Assistant Director, Arts and Culture

City of Vancouver; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 121,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Vancouver seeks an Assistant Director for Arts and Culture to lead strategic initiatives and manage departmental operations. This senior position involves collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance the city's arts and culture priorities, ensuring equitable access and fostering a high-performance workplace.

Qualifications

• Minimum of ten years of related experience with at least five years in senior management.
• Experience managing in a unionized environment is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Oversees strategic and operational aspects of the Arts and Culture Department.
• Leads the development and implementation of public policy and programs.
• Coordinates recruitment, retention, and promotion efforts for unionized staff.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Planning

Communication

Collaboration

Problem-Solving

Education

Masters’ in Art, Public Policy, Business Administration

Job description

Requisition ID:43783

Organization

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and engaging workplace. Working at the City of Vancouver and within the public service can be a rewarding career where you play a key role in ensuring impartial and equitable access to services, upholding ethical governance, and addressing the needs of citizens with integrity and dedication.

Main Purpose and Function
The Assistant Director, Arts and Culture (AD) is a senior member of the Arts and Culture leadership team, reporting to the Managing Director, Arts and Culture (MD). The AD plays a key management role across all strategic, operational, financial, and corporate functions of the department. This includes leading complex, department-wide policies, projects, and initiatives that advance the City’s arts and culture priorities, programs, and services.

The AD represents the department in cross-City initiatives, providing strategic input on policies and plans led by other City teams, senior government, and external stakeholders.

The AD oversees strategic planning and operational delivery for at least two Arts and Culture staff teams, which may evolve over time and include areas such as Public Art, Cultural Spaces, Grants, Cultural Redress, Emerging Priorities and Projects, or others as assigned by the MD.

In support of the MD, the AD provides leadership across the department in areas including corporate budgeting, annual workplanning, strategy development, progress reporting, policy implementation, internal process improvement, recruitment, and oversight of financial and HR processes. The role supports efficient, sustainable operations and fosters an equitable, high-performance workplace culture that values diverse lived experiences and aligns with the City’s strategic priorities—such as reconciliation, equity, Culture|Shift, the Vancouver UNDRIP Action Plan, and the City’s Equity Framework.

This position directly supervises at least two Arts and Culture teams, provides coaching across the department, and liaises with media, the public, and elected officials. As a senior leader, the AD collaborates with a diverse group of unionized staff, senior professionals, and executives across the City. The role frequently leads resolution of complex, cross-team issues and works with colleagues across ACCS and departments such as: Strategy and Project Support Office; Planning, Development and Sustainability; Vancouver Park Board; Engineering Services; Real Estate and Facilities Management; Finance; Human Resources; Communications; Indigenous Relations; and the Equity Office.

