Do you ever wonder how massive City events like the Canada Day Fireworks go off without a hitch? Or how Festivals are seamlessly integrated with City services and operate on City property? It's because of the one-stop-shop philosophy and behind-the-scenes work of the Festival and Events Liaison! Working in the Civic Events & Festivals section, you will act as the Liaison between various City of Edmonton Departments and community festival and event organizers to coordinate access to city property and arrange for civic services for events. Civic services can include for example: road closures, transit detours, park & ride services, Edmonton Police Services extra duty, park operations services and development permits. The Liaison will also coordinate with external agencies such as Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission and Alberta Health Services.

The Festival and Events Unit coordinates civic services for more than 600 events annually. The range of events that the Festival & Events Liaison may work on includes: runs, walks, sporting events, parades, filming shoots and festivals such as the Edmonton Street Performers Festival and the Taste of Edmonton, as well as, large scale one-time events as they emerge such as FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Liaison may also be involved in the direct delivery of civic events such as professional sport team celebrations and Canada Day and New Year's Eve Fireworks. If you enjoy being part of events that contribute to the city’s vibrancy and reputation while adding to the city’s quality of life, consider becoming a Festival and Events Liaison.

Your success will be measured by your ability to achieve timely results in the context of a respectful, inclusive and service-minded style. With a focus on the City of Edmonton’s Cultural Commitments to Safe, Helpful, Accountable, Integrated and Excellent, you will:

• Liaise with external festival and event organizations to coordinate the civic services required for events being held in city parks, squares and roads
• Lead and facilitate discussions with interdisciplinary teams to enhance collaboration and communication among partners and assist groups with the development of their event plans to ensure appropriate use of civic spaces. Distribute festival and event information to inter-departmental staff as required
• Coordinate civic services and facilitate planning meetings for the provision of these services, including determining cost estimates and arranging for billings following the event
• Communicate operational policies, procedures and guidelines that are set out by various City Departments to festival and event organizers and ensure bylaws, appropriate permits and regulations are met
• Actively contribute to and integrate into the operations of the Civic Events Implementation Team, an interdepartmental group of representatives from across the City of Edmonton, including relevant provincial bodies such as Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission and Alberta Health Services
• Develop and facilitate the execution of agreements while ensuring adherence to guidelines and regulations
• Coordinate site inspections and lead event-day interdisciplinary teams to ensure civic services are coordinated in a safe and efficient manner
• Plan, develop and implement community activities for citizens to participate in around festivals and events, to create community-focused experiences and activate places within local communities around a common theme. Examples include the Fan March and viewing parties for the FIFA Women’s World Cup
• Liaise with communications and respond to public inquiries, including developing and implementing community consultation plans and reviewing and advising on community notifications for events
• Draft reports, briefings and updates for Management and City Council
• Contribute to the development of event strategies and assist with process and procedure development as required; commitment to continual improvement
• Perform other duties and projects related to special events and festivals as required

• University graduation in Recreation Administration, Physical Education, Business Administration. A related discipline may be considered
• A minimum of 5 years experience in recreation, community service, event management or a related position, where budget, planning, problem solving, relationship management and communications have been primary functions
• Demonstrated competency in program development and provision of information
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, collaborate and communicate effectively with the public, event organizers, inter-departmental colleagues, senior management and councilors
• Excellent written and verbal skills are required
• Exemplary creative problem solving skills to achieve success for both event organizers and City departments within existing guidelines
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work independently and take ownership of a project as well as be a strong team player to fulfill section goals
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to constantly prioritize work as new information becomes available, including understanding and applying the techniques of project and event management and coordination
• Interest in a wide variety of events as work can range depending on the structure of the liaisons’ portfolio and/or new event opportunities that emerge
• Good understanding of the political environment is an asset
• Experience chairing committees and leading discussions with demonstrated accomplishment
• Ability to work occasional extended hours and evening and weekends on event days, as required
• Valid Alberta Class 5 driver's license (or provincial equivalent). Must arrange own transportation, to be reimbursed in accordance with the City of Edmonton policy. This may require business auto insurance
• Hire is dependent upon a Police Information Check satisfactory to the City of Edmonton
• Demonstrate alignment with the Cultural Commitments of Safe, Helpful, Accountable, Integrated and Excellent, fostering an environment for others to do the same. For more information on the City’s Cultural Commitments, please visit edmonton.ca/our-culture
• Demonstrate the foundational competencies, key behaviours and attributes of the City’s six leadership competencies: Courage, Inclusivity, Values-Based Influencer, Collaborative Networker, Systems Thinker and Creative Innovator. For more information on the City’s leadership competencies, please visit edmonton.ca/our-culture

The City of Edmonton is committed to inclusive, respectful and equitable workplaces that represent the communities we serve. We continuously improve our systems, policies and practices to remove barriers and ensure our employees, in all their diversity, can succeed. We value applicants with a diverse range of skills, experiences and competencies and encourage you to apply. To learn more, see the Art of Inclusion: Our Diversity and Inclusion Framework here: https://bit.ly/3hd2d95

The City of Edmonton strives to provide reasonable access and accommodations throughout the application and selection process. If you would like to request an accommodation at any stage of the process, please contact Employment@edmonton.ca.

Up to 3 permanent full time positions and up to 2 temporary full-time positions for up to 18 months in accordance with Article 18.02 of the Collective agreement

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week April to September; 33.75 hours per week October to March . Evening and weekend availability is required

The weekly hours of work for this position are currently under review and may change at a future time. Any changes will be made in accordance with the City of Edmonton/Civic Service Union 52 collective agreement and the incumbent will be notified in advance.

Salary: $38.287 - $48.068 (Hourly); $79,943.260 - $100,365.980 (Annually)

Talent Acquisition Consultant: AM/SK