Chief Administrative Officer

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Major

• Recognizes staff as a critical asset of the organization.
• Hires, manages, and develops the best possible employees to produce sustained levels of successful performance.
• Sets a positive example through his/her demeanor and work habits.
• Demonstrates a take charge attitude to achieve results.
• Takes unpopular stands when necessary and addresses important and difficult issues. Acts as a catalyst for change and continuous improvement.
• Handles conflict and crisis effectively and stays calm under pressure.
  Achieves common goals through cooperation and commitment of staff.
• Recognizes and respects the value each member contributes to the organization.
• Encourages the team to contribute ideas and opinions during department discussions and planning.
• Understands business fundamentals and strategies.
• Links long-range vision and concepts to daily work.
• Has a sophisticated awareness of the impact of the external environment on strategies and how external factors affect choices.
• Works effectively within Town structures, stakeholders, and relationships.
• Identifies decision-makers and the individuals who can influence and work with them to achieve objectives.
• Establishes, builds and maintains strong relationships and a network of contacts to keep a pulse on Town’ political and internal issues and to make informed decisions.
• High degree of interpersonal skill, tact, and diplomacy.
• Maintains ongoing contact and dialogue with members of Council and various stakeholders at all levels and external contact with Community stakeholders and partners, the provincial and federal governments, the media, and related organizations to provide and exchange information and solve problems.
• Innate drive to achieve or surpass identified goals. Establishes performance objectives and measures to continuously improve performance and the standard of excellence.
• Develops realistic goals and objectives while maintaining close attention to important details. Oversees budgets to acceptable variance levels and exercises fiscal prudence and accountability.
• Ensures that each service department has policies and procedures in place that meet the legislative requirements, Council directives and functions within the financial and human resource constraints of the municipality.
• Regular scheduled review and interaction of policies are fundamental for a progressive community.
• Works closely with the Director of Finance to ensure that the strategic business plan(s), both short and long term, for the Town are implemented in a timely, accountable, and fiscally responsible manner.
• Providing leadership during the preparation and presentation of operating and capital budgets. Presenting budget proposals, recommendations and observations to Council that complement short and long-term fiscal objectives of the organization.
• Provides leadership, guidance, and vision for the general overall internal and external workings of the Town by providing the link between department managers, councilors and the public.
• Develop procedures for the Town that recognize liability issues and manages both legal and insurance risks.
• Ensures that the records of the Town are secure and maintained for the required terms.
• Performs the duties and functions and exercises the powers assigned to the Chief Administrative Officer in accordance with the Municipal Government Act. Clearly delegates the duties to the department managers as designated officers.
• Presents proposals to Council on policy, project and financial initiatives and issues, using key staff and selected outside advisors when necessary.

Public Communications

• Is the key public spokesperson for the Town on operational and technical issues and defers to the Mayor on political issues. In all daily aspects the incumbent operates in a manner that ensures that administratively the Town’s local economy is promoted.

AUTHORITIES OF THIS POSITION:

• As outlined in the Chief Administrative Officer’s bylaw.
• Grievance and discipline duties for those unresolved employee/employer situations.
• Final authorization of all terminations and commencements.
• Approve requisitions to $80,000.00. Award purchase contracts to $80,000.00 in value.