City of Surrey

The City’s Cultural Services Division is looking for a collaborative and detail-oriented Cultural Planner to help the City achieve its vision to be a thriving, green, inclusive City. Reporting to the Manager of Culture, the Cultural Planner is part of the Culture Division’s leadership team, and will be integral in developing cultural plans, strategies, and initiatives to support the development of cultural infrastructure and experiences that build social capital for a resilient, sustainable, compassionate, and creative community of diverse residents.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Union - CUPE Local 402 – Regular Full-Time

RESPONSIBILITIES

As the Cultural Planner you will:

• Lead research and planning projects, and support implementation of a wide range of short and long-range cultural planning initiatives.  
• Work in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, including: community, land-use and parks planners, and subject matter experts in arts, heritage and economic development;
• Prepare cultural content for Neighbourhood and Town Centre Plans and other community and park plans;
• Facilitate staff, public and community group consultation meetings, workshops and various planning sessions.
• Write reports and present findings to stakeholders, senior management, committees. and elected officials.
• Establish metrics for measuring Surrey’s cultural vitality
• Maintain relevant data sets, including asset maps of cultural resources (presentation and performance venues, cultural workers, businesses etc.).
•  Advise on and direct implementation of plans and proposals, working drawings, schematic sketches, specifications, contracts and manage those consultants and contracts.
• Develops contracts and supervises consultant contracts;
• Maintain a working relationship with external experts, agencies and stakeholders that provide data and best practice cultural planning information and advice.
• Supervise and manage the work of contractors and junior staff.  

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate shares the City’s values of Community, Innovation, Integrity, Service and Teamwork, and wants to be part of a dynamic team working to build a vibrant city. The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

•  A post graduate degree in Urban Planning, Architecture or Landscape Architecture or related discipline.
• Minimum two years of relevant experience engaged in cultural planning work.
• Valid BC Driver’s License.
• Membership in the Planning Institute of British Columbia, Architectural Institute of BC, or BC Society of Landscape Architects is desirable.

 The successful candidate will also have:

•  Knowledge of contemporary visual and/or performing arts practices, including public art and placemaking.
• Knowledge of heritage and cultural planning practice, principles and theory.
• Experience with planning and facilitating community engagement processes (open houses, community workshops, digital engagement).
• Experience planning and implementing capital projects (public art, placemaking, facilities).
• Experience working with urban planning data sets.
• Actively demonstrates initiative and good judgment, and comfortable working independently. 
• Strong interpersonal skills for working with diverse community members, as well as public speaking for presentations.
• The ability to work effectively with a diverse team of contract, union and exempt staff.
• Advanced communication skills both written and verbal. 
• Experience working within a municipal government environment will be an asset.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• This position requires completion of a Police Information Check with a Vulnerable Sector check.
• Successful applicants must provide proof of qualifications.

APPLY

 If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply at https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey/jobs-careers to Job ID 4807.

This job will be posted on the City of Surrey's website until October 2, 2022.