Parks & Open Space Designer - TERM

About Red Deer
Red Deer sits at the heart of Central Alberta along the QEII corridor, perfectly positioned between Calgary and Edmonton. With more than 100,000 residents and a regional reach of over 300,000, it’s a growing hub for business, services, and opportunity.

Here, big-city amenities meet small-city ease. Enjoy abundant parks and trails, vibrant arts and culture, excellent recreation and education, and a strong sense of community.

With easy access to lakes, outdoor adventures, and the mountains, plus a thriving economy and high quality of life, Red Deer is an inviting place to live, work, and grow.

About The City of Red Deer Municipal Government
The City of Red Deer is a dynamic municipal organization with a $480M operating budget, a $60M capital program, and a workforce of nearly 1,700 employees. It is focused on growing with purpose by attracting talented, community-minded people who want to make a difference.

Guided by the vision “Our City, One Voice,” Red Deer is building a thriving, inclusive, and connected community, with priorities centered on a vibrant economy, community wellbeing, and strong engagement.

At its core, the City values its people, embracing diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and shared success.

The Opportunity:
The City of Red Deer is currently recruiting for a Parks & Open Space Designer to fill an 18-month Full-time Term position.

The Parks & Open Space Designer is responsible for the following primary functions:

• Preparing concept, site, and detailed construction landscape plans for City parks and open spaces.
• Providing consultation, evaluation and inspection for parks and open space design to City Departments, the private development industry, and community groups.
• Providing administrative and technical support to City Departments, the private development industry, and community groups.
• Preparing detailed construction cost estimates for parks and open space design projects.

Top Key Responsibilities:

1. Design and prepare landscape plans for City parks, open spaces, trail systems, streetscapes, boulevards, natural areas, and entrance features.
2. Develop park and open space concepts for new subdivisions, ensuring municipal reserve lands and recreational amenities align with City standards and development requirements.
3. Create landscape designs for neighbourhood parks in accordance with established City of Red Deer Standards and Guidelines.
4. Provide landscape architecture, parks planning, and horticultural expertise to City departments, developers, consultants, and community groups.
5. Review, evaluate, and approve landscape plans associated with commercial, industrial, residential, and subdivision development applications.
6. Negotiate and collaborate with developers and stakeholders to achieve appropriate landscaping, park development, and open space outcomes.
7. Prepare technical reports, recommendations, and development agreement requirements related to landscaping, parks, open space design, and development proposals.
8. Develop and maintain parks and open space standards, specifications, drawings, maps, and planning documents in support of City development initiatives.
9. Coordinate and administer parks and open space development projects, including providing technical support for utility alignments, construction reviews, and project documentation.
10. Prepare detailed construction cost estimates and project management documentation for parks and open space development projects, including subdivision, recreation levy, and community-based initiatives.

As our preferred candidate, you will have:

• A University Degree in Landscape Architecture, Parks Planning, Environmental Sciences or related fields plus three (or more) years of related experience in landscape and open space design with demonstrated skills in park planning design and process management, as well as an understanding of survey work and equipment.

OR

• A Technical Diploma in Landscape Architecture, Parks Planning, Environmental Sciences or related fields plus five (or more) years of related experience in landscape and open space design with demonstrated skills in park planning design and process management, as well as an understanding of survey work and equipment.
  

Competencies:
In addition to the 9 Core Competencies* identified for all employees of the City of Red Deer – the following are specific to this position:

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the philosophy and objectives of municipal parks and of the principles of public park management, operation and maintenance.
• Ability to establish cordial relations with subordinates, City officials, City departments, contractors, school boards, community associations, business community, service clubs, institutions, and the general public.
• Knowledge of local, Federal and Provincial legislation and City by-laws governing the operation and development of park facilities and public spaces.
• Knowledgeable background in applied Land Use Planning.
• A firm knowledge of municipal open space and park design concepts and procedures, and a demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge to all types of development within the appropriate zoning requirements.
• Ability to schedule, develop, and complete conceptual and detailed open space and park plans.
• Ability to effectively operate drafting design equipment including computer and related drafting and rendering software (e.g. Auto Cad & Blue Beam).
• Familiarity with and ability to utilize data collection tools to effectively provide supporting documentation and information for projects (e.g. Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).
• Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing; strong negotiation skills an asset.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff in the Parks Public Works Department and other City Departments, with private contractors, consultants, community organizational Leaders and the public.
• Ability to read and interpret plans and specifications and prepare construction estimates.
• Ability to draft and prepare reports, proposals, and letters.
• Valid Alberta Driver's License and own vehicle available for work purpose.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in continuous learning and on-the-job training.
  

Specific Demands of the Job:

• Required to attend public meetings to present The City’s position on controversial issues.
• Work evenings and weekends for meetings, for call-outs, for operation evaluation as required.
• Required to travel outside of City on occasion.
• Ability to exert moderate physical effort occasionally and work outside in all types of weather.
  

Affiliation: Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 417
Status: Term Full-time
Remuneration:
$44.75 to $47.38 per hour (Technical Diploma)
$47.10 to $49.87 per hour (University Degree)
Hours of Work: 75 hours biweekly; Monday to Friday, some evening and weekend work may be required when needed.

Additional Information: The term of this position is anticipated to be approximately 18 months.

The City of Red Deer does not permit the use of unauthorized internet resources or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (for example, Copilot, ChatGPT or any other form of AI) during interviews or any supervised or timed assessments. Any violation may be investigated and result in serious consequences, including the rejection of your application.

We thank you for your application. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

We are a municipal government, eager to meet tomorrow's challenges. Our employees are the cornerstone of our organization. We are always seeking creative and skilled individuals with the ability and desire to lead in our dynamic workplace. Each of our employees brings diverse experiences and perspectives, as well as unique skills and talents to the job. Our diverse employee base ensures an environment where individual, team, and organizational successes are embraced and celebrated. We strive to ensure a supportive and respectful work environment for all. Employees are treated fairly and have equal opportunity within the organization to thrive and attain their highest potential. We welcome your application and look forward to discussing how The City of Red Deer can become your next career choice.