Recreation jobs in Canada

Full-time/Part-time:Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year)

Campus:All locations

Reports to:VP, Student Affairs

Employee Group:Management

Application Deadline:February 19, 2026

Requisition ID:10535

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With acommitment to Indigenizationandcommitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, aflexible work policyand employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier’s Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict. Laurier’s Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

This job posting is for a current vacancy.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice-President, Student Affairs, the Director of Athletics and Recreation provide strategic leadership and oversight for Athletics and Recreation, with responsibility for the development, administration, promotion, assessment, and long-term viability of varsity teams, recreation programs, facilities and capital projects, business operations, revenue generation, and community and alumni partnerships. The incumbent leads the implementation of institutional priorities through the delivery of high-quality, inclusive athletics, recreation, wellness, and physical activity opportunities that enhance the student experience, contribute to a healthy campus community, and support the Waterloo Region through sport hosting and community rentals.

The role provides sound administrative, financial, and policy oversight, ensuring that programs, services, and operations align with the University’s strategic plan and uphold best practices in governance, risk management, and service delivery. Working collaboratively across student service portfolios, the incumbent builds and sustains strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including community partners, alumni, donors, sponsors, and sport governing bodies.

As the University’s senior representative for athletics- and sport-related initiatives, the incumbent serves as an ambassador for the institution at the regional, provincial, and national levels. The position plays a key role in the public relations, risk mitigation, and upholding institutional reputation through external stewardship, fundraising, sponsorship development, and vendor and contract negotiations, while ensuring that athletics and recreation programs proactively support the diverse sport, fitness, health, and wellbeing needs of students, staff, and the broader community.

This is a multicampus role including the operation and management of the co-owned Laurier Brantford YMCA. Laurier Brantford Athletics and Recreation include OCAA varsity programs, OCR recreational program, and student recreational opportunities.

• Provides senior leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of multi-year strategic plans for Athletics & Recreation.
• Aligns departmental strategy with institutional mission, values, student experience priorities, and academic objectives.
• Leads organizational change initiatives to modernize programs, services, systems, and structures.
• Establishes long-term vision and priorities that guide decision-making across athletics, recreation, wellness, and facilities.
• Uses data, environmental scans, and trend analysis to inform strategic direction and resource allocation.
• Leads comprehensive program or departmental reviews to assess relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability.
• Translates institutional strategic plans into operational goals, performance indicators, and action plans.
• Participates as a member of senior leadership tables contributing to broader university planning and governance.
• Leads strategic planning related to the launch or expansion of new campuses or facilities.
• Integrates co-curricular programming with academic learning outcomes and research priorities across multiple faculties with department units.
• Oversee the planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of varsity athletics, recreation, fitness, wellness, intramural, and community-based programs.
• Ensure programs support a high-quality, inclusive, and accessible student experience.
• Provides leadership for student-athlete experience including recruitment, eligibility, conduct, academic support, and wellbeing.
• Establishes and monitors program quality standards, learning outcomes, and participation metrics.
• Ensures compliance with provincial and national sport governing bodies (e.g., OUA, U SPORTS).
• Oversees student leadership models provide employment, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Leads assessment processes (surveys, focus groups, participation data) to adapt programming to evolving student needs.
• Develop programs that support physical health, mental wellbeing, belonging, and community engagement.
• Oversee specialized services such as sport medicine clinics, high-performance training centres, or youth sport programs.
• Integrates athletics and recreation programming into institutional wellbeing or student success frameworks.
• Provides full financial oversight for Athletics & Recreation operating and capital budgets.
• Develops and manages multi-year financial plans to ensure sustainability of programs and facilities.
• Monitors revenues and expenditures, identifies financial risks, and implements corrective actions as required.
• Ensures responsible stewardship of student fees, ancillary revenues, and institutional funding.
• Develops and implements revenue-generating strategies including memberships, rentals, events, camps, and programs.
• Leads or supports fundraising, sponsorship, and donor engagement initiatives in collaboration with Advancement.
• Oversees procurement processes, contracts, and vendor relationships.
• Manages self-funded or quasi-ancillary business models requiring revenue targets to offset operating costs.
• Oversees capital reserves are associated with athletic facilities and renewals.
• Develop student fee models and negotiate fee changes with student governance bodies.

