Manager, Active Living and Community Programs

Manager, Active Living and Community Programs

Organization: York University
Location: Toronto, ON (Keele and Markham Campuses)
Position Type: Management

Position Overview

Reporting to the Associate Director, Recreation and Active Living, the Manager, Active Living and Community Programs provides managerial, strategic, and operational leadership for active living, fitness, aquatics, youth, and community-based recreation programs at York University.

The position focuses on promoting health, well-being, lifelong physical activity, and community engagement through innovative, inclusive, and accessible programming.

The successful candidate will oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a broad portfolio of recreation programs and services, including fitness centre operations, group fitness, aquatics, instructional and certification courses, youth camps, facility rentals, and community recreation initiatives.

The role also supports high-performance youth camps and clinics while advancing participation, engagement, and community wellness objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Active Living and Fitness Programs

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for fitness centre operations and active living programs.

• Oversee the planning, delivery, and evaluation of group fitness programs and instructional activities.

• Develop accessible and inclusive physical activity opportunities that promote health and lifelong participation.

• Ensure fitness programs and services meet participant needs, operational standards, and institutional objectives.

Aquatics and Instructional Programming

• Oversee aquatics programs, services, and instructional opportunities.

• Support the delivery of certification courses and specialized recreation instruction.

• Ensure compliance with applicable safety standards, risk management practices, and operational requirements.

• Evaluate programming to maintain service quality and identify opportunities for improvement.

Youth Camps and Community Recreation

• Lead the development and delivery of youth camps, recreation programs, and community-based initiatives.

• Support high-performance youth camps and clinics.

• Oversee facility rentals and community recreation opportunities.

• Strengthen community relationships through accessible programming and partnerships.

• Promote positive participant experiences, engagement, and well-being.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Provide strategic direction and operational management across active living and community recreation services.

• Lead program planning, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement.

• Support financial planning, budgeting, revenue generation, and cost recovery initiatives.

• Use participation data and program evaluations to inform strategic decisions and resource allocation.

• Ensure programming aligns with university policies, accessibility standards, and organizational priorities.

Staff Leadership and Risk Management

• Provide leadership, coaching, supervision, and professional development for program staff.

• Support employee relations, performance management, and workforce planning.

• Maintain effective risk management, health and safety, and emergency response practices.

• Build collaborative relationships with campus departments, community partners, and service providers.

Work Environment

The position involves working across office, fitness, aquatics, recreation facility, and camp environments.

Periodic evening and weekend work is required to support programs, events, operational needs, and incident response. Occasional travel between York University's Keele and Markham campuses is also required.

Compensation

York University's CPM Compensation Framework includes a salary grid consisting of six or eight steps, depending on the job grade.

The framework is reviewed annually and may include salary grid adjustments, performance-based progression for eligible permanent employees, and lump-sum Performance Based Recognition Awards.

Additional information is available through York University's CPM Compensation Program.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, such as Kinesiology, Education, or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum four years of related experience in recreation programming.

• Minimum two years of management or supervisory experience.

Required Knowledge

Recreation and Program Administration

• Knowledge of recreation administration, active living, fitness, aquatics, youth programming, camps, certifications, and community recreation programming.

• Understanding of health promotion, physical activity, well-being, and participant development principles.

• Knowledge of program planning, service delivery, and operational practices across recreation environments.

Health, Safety and Risk Management

• Knowledge of industry standards, risk management practices, and applicable legislation governing recreation, aquatics, camps, youth programs, and fitness operations.

• Understanding of operational safety requirements and appropriate risk management procedures.

Leadership and Organizational Management

• Knowledge of leadership principles, employee relations, performance management, and workforce planning.

• Understanding of applicable university policies, procedures, collective agreements, and governance structures.

Financial Management

• Knowledge of budgeting principles, financial planning, revenue generation, cost recovery models, and responsible resource stewardship.

Equity and Accessibility

• Knowledge of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility principles as they relate to recreation programming and service delivery.

Required Skills and Competencies

Leadership and People Management

• Effective leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.

• Ability to guide teams, support staff performance, and foster a collaborative working environment.

• Strong change management and continuous improvement capabilities.

Planning and Organization

• Effective planning, organizational, and project management skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic operational environment.

• Strong resource management and operational coordination skills.

Communication and Relationship Building

• Effective verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.

• Strong relationship-building and partnership-development abilities.

• Effective conflict resolution, negotiation, and issue-management skills.

Analytical and Financial Skills

• Effective analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Ability to interpret data and assessment results to support strategic planning and program improvement.

• Strong budget planning, resource management, and financial analysis skills.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

York University welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including women, persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, Indigenous Peoples, and persons of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

The University is committed to fostering a positive, supportive, inclusive, and accessible environment.

York University also promotes environmental and social responsibility, encouraging sustainable practices and collaborative efforts to reduce its ecological impact.