Director of Planning and Engineering

Position Requirements:

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from a recognized post-secondary institution. Equivalent engineering disciplines with relevant municipal infrastructure may be considered.
Registered, or eligible for registration, as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible municipal experience in engineering, planning, development, infrastructure management, or related fields, including supervisory experience.
Experience working in a small or mid-sized municipality where the position requires both leadership and direct delivery of planning, engineering, and project management functions.
Demonstrated experience administering municipal planning and development functions, including statutory plans, land use bylaws, subdivision applications, development permits, and public consultation processes.
Demonstrated experience managing municipal infrastructure projects, including roads, utilities, stormwater systems, capital planning, and asset management initiatives.
Experience preparing and presenting technical reports, recommendations, and presentations to Council, senior administration, stakeholders, and the public.
Experience with development agreements, municipal services standards, and off-site levy implementation would be considered an asset.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Thorough knowledge of municipal planning, engineering, infrastructure management, and land development practices.
Comprehensive knowledge of the Municipal Government Act, Land Titles Act, Water Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Alberta Planning Law, and all other Municipal Regulations.
Experience identifying, preparing, administering, and reporting on Provincial and Federal grant funding programs would be considered as asset.
Demonstrated leadership ability with experience motivating, mentoring, developing, and evaluating staff.
Knowledge of municipal procurement practices, tendering processes, contract administration and consultant management.
Proven ability to build collaborative relationships and successfully manage conflict with staff, consultants, contractors, developers, elected officials, and members of the public.
Excellent public relations, customer service, communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Strong project management, budgeting, procurement, report writing, analytical, and decision-making skills.
Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
Solid understanding of municipal operating and capital budget development, forecasting, and financial management principles.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and related technologies.
Working knowledge of GIS, asset management, engineering modeling, and related software applications used in municipal planning and infrastructure management.
Knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety legislation, safe work practices, and construction safety procedures.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information in accordance with the Access to Information Act, Protection of Privacy Act, and Town policies.
Valid Class 5 Alberta Driver's License with a satisfactory driver's abstract.
Successful completion of a Criminal Record Check in accordance with Town Policy 55.

Responsibilities:

Provides both strategic leadership and direct operational support for the Planning and Engineering Department, undertaking technical, administrative, project management, planning, and engineering work as required.
Provides professional engineering and planning advice to the Chief Administrative Officer, Council, and senior administration regarding infrastructure, development, growth management, asset management, and strategic planning matters.
Participates as a member of the Town's Senior Leadership Team and contributes to organizational planning, policy development, and corporate initiatives.
Supervises, mentors, develops, and evaluates departmental staff.
Develops departmental goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work plans consistent with Council's Strategic Plan and organizational priorities.
Prepares and administers departmental operating and capital budgets and monitors expenditures.
Ensures departmental compliance with applicable legislation, regulations, policies, standards, and professional practices.

Planning and Development:

Guides the orderly growth and development of the community through long-range planning, policy development, development review, and strategic initiatives.
Leads and participates in the review of development permits, subdivisions, statutory plans, land use bylaw amendments, development agreements, and related planning initiatives, providing recommendations as required.
Oversees the administration of the Municipal Development Plan, Land Use Bylaw, Area Structure Plans, and other statutory planning documents.
Provides professional advice and recommendations to Council, Administration, developers, consultants, and the public regarding planning and development matters.
Coordinates public consultation processes related to planning initiatives and development proposals.
Provides direction, guidance, and oversight to the Development Officer regarding development applications, legislative interpretation, and planning matters.
Serves as the primary liaison with developers, landowners, consultants, and regulatory agencies regarding development proposals, subdivision applications, and municipal servicing requirements.
May be appointment as a Designated Officer, Development Authority, Subdivision authority or other statutory authority as authorized by Council, or the Chief Administrative Officer.

Economic Development:

· Supports the Town's economic development objectives through strategic planning, infrastructure planning, land development, and growth management initiatives.

· Collaborates with the Chief Administrative Officer, developers, businesses, regional partners, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities that support economic growth and investment within the community.

· Assists in the implementation of economic development strategies, plans, and initiatives approved by Council.

· Provides technical expertise and recommendations regarding municipal infrastructure, servicing capacity, transportation networks, and land use planning to support business attraction, retention, and expansion.

· Identifies and helps advance opportunities for residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use development.

· Participates in discussions and negotiations related to development proposals, servicing agreements, infrastructure requirements, and growth opportunities.

· Maintains awareness of economic development trends, market conditions, demographic changes, and regional growth opportunities that may affect the Town.

· Supports the preparation of grant applications, business cases, funding proposals, and partnership opportunities that contribute to economic development objectives.

· Represents the Town at meetings, committees, and stakeholder engagements related to planning, development, infrastructure, and economic development matters as required.

· Works collaboratively with internal departments to ensure municipal infrastructure, land use policies, and development processes support Council's economic development goals.

Engineering and Infrastructure:

Leads and participates in municipal engineering functions including transportation, water, wastewater, stormwater, development servicing, infrastructure planning, design review, and construction administration.
Leads the planning, design, procurement, and implementation of municipal capital projects.
Reviews engineering designs and construction documentation to ensure compliance with municipal standards, regulations, and industry best practices.
Develops and administers specifications, tenders, requests for proposals, contracts, and agreements related to engineering and infrastructure projects.
Manages consultants, contractors, and professional service providers involved in municipal projects.
Oversees project delivery including scope, schedule, budget, risk management, quality control, and contract administration.
Reviews and coordinates municipal servicing requirements associated with subdivision and development proposals, including water, wastewater, transportation, and stormwater infrastructure.
Assists in identifying infrastructure funding opportunities and preparing grant applications, supporting documentation, and funding reports.
Asset Management and GIS

Leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the Town's Asset Management Program and Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP).
Develops long-term infrastructure lifecycle, replacement, and renewal strategies.
Collaborates with departments across the organization to advance asset management practices and improve decision-making.
Leads the development, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement Town's Geographic Information System (GIS), asset inventories, and related data management systems.
Supports data-driven planning and infrastructure investment decisions through analysis and reporting.
Supports asset management reporting requirements associated with Provincial and Federal funding programs.
Council, Stakeholder and Public Relations

Prepares reports, recommendations, bylaws, policies, presentations, and correspondence for Council and Administration.
Attends Council, Committee, and public meetings as required.
Builds and maintains positive working relationships with residents, businesses, developers, consultants, regulatory agencies, Indigenous communities, and Provincial and Federal government representatives.
Responds to public inquiries, concerns, and complaints in a professional and timely manner.
Health, Safety and Risk Management

Promotes and maintains a safe work environment and ensures compliance with Occupational Health and Safety legislation and Town safety programs.
Monitors environmental, regulatory, and operational risks associated with departmental activities.
Ensures appropriate quality assurance, program evaluation, and continuous improvement measures are implemented.

Other Duties:

Oversees and monitors engineering, planning, development, and economic development initiatives as assigned.
Participates in after-hours response and provides support for municipal emergencies, infrastructure failures, and operational issues as required.
Participates in emergency management planning and response activities as required.
Performs other related duties as assigned by the Chief Administrative Officer.