Chief Executive Officer

Westerner Park

nearmejobs.eu

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Since 1891, Westerner Park has been a place for Central Albertans to gather and celebrate community events. As a not-for-profit organization, registered charity, and agricultural society, we are Central Alberta’s largest tradeshow, agriculture, sports, entertainment, and convention facility. We are an integral part of our community, taking pride in the experiences, trade, and commerce we facilitate.

More than 1.5 million visitors come through our gates to celebrate over 1,500 events each year, generating $150 million annually in economic activity. We support the rural and urban connection in Central Alberta, and engage arts, culture, and connect our community.

SUMMARY

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and administration of the operations and a large volunteer base of Westerner Park. While serving and supporting the Board and mandate of the organization, the CEO’s responsibilities include overseeing financial and risk management, strategic and operational planning initiatives, business development and marketing strategy, and fostering excellent communications / corporate and community relationships. The CEO leads a dedicated skilled staff and a large and diverse community of committed volunteers, to foster a culture that provides exceptional guest experiences.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the following:

Leadership

  • Provides the vision, leadership, coaching, mentoring and performance-based structure for employees to ensure strong performance, continued improvement and development for Westerner Park
  • Develops and executes a strategy, and effectively leads the team at Westerner Park through a period of growth and changing environment of increased competition
  • Searches for opportunities by taking initiative and looking outward for innovative ways to improve
  • Fosters a positive, innovative team ensuring that leaders, staff, and volunteers work cohesively to ensure positive results

Board Support and Governance

  • Supports and works with the Board to fulfill its Policy Board Governance functions and facilitates the optimum performance by the Board, its committees, and individual Directors
  • Establishes and maintains a productive, sound relationship with the Board of Directors and appointed representatives providing all the information and support necessary
  • Monitors and evaluates progress made on organizational goals, strategies and outcomes, and reports results to the Board of Directors on an ongoing basis
  • Works with the Board Chair/Committee Chairs to focus on long-range strategic goals
  • Helps the Board implement and monitor applicable policies and procedures

Management and Administration

  • Provides general oversight of all Westerner Park activities, manages the day-to-day operations, and assures a smoothly functioning, efficient organization.
  • Fosters a work environment based on core values that recruits, retains, and supports quality staff and volunteers
  • Assures processes are implemented for selecting, developing, motivating, evaluating, and recognizing staff and volunteers
  • Develops and implements standards and controls, systems and procedures, and regular evaluation to assure program quality and organizational stability
  • Works with senior management to identify specific accountabilities for management personnel and evaluate performance on an ongoing and regular basis
  • Prepares people resource plans for current and future needs including career paths and succession plans

Financial Management and Risk Management

  • Oversees the effective, management, accountability, and stewardship of all financial resources and organizational assets
  • Develops short and long-term financial plans and budgets designed to support the strategic and operational objectives of the organization
  • Designs and tracks performance targets to measure the strategic and operational effectiveness of the Senior Management Team and overall operational success indicators
  • Oversees implementation, monitoring, and maintaining of financial and internal controls over financial reporting and maintains accountability through appropriate policies and procedures
  • Implements systems to identify and manage acceptable business risks within the limitations established by the Board of Directors.

Strategic and Operational Planning

  • Establishes a culture of leading practices and standards for all services and operations
  • Assesses, manages, executes, and builds upon the strategic plan through consultation and collaboration with the Board of Directors
  • Translates operational priorities into action and leads change
  • Develops and establishes a business plan that outlines specific financial and management objectives as required to accomplish the strategic direction and supports outcomes for the organization
  • Leads operational analysis initiatives and forecasts the resources and service levels needed to carry out organization initiatives including asset management and land use planning
  • Develops operational plans needed for maintenance plans, including replacement scheduling, of physical assets, equipment, and building infrastructure

Business Development and Marketing Strategy

  • Seeks out business development opportunities to strengthen and build current and new revenue sources and growth strategies
  • Participates actively in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donor prospects
  • Provides leadership to the development and implementation of a comprehensive customer-based, market- driven marketing strategy and plan
  • Acquires and maintains a sound knowledge of the industry within which Westerner Park operates and builds an in-depth understanding of current market conditions, trends, target markets and opportunities or threats.

Communications / Corporate and Community Relationships

  • Builds and maintains positive relationships with current and new stakeholders, partners, and funders
  • Facilitates the integration of Westerner Park into the community by using effective marketing, communication, and community relationship building activities
  • Acts as an advocate, within the public and private sectors for opportunities relevant to Westerner Park, its services, and patrons
  • Oversees the development and continued presence of a strong communications and public relations plan and keeps key stakeholders and potential customers informed of Westerner Park activities, successes, and future planning

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

Direct Reports:

  • Food and Beverage Manager
  • Senior Manager Finance
  • Marketing & Sponsorship Manager
  • Senior Manager, Entertainment
  • Senior Manager, Workforce
  • Manager, Operations & Event Delivery
  • Manager, Client & Event Services

Internal Contacts:

  • Westerner Foundation Committee Chair
  • Westerner Employee Association Representative

External Contacts:

