Community and Business Relations Strategist

About The City of Calgary

If you are committed to public service, enjoy collaborating with others, share our values and have a desire to learn and grow, join The City of Calgary. City employees deliver the services, run the programs and operate the facilities which make a difference in our community. We support work-life balance, promote physical and psychological safety, and offer competitive wages, pensions, and benefits. Together we make Calgary a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life.

The City is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace which is representative of the community we serve. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and reconciliation. Applications are encouraged from members of groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. Accommodations are available during the hiring process, upon request.

The Role of Community and Business Relations Strategist

As a Community and Business Relations Strategist, you will support ongoing and upcoming work in active construction delivery as well as project development, including for the Bearspaw South Feeder Main projects. In this role, you will support client projects by building positive relationships and trust with interest holders and addressing the interests and concerns of businesses, communities, and organizations in project planning, design, and construction. You will be responsible for developing strategic approaches and providing tactical support.

Primary Duties

• Undertake research and analysis to develop and implement strategies to address interest holder perspectives in the planning and delivery of projects.
• Act as The City contact with external interest holders, and build and maintain trusting relationships with businesses, members of the community and other interested parties.
• Promote and support opportunities for interests of both external parties and City project teams to be addressed in the planning and delivery of projects.
• Plan and host outreach activities to build relationships, enhance understanding of project plans and construction impacts, identify issues and concerns, and help affected parties prepare for change.
• Manage interest holder issues logs and work to actively solve problems and advocate for timely and balanced resolution of issues and concerns.
• Assess potential impacts of project plans and construction programs on interest holders and develop and implement strategies to mitigate, minimize or manage impacts.
• Develop and implement strategic outreach approaches to assist businesses and communities in preparing for change and managing potential impacts of infrastructure projects.
• Perform regular project construction site visits to identify opportunities to maintain and improve interest holder experience and provide input to inform the development of potential business and community support initiatives.

Qualifications

• A degree in Public Relations, Public Engagement, Communications, Community Development, International Studies, Psychology, Planning, Geography, Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience working directly with members of the public, interest holder engagement, or related experience is required.
• A valid Class 5 Driver's License (or provincial equivalent) and access to a personal vehicle for business use OR the ability to obtain a City of Calgary operator's permit is required.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills and the ability to analyze and synthesize information.
• Success in this role requires strong relationship building, analytical, problem solving, and strategic thinking skills as well as the ability to prioritize, build consensus among internal/external partners and influence without authority.

Working Conditions

Office environment with regular client and site visits. Must be physically able to walk and perform regular and sometimes prolonged project site visits and community outreach.

Pre-employment Requirements

Successful applicants must provide proof of qualifications.

Workstyle

This position may be eligible to work from home for at least part of the time as one of several flexible work options available to City employees. These arrangements depend on the operational requirements of the role, employee suitability, and are subject to change based on operational needs and corporate direction.

Pre-employment Drug Test

An offer of employment for this position will be conditional on an applicant passing a pre-employment drug test. This test assesses for use of drugs including cannabis. Failure to pass a pre-employment drug test may prevent an applicant from being hired into any safety sensitive position for a period of up to twelve months.

Key skills/competency

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Community Relations
• Strategic Communications
• Issue Resolution
• Project Impact Assessment
• Public Outreach
• Negotiation Skills
• Relationship Building
• Analytical Thinking
• Consensus Building