The AD also regularly liaises with external organizations and agencies, including Council and Department Advisory Committees, all levels of government, non-profits, foundations, community consultants, and other key stakeholders to develop and implement shared arts and culture policies and priorities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports the MD in overseeing all strategic and operational aspects of the Arts and Culture Department, including the development and implementation of department-wide strategic plans, annual workplans, project plans, and performance monitoring aligned with Council direction, Culture|Shift, the UNDRIP Action Plan, the Equity Framework, and other corporate priorities.
• Leads the development and implementation of public policy and programs such as Culture|Shift, Making Space for Arts and Culture, the Vancouver Music Strategy, and cultural redress initiatives.
• Oversees corporate reporting requirements, including budgets, service and corporate plan goals, performance measures, reconciliation and equity strategies, process improvement, emergency and business continuity planning, risk management, labour relations, and occupational health and safety.
• Assists the MD in establishing and administering capital and operating budgets, ensuring cost efficiency, value for investment, risk management, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Provides strategic leadership to Arts and Culture Team Leads to optimize operations, evaluate and improve internal processes, analyze data, and support informed decision-making and succession planning.
• Leads and manages at least two unionized Arts and Culture teams, including full HR oversight: work planning, hiring, coaching, performance management, discipline, professional development, and fostering healthy, equitable, and accountable team culture.
• Coordinates recruitment, retention, and promotion efforts for unionized staff across the department, with a strong focus on equity, inclusion, and fair hiring practices.
• Leads department-wide training and development initiatives, supporting reconciliation and equity in learning, capacity building, and performance development.
• Provides oversight for staff and contractor management, ensuring compliance with City policies, legal templates, service level agreements, and performance standards.
• Oversees asset management, insurance, and health and safety compliance for Arts and Culture-operated facilities and assets, including leased vehicles and the public art warehouse.
• Represents the MD and/or the department at Board and Committee meetings, City Council, City Leadership Team, and ACCS Senior Leadership Team. Prepares and delivers presentations, engages in cross-departmental collaboration, and manages sensitive community engagement issues.
• Acts as a spokesperson and representative for the department and City with local and national media, in public forums, and on internal and external committees, fostering cross-sectoral partnerships across the public, nonprofit, community-based, and private sectors.
• Responds to Council, public, media, and leadership enquiries, and supports the MD and General Manager in addressing emerging issues, and preparing formal written reports and policy advice as required.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• University graduation with Masters’ in Art, Public Policy, Business Administration or similar preferred plus extensive relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience. (A minimum of ten (10) years of related experience with at least five (5) years in senior management preferred.)
• Experience managing in a unionized environment is an asset
• Relevant experience working with or in the arts and culture sector, non-profit sector and/or public sector (e.g., municipal, federal or provincial government) preferred.
• Experience with increasing responsibility for complex budgets, business strategy and/or project and business planning with demonstrated experience leading and managing staff and resolving complex issues.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of how arts and culture policies, programs, and priorities intersect with municipal responsibilities, and how they integrate across different areas of city governance.
• Ability to synthesize complex and nuanced information, prioritize and balance the diverse interests of communities and partners, and apply ethics of care to advance work in relational, respectful, and effective ways.
• Ability to apply principles of reconciliation and Indigenous rights to diverse projects, including demonstrated experience working with local Nations — xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) — on matters that advance their rights and interests, as well as engaging with urban Indigenous communities.
• Experience leading public policy development and implementation in areas such as equity, anti-racism, cultural redress, accessibility, and other equity-based fields. This includes experience with community-based approaches and supporting staff with lived experience to lead and sustain their work.
• Strong leadership and management skills, including the ability to lead diverse, high-performing teams through equity-oriented decision-making, strategic planning, prioritization under pressure, delegation, mentoring, feedback, and conflict resolution.
• Proven ability to foster psychologically safe, feedback-rich workplaces, including de-escalation in polarizing conflicts and skillful engagement with internal teams, external professionals, and the general public.
• High degree of professionalism, confidentiality, and ethics, with experience in both strategic and operational planning—ideally within a municipal or public-sector context.
• Experience navigating political environments and a strong understanding of the role of public service, including the ability to remain impartial and non-partisan.
• Ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively; demonstrates innovation, adaptability, and sound judgment in dynamic environments.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, with proficiency in office productivity tools and technology.
• Experience in financial planning, capital and operating budget management, and understanding of controls, policies, and capital project processes.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with City Council, committees, advisory boards, various levels of government, non-profits, and other community partners, and to represent the City and the Arts and Culture Department tactfully in a variety of settings.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work a hybrid work week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department:Arts, Culture and Community Services (1200)

Affiliation:Senior Exempt

Employment Type:Regular Full Time

Position Start Date:July, 2025

Salary Information: Pay Grade RNG-111: $121960to $160467per annum

Application Close: June 1, 2025

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve . Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all gendersand persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more aboutour commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Before you click Apply now

Once you start your application you can save your work and leave the applications page, however please remember to submit your profile to the specific job requisition before the posting closing date.

In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.