Job Board Title:
Director, Strategy and Corporate Strategy

Post Date
4/11/2024

Expiration Date
5/11/2024

Details:
The City of Kitchener is a vibrant and dynamic city of approximately 270,000, in the heart of southwestern Ontario. As the largest municipality in Waterloo Region, Kitchener continues to be poised for development and growth, enhancing its reputation as a leader in city-building and innovation, with nationally recognized strategies to build its neighbourhoods, its digital infrastructure and its diverse economy.
 
The City of Kitchener is WHERE you want to work! Learn more about the top reasons to join us:
Why work at the City of Kitchener

Position Overview:
 
As the Director, Strategy and Corporate Performance, you will be responsible for providing high level vision, direction and oversight to the City's strategic planning, governance and performance management processes. You will engage leaders within the organization while creating a bold and compelling vision for how the City of Kitchener will serve our community in the future, working at all levels to generate the desire to build a high-performance organization. You will support the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in setting medium to long-term goals around desired strategic outcomes for the organization that have the complete commitment of all members of the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT).
 
You are a visible and effective leader, responsible for the design, development and management of a corporate governance structure that drives core service performance excellence based on continuous improvement processes. You will maintain CLT focus and attention on the progress being made on strategic goals, engaging leaders around the issues and risks, and creating space for dialogue to solve problems collaboratively. In addition, you will lead complex, sensitive and high-profile projects in support of the CAO's mandate, which includes strategy, research, policy development and inter-municipal collaboration.
 
You will pro-actively build internal and external connections and relationships, and facilitate cross-functional collaboration to achieve success. You will champion a culture of leadership, performance and accountability for results. You will also be responsible for overseeing the business operations within the Office of the CAO, including budget development and monitoring, communications support to the CAO, business plan preparation, etc. You will oversee a high-performing professional team responsible for: strategic planning, business planning, performance reporting, internal audit, (including service reviews across the organization), policy, government relations strategy and enhancing a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:
Strategy

  • Provides direction and oversight to the City's strategic planning process.
  • Actively communicates with all levels of employees on an ongoing basis using a variety of methods to build awareness and enthusiasm for the strategic work and achievements.
  • Facilitates the corporate leadership team (CLT) in establishing a long-term vision and goals for strategic outcomes based on input from the community, Council and staff.
  • Generates passion and energy to maintain forward momentum on strategic goals through recognition and celebration of incremental achievements.
  • Looks for opportunities to empower leaders to make a contribution to expected outcomes and find/leverage opportunities that will contribute to the shared vision.
 
Governance
  • Facilitates CLT team development.
  • Facilitates the development and management of CLT's strategic work plan and progress review.
  • Ensures that accountability for results is established at a team level with CLT and through the individual performance objectives of CLT members.
  • Designs, develops and manages complex organization-wide initiatives to improve governance and organizational performance based on CLT direction and employee input and feedback to ensure they are practical and easily understood.
  • Coordinates various integration and communication mechanisms e.g., CLT-management connection, staff supporting continuous improvement activities across the organization, change and communications plan development/support to achieve strategic objectives.
  • Advise and support the CAO on ongoing change and improvement initiatives.
  • Stays engaged on important projects and initiatives to ensure the work continues to be in alignment with expected outcomes.
  • Fosters strong relationships with CLT, corporate management team and Council
  • Attend Corporate Leadership Team meetings.
 
Corporate Performance
  • Provides high level direction and oversight to the City's internal audit, performance management and service review program of work.
  • Introduces new processes, tools and accountabilities for core service performance management to gain buy-in and commitment and consistent corporate-wide adoption.
  • Engages senior leaders around performance gaps, issues and risks to move them towards decisive action that will achieve expected results.
  • Builds trusting relationships and creates a safe environment within the organization for open and honest discussion about service performance, breaking down barriers, challenging the status quo, and taking calculated risks.
 
Corporate Initiatives and Special Projects
  • Leads corporate initiatives and special projects to advance the CAO's strategic agenda and support the CAO's shared mandate with Council
  • Leads business plan projects and delivers outcomes in support of the City's strategic plan
  • Designs, develops and implements corporate level strategy, policy and programs that aligns the corporation to Council's mandate/the Strategic Plan; determines policy and program goals and objectives required to support the City's strategic plan/change objectives
  • Collaborates with senior staff on policy and program development to enable innovative services and programs within the organization and for the community
  • Coordinates/facilitates joint service and collaborative initiatives with other municipal partners
  • Coordinates award submissions for high profile / corporate scope initiatives to raise the City's profile
  • Represent the Office of the CAO on corporate projects/initiatives/committees
  • Oversees the government relations and policy review/commenting functions within the Office of the CAO
 
Division Management
  • Directly supervises and provides direction to 2 staff: Manager, Corporate Planning and Internal Auditor
  • Leads a high-functioning team in designing and delivering strategies, business plans, service reviews and internal audits to ensure effective and efficient city services
  • Develops and implements a proactive communications, outreach and visibility plan for the CAO and the Office of the CAO
  • Annual work planning, priority-setting and business plan development; capital and operating budget development/financial monitoring; staff resource assessment/allocation for the Office of the CAO
  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

 

Qualifications:
Requirements:
  • Minimum 4 year degree/diploma in a related field.
  • Minimum 7 years relevant experience in a senior leadership role.
  • Experience in leading and managing large scale transformations or strategic initiatives.
  • Effective organizational and time management skills. Ability to weigh competing demands, set priorities and goals, and achieve objectives and results in a timely manner.
  • Excellent communications and interpersonal skills to effectively cultivate relationships internally and externally and foster a high-performing work environment.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously. 
  • Demonstrated success in leading diverse teams to develop effective, efficient and responsive service delivery strategies and processes.
  • Ability to support and project the organization's core values of trust and respect, collaboration, and change and growth.
  • Must be reliable with a good attitude and employment record.


Comments:
Closes: 30 April 2024

The City of Kitchener is committed to an equity-driven, inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free recruitment and selection process, and to ensuring our workforce reflects the full diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ persons, as well as other equity deserving groups.
 
We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please contact Human Resources at recruitment@kitchener.ca, or 519-741-2200 ext. 7261 to make your needs known, so that we can support your full and equal participation throughout the hiring process.
 
We appreciate the interest of all applicants. Only candidates whose skills, experience and qualifications meet the requirements of the position will be contacted.
 
Please note that as per Human Resources Policy HUM-HIR-110, "Employment of Relatives of Staff Members and Elected Officials":
"The immediate relatives of staff of the Human Resources Division, all Directors, General Managers, or the Chief Administrative Officer and Elected Officials shall not be employed by the City in any capacity.
The immediate relatives of all other Management personnel shall not be employed where such employment would be:
1. within the same Department in the case of permanent full-time, temporary full-time and part-time classifications.
2. within the same Division in the case of students."

Employer:
City of Kitchener

Address:
200 King Street West, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4G7

Website:
www.kitchener.ca

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