  • City Manager – City of Red Deer
  • Red Deer Rebels
  • Red Deer County
  • Government of Alberta
  • Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Leadership:

  • Models and fosters a proactive and results orientated leadership style and is accountable for achieving results
  • Inspires people to achieve and accomplish the overall vision and strategies and delegates authority, tasks, and activities where appropriate
  • Guides, coaches, supports, and provides feedback to people with a focus on team accountability and skill development
  • Creates a culture that motivates and engages co-workers and volunteers to focus on customer service, innovation, and communication

Communication:

  • Communicates, shares information, and listens effectively, with a respectful, open and straightforward style with all audiences and stakeholders
  • Responds to media and public inquiries effectively and diplomatically
  • Demonstrates strong written skills, gets written ideas across concisely and effectively
  • Demonstrates verbal communication skills and presentation abilities, speaks convincingly, decisively, communicating confidence

Financial Management:

  • Develops and understand budgets and manages variances for financial stability
  • Develops short- and long-term funding strategies based on analysis and financial indicators
  • Demonstrates skills in evaluating financial performance and operational impacts and makes decisions based on the results
  • Identifies and uses frameworks and models for financial management, analysis, and accountability

Negotiating and Influencing:

  • Establishes and clearly communicates outcomes required and moves towards an acceptable resolution and agreement
  • Actively listens and questions for understanding
  • Develops and maintains healthy relationships and gains trust
  • Manages and explores creative options and solutions for mutual gains of each party

Teamwork and Interpersonal Relationships:

  • Demonstrates strong interpersonal, collaboration, team building and conflict management skills to promote individual and team effectiveness
  • Develops and maintains positive and productive relationships and partnerships
  • Accepts feedback on areas of development and improvement and provides feedback and coaching to others
  • Gives honest and constructive feedback to other team members

Initiative:

  • Demonstrates enthusiasm and self-motivation to identify new initiatives and achieve results
  • Takes responsibility for continuously developing own skills and abilities
  • Originates actions and creates opportunities to improve organizational performance
  • Identifies and implements creative ideas and leading practices

Customer Service Focused:

  • Demonstrates sensitivity / responsiveness to the needs and concerns of clients, customers, and volunteers
  • Anticipates and works to solve customer problems quickly and effectively
  • Talks to customers (internal or external) to find out what they want and how satisfied they are with what they are getting.
  • Finds ways to measure and track customer satisfaction and seeks opportunities to improve service and quality

Adaptability and Change Management:

  • Works effectively in a variety of situations, and with various individuals or groups.
  • Understands and appreciates different and sometimes opposing perspectives on an issue, and adapts approach to the changes at hand, and easily accepting and making such changes
  • Plans for, respond to, and manage changes in the way things are done to get better and improve
  • Energizes and leads groups to the need for change, taking responsibility to champion the change, while building and maintaining support and commitment.

Decision Making, Judgement and Problem Solving:

  • Assesses options and implications to identify problems and solutions demonstrating critical thinking skills
  • Makes decisions and provides direction on complex and emerging issues that may have political, community, or administrative implications
  • Develops and uses decision making processes and makes decisions in a timely manner
  • Provides direction on complex and emerging issues that may have political, community, or administrative implications

Strategic Planning:

  • Seeks and recognizes emerging opportunities and adjusts to changing environment, schedules, and priorities accordingly
  • Formulates and articulates a detailed vision for the organization and communicates expectations
  • Looks at the “big picture” while still ensuring details are met
  • Develops performance measures needed to evaluate the overall effectiveness of planning initiatives

Accountability and Organizing Skills:

  • Plans and organizes the work around defined responsibilities to meet goals and successfully complete objectives
  • Identifies and concentrates on priorities, ensuring that important critical activities are completed and coordinates activities and projects for both self and others
  • Maintains trust and dependability to be accountable for key responsibilities and actions
  • Scopes out length and difficulty of tasks/projects, set goals and objectives accordingly and attend to a broad range of activities at the same time

QUALIFICATION AND REQUIREMENTS

Education:

  • Post-secondary degree in related field, equivalencies will be considered

Experience:

  • Several years of experience in a leadership role for a large complex service-oriented organization with a large staff and volunteer complement
  • Experience and success at the President and CEO level would be a definite asset
  • Experience in venue management, facilities management, or the entertainment industry (including major events management) would be an asset
  • Understanding of the role and experience working with a volunteer Board committed to developing its governance practices would be an asset
  • Understanding of the not-for-profit, charitable, and agriculture sector would be an asset

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

  • Company events
  • Dental care
  • Disability insurance
  • Discounted or free food
  • Employee assistance program
  • Extended health care
  • Life insurance
  • On-site parking
  • Paid time off
  • RRSP match
  • Vision care
  • Wellness program

Schedule:

  • Monday to Friday
  • Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

  • Red Deer, AB: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree (preferred)

Experience:

  • Leadership: 5 years (preferred)
  • Board of Directors support: 5 years (preferred)

Work Location: One location

Application deadline: 2023-02-03

Apply Now
To help us track our recruitment effort, please indicate in your cover/motivation letter where (nearmejobs.eu) you saw this job posting.

Job Location