Supervisor, Festivals, Events and Filming Job Listing at City of Edmonton in Edmonton, AB (Job ID 55564)

Description

Reporting to the Director of Civic Events, Arts & Culture, the Supervisor, Festivals, Events & Filming provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the cross-departmental delivery of civic services to over 750 annual events, ranging from high-impact local festivals that drive economic growth, to major sporting competitions to film productions, community gatherings  and public demonstrations. Operating in a highly visible and complex environment, you will direct a team of seven permanent staff, oversee a $3.2 million expense and $1.1 million revenue portfolio, and chair key alignment bodies like the Civic Events Implementation Team (CEIT) and the Festival & Event Safety & Security Team (FESST). As a vital link between corporate strategy and public spaces, you will navigate multifaceted, politically sensitive issues lacking clear precedence—such as complex multi-day cultural activations, and  high-profile sports playoff celebrations—while strategically mitigating cumulative impacts like noise and access restrictions on local residents and Business Improvement Areas.

In this dynamic role, you will broker critical partnerships among internal departments, local and touring event producers, and business associations to ensure efficient, coordinated, and responsive civic services that align with municipal outcomes. You will provide critical operational input for high-profile bids to secure future Mega, Major, and Signature events, while directly overseeing onsite operations, emergency response frameworks, and civic command posts based on industry best practices. Ultimately, this position requires exceptional negotiation skills and strong political acumen to keep Senior Leadership and Council informed. By championing grassroots local festivals alongside major external productions, this role ensures public activations seamlessly protect, preserve, and elevate Edmonton's reputation as a cultural incubator and a premier, world-class host city.

What will you do?

• Oversee the integrated delivery of responsive civic services for over 750 annual festivals, sporting events, community gatherings  and film productions by cultivating strong working relationships across multiple city operations and external agencies
• Chair the Civic Events Implementation Team (CEIT) and the Festival and Events Safety & Security Team (FESST) to align more than 30 internal and external service providers on operational logistics, risk assessments, and event criteria
• Direct the development of emergency preparedness plans and risk frameworks, leading and coordinating the site-level civic command posts for Major, Signature, and Foundational events based on industry best practices
• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of seven permanent staff, managing the full lifecycle of recruitment, onboarding, clear performance standard setting, goal alignment, and formal disciplinary or termination processes
• Manage a $3.2 million expense and $1.1 million revenue budget, driving accurate forecasting and year-end reconciliation while spearheading the centralized, corporate-wide consolidated invoicing process for external event producers
• Drive the ongoing implementation and formal review of the council-approved Festivals & Events Delivery Action Plan, ensuring municipal operations adapt to industry best practices and evolving corporate goals
• Negotiate and manage complex festival licenses, subsidies, and funding support agreements with external producers, Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), and strategic partners like the Edmonton Arts Council and Explore Edmonton
• Resolve highly complex, unprecedented, and politically sensitive issues—such as complex multi-day cultural activations or event site relocations—while authoring precise Council reports to ensure senior leadership remains informed
• Provide operational expertise and technical insight into the city's 10-year capital priorities, participating in the planning, design, and land-use policy development for parks and public open spaces
• Champion corporate occupational health and safety standards by executing regular inspections, incident tracking via the Safety Data Management System (SDMS), and ensuring operational conformance to ENVISO environmental management expectations

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, Leadership, Recreation Administration, Physical Education, Planning, Earth Sciences, or other related disciplines. A graduate degree is an asset
• Minimum of 5 years supervisory/management experience in program and service delivery, policy and program development, recreation administration, festival and event delivery

Assets:

• ICS 300 - Incident Command System Certification

Skills required for success:

• Strategic Leadership & Planning: Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, project management, and leading senior managers through complex, large-scale processes
• Operations & Financial Management: Strong proficiency in staff supervision, facility management, capital budgeting, asset management, and complex financial oversight
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Expertise in building effective working relationships across corporate levels and with external partners, complemented by strong consultation, consensus-building, and negotiation skills
• Problem-Solving & Political Acumen: Proven capability to handle politically sensitive issues, make accurate and timely decisions, and apply problem-solving skills in high-stakes environments
• Alignment to our Cultural Commitments and Leadership Competencies (https://bit.ly/4brRrXm)
• Embracing a culture of equity, diversity, reconciliation and inclusion
• Applicants may be tested

Conditions of employment & work environment:

• Up to: 1 permanent full-time position
• Hours of work: 36.9 hours per week
• Salary: $108,838.80 - $136,046.09 (Annually)
• This position is eligible for the EDO program (Earned Day Off)
• Valid Alberta Class 5 driver's licence (or provincial equivalent)
• Applicants will be required to arrange their own transportation and, where appropriate, will be reimbursed in accordance with City of Edmonton policy. This may require the applicant to obtain business use auto insurance
• Hire is dependent upon a Police Information Check satisfactory to the City of Edmonton
• Management and Out-of-Scope positions at the City of Edmonton are being reviewed for possible inclusion in the Civic Service Union 52 bargaining unit. If this position is impacted, the incumbent will be notified accordingly

The City of Edmonton values applicants with a diverse range of skills, experiences and competencies, and encourages you to apply. We strive to provide reasonable access and accommodations throughout the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact employment@edmonton.ca. Learn more about our benefits https://bit.ly/COEbenefits.

Talent sourced through this process may be considered for similar opportunities within the City of Edmonton.

Recruitment Consultant: AS/SB

Edmonton rests in the heart of Treaty Six territory in Alberta and the homelands of the Metis Nation.

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Classification Title: Dir - Rec/Sports/Fitness
Posting Date: Jul 09, 2026
Closing Date: Jul 30, 2026 11:59:00 PM (MDT)
Number of Openings (up to): 1 - Permanent Full-time
Union: Management
Department: Community Services
Work Location(s): 19th Floor Edmonton Tower, 10111 104 Avenue Edmonton T5J 0J4

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