DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING

Fundy Regional Service Commission – Corporate Office – Permanent Full Time

The Fundy Regional Service Commission is situated in South Central New Brunswick and encompasses seven communities: Fundy-St. Martins, Grand Bay-Westfield, Hampton, Quispamsis, Rothesay, Saint John and the Fundy Rural District. We are committed to responsible service delivery that provides equitable access to programs and services for residents across the region. In our work, we are driven by a vision of inspiring collaborative excellence, building resilient communities, and delivering valuable outcomes. With the Commission’s newly expanded mandate, we oversee a broad range of regional services including: Solid Waste Management, Community Planning & Building Inspection Services, Regional Public Safety, Regional Transportation, Community Development, Regional Facilities and Economic Development & Tourism Promotion.

Located in Saint John, New Brunswick and reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING is a member of the Commission’s senior leadership team, and will lead complex regional planning initiatives to establish, plan, and achieve the Region’s medium and long-term vision for growth and development. You will manage projects in a multi-stakeholder environment internal and external to the organization, working collaboratively with the various communities, businesses, developers and public within the Fundy Region. Provide independent professional planning recommendations and expertise on complex studies, planning applications, and Regional Plan’s and fulfill Regional and Provincial approval authority responsibilities under the Community Planning Act. While the portfolio supports land-use planning, the role is expected to contribute and lead in other fields, including demographic, social, economic, facility and transportation planning. In 2024, this role oversees the following roles: Senior Building Inspector, Temporary Development Officer, and Temporary By-Law Enforcement.

Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities would include but not be limited to:

• Delivering community value in medium- and long-term planning.
• Develop, monitor and update of rural plans, subdivision bylaws and other bylaws.
• Oversee the development of needs assessments, asset maps, gap analysis and other investigative tools.
• Coordinate and synthesizes information from multiple disciplines; reviews, assesses, and provides independent professional recommendations, such as land use and planning policy, housing, source water protection, transportation, development, and environmental stewardship.
• Provide planning guidance and regulatory navigation to landowners, non-profit organizations, and developers in the pursuit of their development objectives.
• Act as the primary lead and develop recommendation to the Planning Review and Adjustment Committee, and uphold expectations as outlined through the Commission’s bylaws and provincial legislation.
• Prepare briefings advising senior management and elected officials on strategic matters faced by the Fundy Region. Develop and present reports to the Commission’s committees, Board, partners, and local councils.
• Develop and oversee various public and stakeholder engagement initiatives, upholding the highest level of inclusiveness and transparency, while building lasting community relationships and formulating recommendations.
• Establish goals and targets in the delivery of community planning and building inspection services for the Fundy Region, monitoring progress, and offering regular reporting.
• Build and maintain professional relationships with municipal staff, customers, developers, and other stakeholders.
• Oversee and administer budgets for the Community Planning and Building Inspection Department, projects, and programs.
• Work closely with other local planning departments within the Fundy Region and planning expertise within other regional service commissions.
• Proactively seek-out partnership with regional partners and provincial departments, to leverage expertise and funding to support the delivery of the Commission’s mandate.
• Support day-to-day operations of the community planning service.
• Develop and maintain community planning and building inspection service information management system.
• Support other responsibilities assigned by the Chief Executive Officer.

Qualifications

Education, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Post-secondary degree in Urban, Community, or Regional Planning or related fields.
• Current designation as a Registered Professional Planner and membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners.
• Knowledge of planning theory, research methods, and planning-related legislation.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience as a registered professional planner.
• Knowledge of the Community Planning Act and other planning-related legislation, regulations, policy statements, and guidelines in a public sector environment.
• Knowledge of other related legislation (e.g., Clean Water Act), implementation guidelines, zoning by-laws, and procedures.
• Critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills, using a balance of technical skill, creativity, and reasonability.
• Experience overseeing large-projects, public engagement initiatives and a broad-range exposure in local and regional planning.
• Experience in delivering customer service excellence in a professional planning setting.
• Knowledge of statistical analysis techniques.
• Ability to manage multi-stakeholder projects to successful completion, and plan and prioritize work in response to conflicting demands.
• Experience in human resources, facilitation, negotiation, mediation, and conflict resolution.
• Exceptional communicator and writer, with an ability to effectively use communications tools to forge relationships and build understanding.
• Computer skills using software such as MS Office, databases, GIS, and data management programs.
• Considered a decided asset would be – written and verbal communication skills in both official languages.

Work With Us

Naturally we are very proud of our employees, stakeholders and the culture that exists within the Commission, and as such, we look to the successful candidate to build on the current culture that supports effective teamwork, professionalism, and customer service excellence, with energy and enthusiasm.

The salary range for this role is currently set between $95,000 and $105,000, and includes a competitive benefits package.

If you are interested in joining and helping lead a dedicated team, please submit a cover letter and resume to csilhanek@fundyregion.ca no later than 4:00 pm on Monday, December 18th, 2023. We thank all interested applicants; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

For more information on the Fundy Regional Service Commission please visit www.FundyRegion.ca