Experience Scare Lead - DARK Job Listing at City of Edmonton in Edmonton, AB (Job ID 55043)

Description

Are you ready to lead the team that brings Edmonton's nightmares to life? DARK is a large-scale Halloween festival that offers a month-long, adrenaline-pumping experience featuring immersive haunts, scare zones, and roving performers. We are looking for a high-energy Experience Scare Lead to act as a hybrid stage manager, theatrical coach, and guest experience expert. This is your chance to work in a thrilling, fast-paced festival atmosphere where your leadership ensures every guest leaves with a story to tell. If you have a passion for the dramatic arts and a knack for leading diverse teams, we want to hear from you!

As an Experience Scare Lead, you are the heartbeat of our haunts and scare zones. You will provide strong leadership to a team of up to 30 haunt staff, including actors and support personnel, ensuring every performance meets our high-quality event standards. Your day-to-night involves coaching actors on their characters, managing venue flow, and solving real-time operational puzzles to keep the scares seamless. You'll also play a key role in the audition and casting process, helping to build the team of over 150 theatrical staff that makes DARK possible. Acting as an event ambassador, you will ensure a safe and professional environment for both our performers and our guests. This role is perfect for someone who thrives under the spotlight of live production and loves the challenge of a high-pressure, creative environment.

What will you do?

• Supervise and coordinate up to 30 haunt staff, monitoring lineup wait times and venue flow to maintain haunt quality
• Provide creative direction and theatrical coaching to Scare Actors regarding their characters and venue placement
• Conduct pre-show meetings, including warm-ups, "toolbox talks," and safety orientations
• Manage staff schedules and breaks, adjust roles for absences, and ensure all team members have approved costumes and equipment
• Utilise de-escalation techniques and professional communication to resolve guest concerns on the fly
• Complete end-of-night reports, manage sign-in sheets, and assist with the planning and administration of auditions and casting
• Work alongside DARK event production staff, technicians, and makeup artists to ensure a seamless show
• Act as an Incident Warden during emergency situations, ensuring the safety of all collaborators and guests
• Provide frontline feedback and process improvement suggestions to the Product Operations Coordinator to enhance haunt efficiency
• Other related duties as required

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED
• Completion of the first year of a recognized Recreation Administration or related diploma or degree program
• One year of direct experience leading recreational, cultural, or related educational programs
• Demonstrated experience in customer service
• Previous experience in Theatre, Improv, or the Dramatic Arts

Assets: 

• Specific knowledge of haunted attractions or the haunt industry
• Experience leading youth programming
• Familiarity with the Google Suite for administrative tasks
• Possession of current Standard First Aid, CPR-C and AED certifications

Skills required for success:

• Strong ability to provide creative direction and maintain artistic integrity within a live festival environment
• Ability to think on your feet and improvise solutions to operational or interpersonal challenges in a high-pressure setting
• Skilled at managing a multifaceted range of staff with diverse backgrounds and experiences
• Fluent written and verbal English with an aptitude for public speaking
• Strong understanding of de-escalation techniques and the ability to handle confrontational situations with discretion
• Ability to effectively manage multiple competing priorities in a real-time event environment
• Alignment to our Cultural Commitments and Leadership Competencies (https://bit.ly/4brRrXm)
• Embracing a culture of equity, diversity, reconciliation and inclusion

Conditions of Employment:

• Ability to work shift work, including evenings, weekends, and late nights during the event run
• Capable of performing physical tasks such as standing and walking for extended periods (67-100% of the time)
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs frequently and up to 50 lbs occasionally
• Hire is dependent on Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Check satisfactory to the City of Edmonton, and there may be a cost associated with this requirement
• Applicants may be tested

Work Environment:

• Note: Due to the nature of this work, this position is not eligible for a hybrid work arrangement
• The weekly hours of work for this position are currently under review and may change at a future time. Any changes will be made in accordance with the City of Edmonton/Civic Service Union 52 collective agreement, and the incumbent will be notified in advance
• This role works primarily in an outdoor setting in all weather conditions. Exposure to environmental conditions, including cold, rain, wind, and snow
• You will be working on historical streets and may encounter common hazards such as dust, allergens, and occasional contact with live animals or livestock
• The environment can be loud and dark, requiring high sensory attention and spatial perception
• This is a public-facing role and requires engagement and interaction with diverse people from various backgrounds with different needs, expectations and emotional states

The City of Edmonton values applicants with a diverse range of skills, experiences and competencies, and encourages you to apply. We strive to provide reasonable access and accommodations throughout the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact employment@edmonton.ca. Learn more about our benefits https://bit.ly/COEbenefits

Up to 6 temporary part-time positions for up to 6 months 

Hours of Work:  Up to 39 hours per week

Salary Range: $23.183 - $28.647 (Hourly)

Recruitment Consultant: PG/RF

Edmonton rests in the heart of Treaty Six territory in Alberta and the homelands of the Metis Nation.

Classification Title: Recreation Technician II-8hrs
Posting Date: Apr 21, 2026
Closing Date: May 5, 2026 11:59:00 PM (MST)
Number of Openings (up to): 6 - Temporary Part-time
Union: CSU 52
Department: Community Services
Work Location(s): Fort Edmonton Park, 7000 - 143 St (Fox Dr & Whitemud Dr) Edmonton T5J 2R7

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