Director of Planning and Development

Town of Slave Lake

The Organization

Located 250 km Northwest of Edmonton, the Town of Slave Lake (www.slavelake.ca) lies at the eastern shore of Lesser Slave Lake, the second largest lake in Alberta, and offers the outdoor enthusiast the best beaches in Alberta with miles of white sand. On the north edge of Town are boat launching facilities, campgrounds and many other facilities located only minutes away in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. Experience world class Walleye & Northern Pike fishing and sailing, windsurfing, or building sandcastles on the beach.

The Town of Slave Lake maintains a regional healthcare centre, 2 school districts, Northern Lakes College, aquatics centre, public library, childcare society/facilities and services, bird observatory, baseball diamonds, a multi-recreation centre, 18 hole golf course, and a Transport Canada certified airport.

The Position

The Position reports to the Chief Administrative Officer. Direct reports to the position include a Planning and Development Officer. The authorities relevant to this position are outlined in the Municipal Government Act and the Town of Slave Lake’s Land Use Bylaw(s). The ideal candidate will possess good technical, communication and organizational skills with a focus on being customer service oriented.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities

• Responsible for managing the development process through administration of the Land Use Bylaw, issuance of development permits, letters of compliance, and performing enforcement duties as pertaining to development issues.
• Advisor to the Municipal Planning Commission, Subdivision & Development Appeal Board, Town Council and other inter-agencies and authorities as pertaining to matters of subdivision and development.
• Represent the Town of Slave Lake on all day-to-day activities relating to planning and development matters, liaison and correspond with agencies, governments, developers and other interested parties.
• Represent the Town at seminars, meetings, or conferences.
• Provide recommendations to Town Council regarding amendments to the Land Use Bylaw.
• Responsible for the administration and management of all statutory documents, studies, reports and manuals that relate to planning and development issues.
• Preparation and management of Development Agreements including coordinating field inspections to verify compliance.
• Administration of all subdivision applications (includes initial consultation with developer, review of subdivision and development plans, overseeing the subdivision referral process, and preparation of planning reports for the Subdivision Authority).
• Overseeing the planning and undertaking of land use studies for the Town and or joint planning studies with neighboring municipalities.
• Coordinate special planning studies, research projects and investigations as required.
• Responsible for making comment regarding urban fringe subdivision and development referrals.
• Responsible for administering and providing recommendations to Council regarding road closure applications, public land sales and municipal reserve allocation and disposals.
• Responsible for the management of the Land Based Filing system and provision of administrative support for geographic information services.
• Supervision of staff and contract employees as related to the department.
• Provide orientation and training to employees within the department.
• Prepare policies as deemed necessary for adoption by Council.
• Preparation of annual operating and capital budgets and responsibility to remain within the budget parameters throughout the year.
• Preparation of annual service levels for the department as they pertain to the annual budget preparation.
• Ensure municipality is aware of and in compliance with current legislative and related changes affecting land use and municipal planning in Alberta.
• Provide administrative support for economic development strategies for the Town pertaining to land use policies and future development plans.
• Monitors trends, forecasting, issues, ensuring proactive approach to the growth and development of the Town of Slave Lake.
• Adhere to all safety standards under the Occupational Health and Safety Legislation, Town Policies and Procedures and WHMIS Guidelines.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary Degree or Diploma in Land Use Planning, Geography, Regional, Urban, City or Community Planning, or other related disciplines (e.g., Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Urban Studies, Environmental Planning, Sustainability).
• Five (5) to seven (7+) years relevant planning experience in progressive supervisory / leadership roles.
• Municipal experience is desired.
• Strong written communication skills, used in preparing and presenting reports, projects and external messaging.
• Eligibility for Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) membership.
• Experience in project management and coordination.
• Well-developed and demonstrated problem solving and analytical abilities.
• Negotiation skills involving multi-party interests.
• Demonstrated knowledge of planning legislation and regulatory requirements, policies, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of development planning and compliance procedures around Bylaws.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office programs and preferably GIS software.

Equal Opportunity

The Town of Slave Lake is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes that a diverse staff benefits and enriches the work environment and contributes to organizational excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals including candidates from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities.

Compensation

A competitive compensation package commensurate with skills and experience. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.

Confidentiality

In compliance and consistent with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), HumanEdge shall respect the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information provided directly or indirectly verbally, electronically or in print throughout the process of candidate engagement in our search assignments.

Resumes may be submitted in confidence to:

Ken Glover, BSc., RPR
Managing Partner, HumanEdge Global
Phone: 780-902-1174
Email: ken.glover@humanedgeglobal.com
www.humanedgeglobal.com