City of Kitchener Careers

Parks Planning & Development Project Manager

Competition Number

2024-334

Job Code

1379

Posting Date

October 17, 2024

Closing Date

November 4, 2024 (at 6:00pm)

Job Status

Permanent Full-Time

The City of Kitchener is a vibrant and dynamic city of approximately 292,000, 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:

It is an exciting time to be part of the Development and Housing Approvals team at the City of Kitchener! As the fastest growing community in Canada last year, we work with the development industry to deliver new great places where our community members live, work, and play. We are seeking a dynamic and innovative team player to join our team to negotiate new parks, urban greens, open spaces, public spaces and trails through the development review process. The City of Kitchener believes that a variety of dynamic spaces are the fabric on which community is built.

We are looking for a Parks Planning & Development Project Manager to help meet the opportunity of ensuring the Kitchener’s growing and changing community continues to have access to high quality new parks, urban greens, open spaces, public spaces and trails. This role will provide leadership and direction to help ensure that negotiations through the development application process will shape quality spaces for our residents and communities.

Responsibilities:

You Are:

• Able to develop and implement policy and process.
• Can think innovatively about new parks, urban amenity areas, open spaces privately owned public spaces (POPS) and trails and see opportunity for connection between various interests.
• A project manager who can lead multiple projects with a range of scope and scale.
• A collaborative team player able to work across divisions and departments.

You will:

• Review development applications and provide design comments for related new parks, urban amenity areas, open spaces, POPS and trails.
• Coordinate with various departments and groups to represent the City’s interests on various development projects.
• Work closely with the City’s urban design team in providing design advice and review of POPS through the site plan process.
• Develop Kitchener’s first ever POPS standard and guidelines in consultation with the community and development industry.
• Be the Project Manager to oversee the development of the City’s first ever Parkland Acquisition Strategy.
• Contribute to exciting projects and initiatives on behalf of the Development and Housing Approvals team.
• Calculate required parkland dedication for all development applications.

You might be interested in this role if:

• You have a passion for connecting people with their outdoor environment.
• You are committed to high standards of public space design and understand municipal planning process and legislation as they apply to new parks, urban amenity areas, open spaces, POPS and trails.
• You are experienced in parks and open space projects in an urban context.
• You thrive in a fast paced environment.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Must have the ability to support and project values compatible with the organization.
• 4-year Honors degree in Landscape Architecture or an associated field.
• Full professional membership of OALA OR Registered Professional Planner Designation with full membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners.
• A minimum of 4-7 years' relevant experience in planning or a related field.
• Candidates that demonstrate experience in the development and delivery of parks and open space projects in a municipal or similar setting preferred.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing a broad range of complex and high-profile projects with multidisciplinary issues and extensive community engagement.
• Experience providing expert testimony before the Ontario Land Tribunal.
• Experience interacting with media including interviews relative to complex and controversial matters.
• Strong analytical, facilitation and negotiation skills to formulate a compelling planning opinion based on a thorough and critical analysis of issues, supporting policy framework, consideration for community feedback and negotiation with the proponent as necessary to make a recommendation in the public interest.
• Advanced knowledge of and the ability to interpret Planning law (Provincial Planning Act, Policy Statement and Places to Grow), Regional Policy, City Policy and By-laws, and Planning principles and practices.
• Demonstrated innovation and creativity in planning methodologies, engagement and facilitating successful planning outcomes.
• Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills with a strong focus on customer service and messaging complex planning matters in plain language.
• Must have strong organizational and file management skills to manage a portfolio of multiple complex development applications and projects on an on-going basis.
• Must be comfortable in high pressure situations and demonstrate agility in adapting to an evolving planning framework and community expectations.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills with a demonstrated ability to manage community engagement on controversial development applications with empathy and transparency to foster trust in the planning process.
• Demonstrated strong applied computer skills with emphasis in Microsoft Office programs as well as adaptability skills for use of Bluebeam, AMANDA, Adobe Photoshop and other similar programs.
• Reliable with a good attitude and employment record.
• Valid MTO G class driver's license in good standing.

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 [email protected], 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."

Department

Development Services

Division

Development and Housing Approvals

Union Affiliation

CUPE 791

Number of Positions

1

Hours of Work

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Location

Initial Location

City Hall 

City

Kitchener

Compensation

Salary Range

effective Nov 1, 2024: $91,885 - $114,856 

Grade/Band

10 (under review)