Position Overview:

The Parks and Recreational Facilities team play a key role in supporting the City of Saint John’s quality of life goals by delivering safe, welcoming, and well-maintained recreational facilities and programs. The team also contributes to the successful implementation of the City’s Parks & Recreation Strategic Plan.

With a strong focus on environmental stewardship, this service area is responsible for the care and enhancement of parks, green spaces, and other public areas—ensuring these community assets remain clean, vibrant, and sustainable for current and future generations.

The successful candidate will join a dedicated team led by an Operations Manager, working collaboratively to provide high-quality service to the residents of Saint John.

Key Areas of Responsibilities

Manage the effective delivery of a sports and recreational maintenance programs based on industry-standard best practices related to the delivery of various types of sports, recreation, urban forestry and horticulture services.

Urban Forest Service - Provides safe, high-quality service as it relates to the City’s Urban Forest landscape. Urban forest responsibilities include the sustainable management, planting, planning, maintenance and care of trees and forested areas, within our city to provide environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Sports Facility Operations - Ensuring all playing surfaces are in optimal condition for athletes and the public so that they meet all regulatory safety standards.

Public/Greenspace Maintenance – Maintenance and care of all Parks and Recreation green spaces, including playgrounds, parks, trails, beaches, courts, public washrooms, mowing, planters and gardens, et cetera.

Winter Operations- Ensuring all Parks and Recreation facilities receive winter maintenance, including snow control, trail maintenance and ice arena operations (indoor and outdoor).

The following are some examples of maintenance programs the Superintendent may have direct oversight of or have the need to provide support to:

• Tree maintenance and life cycle management

• Arena, Sports Field and Courts maintenance and management

• Playground inspection and maintenance program

• Trail inspection and maintenance program

• Beach inspection and maintenance program

• Court inspection and maintenance program

• Public space / gardening and planting program

• Parks and recreation facilities plowing and ice control program

• Indoor, outdoor ice facility maintenance and management

The Superintendent will support and develop City of Saint John employees through effective front-line leadership by:

• Monitor job site operations to ensure efficiencies and adherence with safety standards and practices

• Maintain and enhance general and specific knowledge related to the responsibilities, issues, challenges, and opportunities in the delivery of essential Parks and Recreational services.

• Model organizational values.

• Set and communicate clear performance expectations.

• Provide and promote a safe, motivating and professional work environment.

• Manage and coordinate workforce training. (Scheduling and monitoring).

• Drive efficiencies in the operation associated with performance management.

• Track the certifications of all outside workforce members. Support and provide guidance for Staff to obtain the highest certifications.

• Resolve issues sensitively, confidentially, and effectively in accordance with organizational labour relations practices.

• Manage equipment/fleet usage through AVL (audits and compliance).

• Manage the performance review process and conduct reviews and provide feedback to the workforce.

• Manage attendance within the workforce.

• Manage time and scheduling of the workforce, including vacation schedules and shift picks, and overtime response.

• Lead the execution of the Corporate Safety Program and reporting of Department achievements.

• Act as an alternate management representative on the Joint Health and Safety Program as required

• Participate in accident investigations as required

• Development of Standard Operating Procedures for approval by the Operations Manager and Director.

The Superintendent will promote the financial accountability of the service area by:

• Supervise services, projects and work orders. Emphasis on accountability, results, efficient use of resources and budget management

• Review and approve the weekly hours of work for the outside workforce.

• Review and approve the Mastercard purchase of the outside workforce.

• Measure performance, analyzing activities and reporting on results.

• Contribute to the operation budget creation; reviewing and authorizing expenditures; monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on monthly budget summaries and taking necessary action.

• Investigate Parks and Recreation related issues on City and private property to determine the cause and responsibility and actions needed to address the issue(s).

• Approve the purchase of goods and services in accordance with corporate procedures and standards.

Support capital project initiatives and Customer Service Representative in the field for Parks and Recreation by:

• Assist with the evaluation of infrastructure condition assessment and records updates of Parks and Recreation assets in the field to support the Asset Management Program.

• Identify and suggest recommendations for Parks and Recreation capital budgets.

• Further the interests of the City of Saint John by developing and maintaining strong partnerships with the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government and the New Brunswick Department of Health.

• Enhance the ability of the Parks and Recreation team to fulfill its mandate by acting as a valued member of the management group by supporting the Operations Manager of Parks and Recreation by providing insight, guidance and acting on the Operations Managers behalf on matters as appropriate.

Essential Competencies

Sound knowledge of the principles, practices and methods involved in providing Parks and Recreational services.

Ability to responsibly lead and motivate an effective workforce, in producing quality work, meeting service standards, maintaining critical infrastructure, administering, and enforcing aspects of the Parks and Recreation Policies and practices.

Ability to lead field staff in emergency situations which involves critical operating decisions.

Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with the general public, employees, and their union representatives as well as other city departments, other government agencies and representatives of business and industry in the area.

A good understanding of Occupational Health & Safety, relevant legislation, and the joint employer-employee committee process. The ability and motivation to develop and implement programs and practices to promote a safe and healthy work environment, reduce the occurrence of injuries through safe work practices, and minimize the costs associated with time lost.

The capacity to work through conflicting priorities, complex matters, anticipated and unanticipated change, tight schedules and other adverse conditions while remaining positive and constructive.

Ability to regularly review and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) and to develop SOPs where they do not currently exist.

Available to provide afterhours direction of emergency and other unplanned services as a member of the 24/7 Saint John Public Works Duty Manager Rotation.

Essential Qualifications:

Post secondary education, minimum of a 2 year diploma program completed, in sports, recreation, community services or a related field is required. An undergraduate degree in these fields is preferred.

Experience

• A minimum of 3 (three) years progressive experience in a similar supervisory role is required.

• A minimum of 2 (two) years progressive experience in an environment similar to Parks and Recreational Facilities is preferred.

• Experience working in a supervisory capacity in a unionized work environment is considered an asset.

• Bilingual candidates in both English and French will be considered an asset.

An equivalent combination of education and experience may also be considered.

This job specification seeks to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed and is not intended to reflect all duties and responsibilities of the job. In addition to the above noted duties and responsibilities, an emphasis is placed on communications, planning, people skills and utilization of applicable technologies.

The successful applicant may be eligible to participate in a Flexible Time Options Program which includes the option of working a 4 or 5-day work week, subject to business requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live and which we serve. We encourage and support applications from Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups. Candidates who belong to such groups, who are qualified, will be given preference at the time of selection.

Applications will be accepted through our online system only. Qualified applicants should submit their cover letters and resumes to:

City of Saint John
Attn: Hiring Committee
www.saintjohn.ca (employment opportunities)