The Organization The City of Leduc is one of Alberta’s fastest-growing municipalities. Located at a major transportation hub connecting the QEII Highway, Canadian Pacific Railway and Edmonton International Airport, Leduc benefits from strong activity in industrial development, logistics, large-format retail, and the oil and gas sector. Home to over 40,000 residents, the City plays an important role within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region and offers a strong quality of life for its young and growing population.

A diverse workforce of approximately 600 employees delivers a broad range of municipal programs and services, from frontline operations and emergency services to engineering, finance, recreation and community development. Guided by its mission, People. Building. Community., and the values of Teamwork, Service, Respect and Leadership, the City is focused on responsible growth, service excellence and building a resilient, people-centred organization.

Community & Social Development is central to the City’s commitment to building a connected, vibrant and resilient community. As Leduc continues to grow and evolve, the City is bringing together community development, social development, arts, culture and heritage to strengthen relationships, build community capacity and respond to changing needs. Through collaboration with residents, organizations and interest holders, the team helps shape an inclusive community where people feel connected, supported and able to contribute meaningfully.

Mandate

Reporting to the Director, Community & Social Development, the Manager, Community Development provides strategic and operational leadership for the City’s community development portfolio, including the following portfolios: capacity building services, theatre services, and events, arts, culture and heritage; as well as the planning of indoor and outdoor spaces that support an active, creative, and engaged community.

The Manager, Community Development is responsible for long-term planning, governance, service delivery, financial stewardship, organizational leadership, and fostering collaborative relationships that strengthen community wellbeing and support Council’s strategic priorities and corporate business plans. Through the leadership of specialized service-area Leads, and in partnership with the Manager, Social Development, this position helps ensure the business unit’s services remain responsive, sustainable, and positioned to meet the needs of a growing community.

Key Accountabilities

People & Operational Excellence

- Lead and develop the extended leadership team (Leads), Coordinators and support staff.
- Create clarity and set priorities across portfolios; allocate work and resources effectively.
- Coach staff and manage performance; responsible for all staffing and performance functions of the portfolio.
- Support training, development and succession planning.
- Remove barriers between and among teams; build a collaborative culture with shared outcomes.
- Ensure consistent service delivery and drive operational improvements.
- Maximize subject matter experts; build wraparound teams across the department to improve services and team resiliency.
- Ensure compliance with safety standards, guidelines, and legislation.
- Work with the management team to administer the collective agreement for unionized staff (IATSE), including day-to-day administration and performance management processes.
- Provide strategic advice and communication to the Director,



Community & Social Development on initiatives and strategic direction for this portfolio, and its impacts across the business unit and City.

Community Development

- Develop and advance the long-term vision, strategies, master plans and service levels for the Community Development portfolio.
- Lead community development initiatives spanning physical and social infrastructure, volunteer and nonprofit capacity, community wellness and resiliency, events, arts, culture and heritage, including the Grants to Organizations program, Dr. Woods’ House Museum and Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts.
- Identify emerging community needs and opportunities for parks, trails, recreation, arts and cultural facilities, community spaces and social infrastructure that strengthen quality of life, equity and belonging.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with community organizations and partners, negotiate major partnership and service agreements, and represent the City on significant community initiatives.
- Lead community engagement and consultation and use research, demographics, best practices and community insights to inform capital projects, service reviews and new or enhanced programs and services.
- Support current, growing and marginalized communities in navigating municipal processes and building capacity, connection and belonging through an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach.

Financial & Resource Allocation and Stewardship

- Prepare and maintain an operating budget of approximately $2.5M; identify trends, meet reporting requirements and manage variances.
- Prepare and maintain a capital budget of approximately $9M; manage projects (on time, on budget, on scope), meet reporting requirements and manage variances.
- Establish and monitor business planning for the portfolio and with the department.
- Allocate resources (financial, people, assets) in a responsible and accountable manner, working collaboratively to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Provide oversight on procurement matters.
- Ensure financial compliance and accountability across the portfolio.
- Explore and implement revenue-generating opportunities (grants/sponsors/etc.) and ensure reporting compliance.
- Monitor service performance and resource utilization.
- Manage service agreements related to the assigned portfolio.

Governance, Partnerships & Council Relations

- Provide strategic advice and recommendations to the Director, Executive Team and Council, including preparing reports, developing policy and leading politically sensitive or high-profile initiatives.
- Lead governance and liaison activities for assigned Council Advisory Boards, including the Parks, Recreation & Culture (PRC) Board, while supporting coordination with related boards and committees such as Leduc Environmental Advisory Board (LEAB), Family & Community Support Services (FCSS) and the Leduc Municipal Library Board.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships across the organization, community, region, other orders of government and Indigenous Nations, representing the City in regional leadership initiatives that advance community wellness.




- Champion continuous improvement, organizational change and cross-departmental collaboration, while monitoring program statistics, outcomes and success measures to support the department’s overall framework.
- Support the City’s emergency management and Emergency Social Services (ESS) responsibilities, including assuming a leadership role such as ESS Coordinator during an activation.

Candidate Profile The successful candidate will have the following:

Education:

- Post-secondary degree in Community Development, Recreation Administration, Human Services, Social Sciences, Cultural Development, Arts, History, Heritage, Business, Public Administration or related field; equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Experience:

- Minimum 5 years’ experience leading, directing, and supervising a similar or related portfolio.
- Experience with financial processes, including setting and managing budgets.
- Experience leading projects and working with multi-disciplinary project teams (i.e. engineering, operations, planning and development, communications, finance, agency partners, etc.)
- Experience and success in employee performance management and teambuilding.
- Very strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience providing support to new, forming, expanding, or marginalized groups within the community to help them navigate municipal processes and maximize belonging.
- Knowledge of government legislation in occupational health and safety, and other requirements as it relates to the operation of facilities and delivery of programs and services that are accessed by the public.
- Experience leading employees within a (partially) unionized environment is an asset.
- Experience in a municipal environment is an asset.

Competencies and Attributes:

- A clear and confident people leader who builds trust, creates alignment and provides direction through change.
- A strategic and outcomes-focused thinker who can translate a broad, multifaceted portfolio into clear priorities and measurable results.
- An engaging communicator and relationship builder who can bring people along and work effectively with Council, community partners, residents and internal teams.
- Politically astute and diplomatic, with sound judgement when navigating sensitive community issues and competing interests.
- Collaborative and solutions-oriented, with the ability to work across organizational boundaries and find practical ways to move initiatives forward.
- Community-minded and inclusive, with a capacity-building approach that strengthens organizations, volunteers and communities rather than simply delivering services for them.
- Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to manage ambiguity, pressure and the demands of a growing and changing community.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion The City of Leduc is committed to diversity, inclusion and belonging and recognizes that a diverse team benefits and is essential to service excellence. The City of Leduc welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. In accordance with provincial legislation, accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and assessment process.

Application Instructions

If this opportunity excites you, please send an application package, including your resume and cover letter, to [email protected]. In the subject line of your email, please include the organization’s name and the position title.

📌 Manager, Community Development (Leduc)
🏢 City of Leduc
📍 Leduc