Job Board Title:
CAO/Clerk

Post Date
7/18/2024

Expiration Date
8/24/2024

Details:

About Whitestone

Located on the Canadian Shield within the District of Parry Sound, the Municipality of Whitestone is a sparsely populated community with a number of settlement areas, numerous lakes with rocky/rugged shorelines and a significant amount of Crown lands.  Whitestone is anchored by the communities of Dunchurch, Maple Island, Whitestone and Ardbeg, and is the permanent home to approximately 1,100 residents.  This number grows to over 5,000 seasonally between May and October.
 
Formed in 2000, Whitestone features a strong rural / agricultural community, as well as outstanding volunteer support for community programs and activities.

About the Role

Due to an impending retirement, the Municipality of Whitestone offers an attractive employment opportunity for a CAO/Clerk.  The CAO/Clerk role will report directly to the five-member Council. The CAO/Clerk will provide effective advice and support to Council, implementing their decisions efficiently, and effectively in conjunction with the Senior Management Team. The CAO will provide energetic and creative leadership to ensure alignment of operations with the Municipality’s strategic priorities within the $6.7 Million municipal budget.

Closes:  24 August 2024

Position Responsibilities
Management of Staff
  • Leads and facilitates the management team, and is responsible for their productivity, cooperation and full participation in all areas of the organization
  • Ensures, sustains and models productive workplace management practices such as ongoing performance feedback and accountability, participation with delegated responsibility and ownership and open sharing of information.
  • Coaches and mentors staff.  Ensures ongoing staff development, cross training and succession planning
  • Visits all work areas on an ongoing basis to maintain open communications, personal accessibility to all staff and a team-oriented environment
 
Operations
  • Assumes overall leadership responsibility for the management team, and for the productivity (efficiency and effectiveness) of all municipal business functions including:   administration; finance, including taxation; Clerk's department; elections; public works; economic development; community services, including recreation; and protective services, including By-law enforcement and fire and rescue (reporting administratively to the CAO/Clerk).
  • Ensures and sustains productive workplace practices such as minimal bureaucracy, open sharing and dissemination of information to all staff, and focus on customer service, productivity and cost effectiveness and an organizational structure that supports and reflects such practices
  • Focuses on the measurement of successful outcomes rather than outputs
  • Ensures that all legislative requirements such as those of the Municipal Act and other legislation is adhered to
 
Council / Administration liaison
  • Advises and informs Council on all municipal matters to assist Council with establishing appropriate and well-informed overall policy direction
  • Ensures that Council is provided with well documented agendas and reports where appropriate alternative solutions, recommended courses of action, financial implications and cost-benefit analysis (when appropriate) is included
  • Ensures that Council is provided with ongoing financial reports which provide an overview of what is being spent (as opposed to budgeted) and reasons for any significant variance
  • Ensures that Council is provided with ongoing management reports that keep Council informed of major activities in each municipal area
  • Works closely with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in establishing and reviewing Council agenda items, following through on decisions made by Council, flagging any potential political issues, and maintaining ongoing open dialogue
  • Ensures that the overall policy direction established by Council is adhered to
 
Planning and Development
  • Responsible for ensuring appropriate short and long-term operational and strategic planning
  • Provides ongoing leadership in promoting the development of the municipality at every opportunity, ensuring respective businesses and residents are provided valuable and timely information, assistance and service
Customer Service and Public Relations
  • Responsible for ensuring an ongoing survey of customer needs, the measurement of how successfully those needs have been met, and maintaining high standards of customer service
  • Maintains positive public relations at all times; regularly attends community events, visits and supports local businesses and community groups.  Represents the Municipality at various official functions, committees, associations and other levels of government etc.
Emergency Management
The chosen candidate for the position of Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk will be a key member of the municipality's emergency control group.
 

Qualifications:
Ideal Education and Experience
 
Both Council and staff are looking for an experienced municipal leader who is collaborative and personable, who listens and communicates well, thinks strategically, and who takes a team approach and fosters honest and respectful working relationships with colleagues, council, partners, and members of the community.
  • A graduate degree in a discipline related to management in the public sector would be preferable
  • Significant experience in a corporate portfolio including municipal experience, working with elected officials and working with general management in an unionized environment 
  • Demonstrated leadership ability in building corporate teams and working collaboratively
  • An excellent overall knowledge of municipal government affairs
  • The ability to think and ask strategically in a political and community service environment; to build strong, confident and enthusiastic staff teams and external partnerships; to align departmental programs/services with corporate goals/objectives; and to foster a positive, productive and healthy work environment that is committed to service excellence


Comments:
The Municipality of Whitestone offers a competitive salary, commensurate with demonstrated skills and experience, as well as a full employee benefits program and OMERS retirement plan. The Municipality is willing to consider the necessary remuneration for the right person to fill the role of CAO/Clerk.
Interested applicants are invited to submit their cover letter and resumé no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2024 by email to CAO-ClerkRecruitment@whitestone.ca

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position however, only those selected for interview will be contacted. All information collected will be used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of job selection.


Employer:
Municipality of Whitestone
Contact:
Michelle Hendry

Address:
21 Church Street, Dunchurch, ON P0A 1G0

Work Phone:
705-389-2466

Fax:
705-389-1855

Email:
michelle.hendry@whitestone.ca

Website:
https://whitestone.ca/

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