SENIOR STRATEGIC DIRECTOR

Job ID: 63099

Job Category: Operations & Maintenance

Division & Section: Parks, Forestry & Recreation

Work Location: CITY HALL, 100 Queen St W, Toronto, M5H 2N1

Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Temporary Vacancy, 12 months

Salary Range: $195,150.00-$254,800.00, PSG #TM5250, Wage Grade 11

Hiring Zone: $203,040.00-$220,138.00

Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

Number of Positions Open: 1

Posting Period: 23-Mar-2026 to 13-Apr-2026

The City of Toronto’s Parks & Recreation Division is entering an important phase of organizational stabilization, integration, and strategic renewal. Reporting to the General Manager, the Senior Director, Operations Support provides centralized leadership and management oversight to strengthen how the division plans, governs, integrates, and delivers services.

This role exists to enable the division to operate as one system. The Senior Director provides management and support services across the division; leads divisional strategy and organizational structure planning; and directs the integration of operating sections on multi‑branch initiatives that require shared priorities, coordinated execution, and consistent decision‑making.

A trusted advisor to the General Manager, the Senior Director operates with delegated authority to bring clarity and alignment across a large, decentralized, and highly visible service delivery organization. The role balances strategic leadership with hands‑on executive problem solving and thrives in complex, politically sensitive environments.

Key Areas of Leadership and Accountability

1. Divisional Strategy, Integration & Organizational Alignment

You lead the development and implementation of a clear, actionable divisional strategy that aligns service outcomes, resources, and organizational design. You oversee divisional‑wide organizational and operating model reviews to ensure roles, accountabilities, and structures support effective service delivery.

2. Centralized Management & Operational Support Services

You provide dotted line oversight of the Division’s Management Services branch.  This involves providing centralized leadership of the division’s core management and support services, including governance, planning routines, financial stewardship, workforce enablement, and operational standards. Through Management Services, you establish clear expectations, consistent practices, and disciplined operating processes that support reliable service delivery across P&R branches.  This oversight enables operational Directors to focus on service outcomes, confident that foundational management systems are functioning consistently across the division.

3. Operational Planning and Performance 

You provide dotted line oversight of the Policy and Strategic Planning branch.  In this capacity you lead and align divisional operational planning, ensuring consistency between strategic plans, operating plans, service standards, and available resources. You coordinate peak‑demand planning, emergency preparedness, and business continuity planning across branches.

You also ensure senior leadership has timely, reliable, and decision‑oriented performance and risk information. Through oversight of performance reporting, analytics, and service evaluation functions, you establish integrated KPIs, dashboards, and operational scorecards that support early issue identification and informed intervention.

By connecting data, policy intent, and operational performance, you strengthen risk management and ensure executive and Council‑facing materials are credible, consistent, and grounded in operational reality.

4. Integration of Multi‑Branch Initiatives & Change Leadership

You provide dotted line oversight of the Business & Technology Transformation branch.  As such, you act as the senior operational sponsor for service modernization, process improvement, and technology‑enabled change.

Where initiatives span multiple branches or impact frontline delivery, you provide clear direction, resolve competing priorities, and ensure work is sequenced and governed appropriately. Your leadership ensures that change initiatives are embedded into day‑to‑day operations rather than remaining siloed or project‑based.

5. Executive, Political & Corporate Interface

Working in a high‑visibility environment, you navigate political and organizational sensitivities with sound judgment and credibility. You prepare integrated operational briefings, risk assessments, and support Council‑facing materials; coordinate responses to audits, Ombudsman reviews, and corporate initiatives; and represent the division in cross‑cluster governance forums.

Through discretion, clarity, and steadiness, you build confidence among senior leadership, corporate partners, and Council.

What You Bring to the Role

1. Considerable senior leadership experience in large, complex public‑sector or multi‑site service delivery environments.
2. Demonstrated experience providing centralized management oversight, operational support services, and governance in decentralized organizations.
3. Proven ability to lead divisional strategy development, organizational reviews, and operating model or structural change.
4. Experience directing and integrating cross‑functional and multi‑branch initiatives in high‑complexity settings.
5. Strong financial stewardship skills, including oversight of operating and capital budgets, forecasting, variance management, and resource optimization.
6. Experience advancing continuous improvement, service modernization, and technology‑enabled transformation.
7. Proven ability to operate effectively in politically sensitive environments, including preparing executive briefings and Council‑facing materials.
8. Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and lead through influence, credibility, and sound judgment.
9. Post‑secondary education in a relevant field (e.g., public administration, business, operations), or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request. Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.