our Culture and Qualifications of the Job

Corporate Culture: Your workplace values align with our corporate values of Strive, Share and Care and you want to join us in providing exceptional services and programs to build a prosperous, growing and sustainable community.

Equally important to what we do is how we do it - our actions reflect our core accountabilities of Personal Awareness, Teamwork and Collaboration, Respect and Inclusion, Innovation, Service Excellence, which define how we work together to succeed.

Education (degree/diploma/certifications)

- Four (4) year University Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Communication or related discipline (such as Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management)

- Six (6) years of experience performing duties related to the major responsibilities of the position, including demonstrated leadership/supervisory experience

- Progressive supervisory experience in a municipal, recreational, or cultural setting

- Experience in contract negotiation and administration, experience booking of professional performing artists

- Experience within the arts/entertainment sector including performance facilities, programming and audience development

- Strong awareness and understanding for the business administration of theatre operations

- Municipal theatre experience an asset including experience working with arts and culture volunteer groups and organizations

Knowledge/Skill/Ability

- Working knowledge of the following legislation, regulations, or requirements: Employee Standards Act (ESA); Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA); Occupational Health and Safety Act
(OHSA); Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MIFIPPA); Municipal Act; Collective Agreement.

- Working knowledge of the following principles and standards: cash handling and management practices; labour relations principles, collective agreement administration; Recreation Management Software, financial/budgeting software and Human Resources Information System (HRIS) software

- Demonstrated Ability to:

- establish and maintain effective working relationships and provide superior customer service

- maintain a high standard of public relations at all times

- deal with difficult customers; diffuse emotionally‑charged situations; and resolve customer issues in a diplomatic and professional manner

- lead, coach, mentor, and support staff

- effectively allocate budgets, time, and human resources to support the achievement of branch goals and objectives

- interact effectively and courteously with all levels of staff and contacts in a political and community/client service environment

- strong awareness and understanding for the business administration of theatre operations

- Intermediate skills include: Customer Service; Interpersonal; Leadership; Problem Solving; Verbal Communication; Written Communication

- Intermediate computer literacy using the following systems and software: Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word), SharePoint and the Internet; MS Teams

- Availability, on a rotational basis, to assist with after‑hours questions, concerns, or emergencies; to attend evening/weekend meetings or special events; or to work outside of designated normal hours
per week

Conditions of Employment

- Insert items Listed under Conditions of Employment Section from Job Description

- Satisfactory Criminal Record Check *

*Please note that this is a requirement of the position for any new employees to the City of Barrie in accordance with the Police Record Check Policy. Existing employees who have met this criteria will be exempt from this requirement.

Other Important Information

Please note that the City has a Hybrid Work Program Policy in place that may allow for a hybrid work arrangement for employees who meet eligibility requirements.

Hours:

The normal hours of work are 35 hours per week; however, some non‑standard hours may apply.

Wage:

This a permanent full-time non-union position with the following pay level and 2025 pay range:

- Yearly Salary: $107,652.66 to $144,287.69

- Hourly Pay Rate: $59.15 to $79.28

What We Offer:

This position includes a comprehensive non-union benefit plan, including but not limited to extended health and dental coverage, life and accident insurance, paid vacation and sick days, short/long term disability plans, OMERS Primary pension plan, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), discounted rates for City Fitness Memberships and Transit Passes, and access to the Perkopolis Perks program, which provides exclusive access to discounts on a wide range of products and services available to all City employees.

How to Apply:

Click the 'Apply Now' button at the top and/or bottom of the job posting to start the application process. Please note that emailed applications will not be considered.

Why Barrie?

The City of Barrie is a vibrant, progressive, and growing community with deep connections to our heritage, to nature and to the opportunities surrounding us.

Our community values quality of life; the ability to play year-round with 300 hectares of park space, our beautiful waterfront, our lively downtown core and the nearby hills, wetlands, and forests. We also value connections; to our neighbours and the community, to our road and rail network, and to the opportunity Barrie provides to enjoy life.

Everything Barrie has to offer, from the water we drink to the roads we travel on, has one thing in common - municipal workers. Joining a municipality is one of the most rewarding, engaging, and exciting careers you could choose. It is a career you can take pride in knowing that every day you make a positive impact on an entire community. We are one team, with one goal and we all work together to continue making our community great.

The City of Barrie is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices and we will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise if you require Code-protected accommodation and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The job posting has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees in this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required of employees to do this job. For full position details, please request a copy of the job description by emailing HR.Recruitment@Barrie.ca.

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