Deputy Director, Arts, Culture & Heritage
/Job Title:
Deputy Director, Arts, Culture & Heritage
Organization:
City of New Westminster
Deadline:
Oct. 13, 2026
Organization Description:
As a central hub in the Metro Vancouver area, the City of New Westminster delivers a broad spectrum of urban services to over 92,000 residents. New Westminster is rich in history with a viable and thriving economy and has a population representative of the diversity of the region. The City is staffed by talented and dedicated employees who work together to achieve its strategic vision. We have earned a proud reputation for civic leadership, service delivery, and outstanding employee relations.
Website:
Job Description:
The City of New Westminster has an exciting opportunity for a dynamic, passionate, and service-focused professional to join our new Community Services department as Deputy Director, Arts, Culture, and Heritage.
Reporting to the Director, the Deputy Director position is part of the Department’s leadership team and provides senior level support and direction to managers in arts, culture, heritage and conference services, while also managing multiple divisions. The Deputy Director provides oversight and support for various Community Services projects and policies, and also provides departmental managers and staff with information, assistance, advice, and counseling necessary for achieving departmental goals and objectives. The Deputy Director works in partnership with the Director and the department’s second Deputy Director to provide clear vision and support to the department as a whole and is accountable for implementation of arts, culture, heritage, and conference services outcomes in alignment with various City strategies, plans, goals, and Council strategic priorities.
Responsibilities:
Key accountabilities:
• Provides senior leadership and support in the planning, organization, and direction of arts, culture, heritage, and conference services operations, programs, and initiatives. This is done with a strong focus on equity and Reconciliation.
• Participates in the development of Department policies, operations, procedures, and strategic plans, while also establishing divisional priorities.
• Leads the direction and delivery of arts, culture, and heritage programming across the city, including implementation of the Arts Strategy and Public Art Plans, and furthering Reconciliation. This is done in collaboration with other City departments, such as Parks & Recreation, the New Westminster Public Library, and others.
• Oversees external partnerships in arts, culture, and heritage, ensuring agreements are followed and requirements are delivered, including operating agreements for facilities such as the Massey Theatre, Centennial Lodge, and Bernie Legge Theatre. Leads the development of new partnerships across the city and within community.
• Develops and delivers work plans and utilization plans across all functions of Anvil Centre to maximize usage of Anvil Centre, working closely within and across departments, ensuring appropriate balance between community groups and revenue generating events such as weddings and conferences.
• Facilitates collaboration across the facility and City departments to establish and maintain Anvil Centre as a hub that provides a variety of community, cultural, recreational, and public programs. Ensures such programs are accessible to the community including location, timing, cost, etc.
• Leads strategic direction of, and oversees development and implementation of marketing plans and promotional campaigns for all Anvil Centre programs, services, functions and events, ensuring functions of the facility are equitably championed. Ensures the facility is positioned to identify and act upon cross marketing opportunities.
• Manages staff across multiple divisions, including scheduling, assignment and review of divisional work, coaching and development of staff, performance management, including discipline, recruitment and retention, while promoting a culture of innovation and inclusion among managers and staff.
• Prepares provisional and annual operating and capital budgets, in consultation with the Director, implements, monitors and controls expenditures to ensure adherence to the budget.
• Prepares, directs, and coordinates reports and presentations to Council, task forces, advisory committees, and a variety of other community interests and authorities.
• Attendance Council and other meetings as required.
• Fulfills the acting Director role as required.
• Performs related duties in keeping with the purpose and accountabilities of the position.
Qualifications:
Requirements for this position include:
• Completion of a university degree in Arts Administration/Management, Arts Leadership, Cultural Studies/Planning, Museum Studies, Museum and Cultural Management, or similar related and relevant field, and completion of coursework or certificates in leadership, business management, or human resources management. Master’s degree considered an asset.
• Extensive related experience in progressively senior and complex roles that demonstrates a thorough knowledge in the development and delivery of arts, culture and heritage strategies, policies, procedures, and programming along with key Community Services departmental and supervisory functions;
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
• Considerable experience in a public sector environment, including the development and oversight of project plans, and initiatives, conflict resolution, provision of excellent customer service, and exercising of sound judgement.
• Considerable knowledge of municipal governance, community development, partnership-based service delivery, and relevant legislations, bylaws, and regulations.
• Considerable experience managing cultural facilities such as arts centres, museums, including curatorial experience, and overseeing third-party operators of public art, culture, and heritage facilities such as theatres and galleries.
• Considerable experience in strategic planning, policy development, financial management, and program delivery related to arts, culture and heritage.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including extensive experience supervising, coaching, mentoring, and supporting diverse staff teams, as well as providing informal advice and guidance to external partners.
• Ability to incorporate a wide range of considerations and perspectives into strategic leadership for arts, culture, and heritage, including considerations for Reconciliation, DEIAR, community development, partnership opportunities, and economic development.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess complex information and competing priorities, and develop practical creative solutions and recommendations for senior leadership and Council.
• Extensive experience in interest holder engagement, relationship-building, facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution, with the ability to work independently, build consensus, influence, recommend, and implement change initiatives.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, directors, direct reports, local business, the public, and various other internal and external contacts.
• Well-developed planning and coordination skills to support the management of the department’s functions and integrate work with City strategic priorities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to pass and maintain a satisfactory Police Information Check.
How to Apply:
Apply by sending your cover letter and resume in one document at www.newwestcity.ca/employment by October 13, 2026
Remuneration:
$168,822 - $186,178 annually + comprehensive benefits package
