Director of Community Services

**Director of Community Services**:
**Job Type**
Executive Opportunities

**Organization**
City of Lacombe

**Closing date**
Nov 4, 2024

**About the Opportunity**
Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and participating as a member of the Corporate Leadership Team, the Director of Community Services will provide leadership, coordination and delivery of services for assigned portfolios. The Community Services Division is directly involved in improving the quality of life of all residents and is primarily aligned with the Strategic Priorities of Building the Community, Efficiently Delivering Core Services, Managing Community Resources, and Delivering Sustainable Service Levels. General operations of the Division include Planning & Development, Recreation, Communications & Marketing and Economic Development.

**Direct Reports**:

- Manager of Recreation
- Manager of Planning and Development Services

**Roles and Responsibilities**
**Strategic Oversight**
- Actively participate in Corporate Leadership Team meetings and activities and responsible to ensure delivery of divisional outcomes as dictated through the City’s Strategic Plan.
- Ensure all divisional policies, procedures and standards align with the City’s overarching goals and strategic objectives.
- Identify potential risks related to divisional policies and implement measures to mitigate those risks.
- Oversee compliance with internal governance documents and external legislation/regulations, ensuring all divisional activities adhere to legal and ethical standards.
- Design required changes to support continuous improvement to services throughout the organization.
- Ensure adequate service levels in the provision of Division programs are provided to the City.
- Actively drive the implementation of the City’s vision, mission and values.
- Develop long-range plans for assigned portfolios based on community needs and trends and the City’s Strategic Plan and objectives.
- Responsible for monitoring comparator communities for divisional leading practices and adapting / updating for City content as appropriate.

**Organizational Management**
- Provide sound leadership, direction and collaborative practices between departments.
- Responsible to ensure solutions are compatible across divisions, where appropriate.
- Responsible for oversight of the hiring, evaluation and performance management of all staff within the assigned portfolio for the Division within approved personnel policies and legislation.
- Provide appropriate and varied programs that facilitate the transfer of knowledge, experience and expertise among employees to contribute to organizationalgoals, sustainability and the delivery of quality services.
- Continuously provide employees with opportunities for learning, professional and personal development and feedback on their contributions.
- Foster a positive work culture and monitor the corporate culture evolution regularly.
- Create and maintain an environment oriented to trust, open communication, creative thinking, and cohesive team effort; including but not limited to providing, and communicating a vision, motivating, inspiring, coaching/mentoring and training and developing the divisional team, facilitating innovation, problem-solving and collaboration, and maintaining healthy group dynamics.

**Policy & Legal**
- Contribute to the preparation of Council agenda and reports.
- Representing Community Services, attend all Council and Committee meetings.
- Oversee the management and maintenance of the City’s governance documents pertaining specifically to the Community Services division. Workingwith the applicable internal resources, ensure regular review where required amendments to existing bylaws and policies are undertaken.
- Prepare new bylaws and policies at the direction of the CAO for Council’s consideration.
- Effectively navigate organizational change in response to legislative updates, industry developments, or Council directives, ensuring compliance and adaptation.
- Act as a point of contact with the City’s solicitor and other legal counsel regarding legislative and contractual issues. Oversee the preparation of the Division’s agreements including contracts, leases, sales agreements, development agreements, and grant funding agreements.
- Responsible for ensuring systems are in place to meet Divisional obligations.
- Represents the City at relevant hearings, as appropriate.

**Budget Management**
- Model the highest level of ethical and transparent behaviour in all actions, particularly in the management and use of public dollars, ensuring accountability and integrity in financial practices and behaviour.
- Prepare and administer, within approved limits, the annual division operating, and capital budgets while maximizing use of ratepayer dollars.
- Lead and/or participate in long range planning for infrastructure/facility replacement and associated costs.
- Oversee appropriate assignment and use of resources