• Provides senior leadership to a large, diverse workforce including professional staff, unionized employees, coaches, and student staff.
• Establishes departmental culture grounded in inclusion, equity, accountability, and excellence.
• Leads recruitment, performance management, professional development, and succession planning.
• Ensures compliance with collective agreements, HR policies, and employment legislation.
• Addresses complex employee relations matters including discipline, grievances, and conflict resolution.
• Leads organizational design and workforce planning to align staffing models with strategic priorities.
• Builds leadership capacity across management teams and coaching staff.
• Ensures staff training addresses equity, inclusion, health and safety, and risk management.
• Provides oversight of athletic and recreation facilities, including scheduling, utilization, maintenance, and safety.
• Leads capital planning, renovations, deferred maintenance, and new facility development.
• Ensures compliance with health, safety, and risk management standards.
• Overseas operational policies, procedures, and service delivery models.
• Develops facilities master plans aligned with long-term program and enrollment growth.
• Oversee major events and game-day operations.
• Leads risk assessments related to facilities, programming, travel, and events.
• Overseas multi-party facility uses agreements with municipalities or external partners.
• Leads feasibility studies and business cases for new sport and recreation infrastructure.

• Oversee the management and operation team of the Laurier Brantford YMCA
• Co-facilitate the Facilities and Budget Committee as a member of the Co-Owners group of the joint facility.
• Lead the staff team to support ongoing student recreation and wellness offerings
• Establish and maintain stakeholder relations with the City of Brantford sport hosting council, and Councilors as part of community engagement and downtown revitalization and facility use in partnership with Wilfrid Laurier.

• Serves as the primary institutional representative for Athletics & Recreation internally and externally.
• Serves as key media contact (weekly)
• Builds and sustains relationships with community partners, sport organizations, alumni, donors, and government stakeholders.
• Represents the institution at provincial and national committees, conferences, and governing bodies.
• Acts as a spokesperson and ambassador for athletics, recreation, and wellness.
• Develop partnerships that enhance student experience, program quality, and financial sustainability.
• Collaborates with student associations, academic units, and other campus partners.
• Leads or supports marketing, communications, and brand development initiatives.
• Leads government relations or advocacy related to sport infrastructure or funding.
• Oversee media relations at major provincial, national, or international events.

• University undergraduate degree required.
• Master’s degree preferred in sport administration, MBA, or relevant field.
• 8+ years of experience at a management or leadership level in a student-focused environment; athletics/recreation experience preferred but not required.
• 8+ years leading diverse staff teams and complex HR structures.
• Track record of collaborative leadership, talent development, long-term planning, effective execution, efficient operational management, and productive partnerships.
• Skilled in written and oral presentation, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Advanced levels of professional judgment, tact, problem-solving and crisis management skills.
• Proven ability to foster positive and productive relationships (internal and external partnerships).
• Budget management/funding model experience necessary.
• Demonstrated commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity.
• High emotional intelligence and change management capability.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and community engagement skills.

This is a full-time, continuing position. The normal hours of work are Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. With evening and weekend commitments.

This position is eligible for a flexible work arrangement, as per Policy 8.14 (Flexible Work Policy). All arrangement must be approved by the direct manager. In-person attendance for events, as required to meet operational needs, is expected. On occasion, this schedule may need to be adjusted to meet operational requirements.

This role has a university-wide mandate to multicampus operations and to travel to other campuses and locations is required to attend meetings or events.

Level:MG-3C

Broad salary ranges include a hiring range ($130,579 – $146,901), a target range ($148,533.84 – $179,546.40), and a premium range ($181,178.64 – $195,868.80).

When new employees are hired the appropriate base salary is determined using these sub-ranges as a guide while adhering to rules on hiring as defined in our compensation policy. Considerations for new hire salaries include, qualifications and length/depth of required experience, relevant market rates for similar jobs, internal equity, and estimated learning curve in starting the job.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier’s Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found atcareers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visitwww.wlu.ca/careersfor additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.

Please note, when pre-screening questions are used as part of the application process, AI is utilized to score responses. All other aspects of the hiring process are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team.