Job Description / Duties

The Culinary Tourism Alliance is searching for a remarkable, passionate person who will help us deliver our destination development projects.

How You’ll Contribute to Our Team

Reporting to the Destination Development Manager, the Destination Development Specialist supports the research and engagement activities associated with the Culinary Tourism Alliance’s Destination Development projects.

While other members of the Culinary Tourism Alliance team create amazing events and capture content at culinary experiences and tours, the Destination Development team usually works behind-the-scenes, doing research, creating strategies and programs, and writing reports that help communities support and grow food tourism. The more engaging aspects of the Destination Development Specialist role involve conducting interviews and delivering workshops.

As a member of the Destination Development team, you will work on projects including:

• Culinary and agritourism product development (i.e. food trails)
• Creating culinary and agritourism ambassador and certification programs
• Delivering capacity-building workshops and one-on-one coaching to businesses
• Developing strategic plans to help communities grow culinary and agritourism
• Writing curriculum for culinary and agritourism education programs

Responsibilities

• Actively supports the successful delivery of project-based destination development services.
• Leads research and engagement activities, including writing surveys and conducting key informant interviews
• Leads the design and development of research methods and related data collection tools.
• Takes ownership over the preparation and delivery of high-quality destination development outputs and deliverables
• Liaises with clients in on an as needed basis, as determined by the Destination Development Manager.
• Supports marketing efforts, including staying on top of industry trends and sharing insights.
• Supports the Destination Development Manager with business development activities, including but not limited to scanning for requests for proposals, reviewing work plans and developing proposals.
• Contributes to professional services and organizational growth strategies.
• Showcases destination development projects and research through participating in speaking engagements
• Takes on additional responsibilities as necessary and determined by the Destination Development Manager.
• Contributes to Programs, Services, and Industry Development as assigned.

Required Experience

• Degree in a related field (e.g. Tourism, Economic Development, Planning, Business, Agriculture, History, Public Policy). A combination of education and relevant work experience will also be considered.
• Based in Ontario with a valid G-class driver’s license
• Ability to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends as necessary
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience performing qualitative and quantitative research with excellent analytical skills
• Experience in project management and client/stakeholder relations
• Knowledge of the tourism industry, economic development and/or local food systems

Bonus – nice to have!

• Experience working in destination development or economic development role
• Knowledge of the cultural connotations of food and tourism, including how they connect people and societies
• Experience in client-facing project-based work
• Experience with strategic planning
• Experience measuring and demonstrating economic, social or environmental impact
• Knowledge of rural land use planning regulations in Ontario and/or other provinces
• Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Knowledge of the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sectors
• Knowledge of inclusion work in an organization, and an appreciation of the complexities of inter/intra-cultural interactions
• Experience developing and delivering workshops in-person or virtually

Salary: $50,000.00 - $70,000.00 + benefits

Contact Information

To apply, please email Ian Worte, Destination Development Manager, at ian@culinarytourismalliance.com, including a cover letter, resume, and any relevant examples of past projects or writing samples. Only applications submitted to this email will be considered.

The Culinary Tourism Alliance is an equal-opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and communities.

No phone calls, please. We'll contact applicants that fit directly and invite them for a video conference interview.

Employer Profile

The Culinary Tourism Alliance is a national not-for-profit organization on a mission to ensure that culinary tourism is a meaningful and sustainable contributor to local economies in destinations across Canada. We work with communities to grow culinary tourism by leveraging the history, heritage, and culture behind the food and drink that makes each destination unique.

Destination Development Specialist — Culinary Tourism Alliance