Chief Operations Officer

Primary responsibilities of this position include:

Strategic Leadership

• Contributes to the overall leadership and strategic direction of the Municipality as a key member of the senior leadership team.
• Aligns divisional strategies with Council priorities and the Municipality’s long-term vision, ensuring services are delivered with integrity, transparency, and responsiveness.
• Provides expert advice to the CAO, Council, and senior leadership, and collaborates across departments to identify and advance both short-term and long-term strategic priorities.
• Fosters a culture of innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement across all assigned operational areas.

Operational Oversight

• Plans, directs, and oversees all divisional functions to ensure effective, efficient, and responsive service delivery.
• Aligns municipal operations with strategic priorities, community values, and regulatory requirements.
• Tracks and analyzes major operational issues, providing timely updates, strategic insights, and recommendations to the CAO and, when appropriate, Council.
• Drives operational excellence through data-informed decision-making, continuous improvement, and process optimization.
• Leads the resolution of complex or high-impact operational challenges, ensuring cross-functional collaboration and engagement.
• Anticipates emerging trends and risks, proactively adapting operations to meet future community and organizational needs.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, innovation, and service excellence across all operational areas.
• Champions complex or difficult municipal operations projects.

Engagement and Community Relations

• Creates positive working relationships with Council, municipal administration, employees, residents, Indigenous groups, regional partners, and other collaborators to meet shared objectives.
• Represents the Municipality’s interests in Council meetings, public forums, intergovernmental meetings, and community consultations.
• Demonstrates consistent, effective, and meaningful engagement with respect to Truth and Reconciliation and the Calls to Action that the Municipality has identified for implementation.
• Effectively handles disputes or complaints involving citizens and other interest groups.

People Leadership

• Builds and leads a high-performing team of directors, managers, and staff, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
• Establishes a clear vision for success, ensuring teams have the resources and support needed to achieve strategic goals.
• Develops and implements performance measures with defined objectives and measurable outcomes.
• Champions innovation and leads organizational change, empowering staff to enhance municipal service and operational delivery.
• Models municipal values and cultivates an inclusive, respectful workplace that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and psychological and physical safety.
• Ensures effective organizational design and staffing to support efficient municipal operations.
  Applies sound human resource practices to inspire high performance and support employee development.

Financial and Administrative Management

• Leads divisional planning and budgeting, ensuring fiscal responsibility and proactively addressing long-term financial needs.
  Supports and collaborates with the CAO and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop the annual budget and advises on divisional priorities.
• Oversees and monitors divisional financial activities, ensuring effective controls and sound fiscal management.
• Upholds compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and municipal standards.
• Supports and collaborates with the CFO on the Municipality’s asset management strategy to ensure sustainable and strategic use of municipal resources.

Emergency Management Leadership

• Proactively prepares for and provides divisional leadership during major events, including operational disruptions, emergencies, and disasters.
• Ensures the development, maintenance, staff familiarization, and activation of business continuity plans across all assigned operational areas.
• Participates as a member of the Municipality’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) as appointed by the CAO, to support the EMA’s duties and functions.
• Provides recommendations to the CAO regarding policies, programs, and budgetary requirements to sustain and improve the Emergency Management Plan (EMP).
• Collaborates with the EMA and the Corporate Services Division to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure is integrated into emergency preparedness, continuity planning, and response strategies.
• Reviews findings from Post-Event Action Reports and approves recommendations, as necessary, to strengthen future response and recovery efforts.
• Engages with internal and external partners to ensure collaboration, alignment, and community resilience.