The Corporation of the Town of Orangeville
invites applications for the position of
Senior Climate and Sustainability Specialist
Infrastructure Services Department
(Full-time position, 35 hours per week)
Located on the north-west edge of the Greater Toronto Area, less than one hour’s drive from Toronto and yet only moments away from the unspoiled, natural beauty of the Niagara Escarpment, the Town of Orangeville (“Town”) offers an excellent combination of location, small town charm and urban amenities. Situated in the picturesque natural setting of the Hills of Headwaters, Orangeville is home to over 30,000 residents and is the largest urban community and regional service centre within the County of Dufferin. Orangeville is a great place to raise a family, with an excellent quality of life and a strong sense of community. The Town is committed to a value based, thriving and collaborative work environment that supports our employees’ success. Our employees are passionate about delivering high-quality programs and services to our residents and are proud to contribute to making Orangeville one of the exceptional places to live in Canada.
The Town has a full-time opportunity available for the position of Senior Climate & Sustainability Specialist. This position develops, implements and manages the strategic approach to environmental engagement and investment that is aligned with the Town’s initiatives in meeting the challenges of climate change. The position works with numerous stakeholders (internal and external) to research, develop, propose, and implement policies, strategies and measures aimed at environmental sustainability and reducing the negative effects of climate change.
Job Duties:
- Developments and/or implements initiatives such as Community Energy Plan Updates; Conservation Demand Management Plan Updates; climate mitigation and adaptation; green development standards; Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan Updates, identifying potential flood zones and proposed solutions; and updates to stormwater criteria adapt to climate change.
- Identifies issues, provides analysis and examines input from various sources and stakeholders to develop and implement programs and policies; develops technical and policy information and provides advice to Committees, Council, Departments, agencies and the public; develops and promotes changes to reduce long-term Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) emissions for the municipality; research and analysis for the purpose of implementing GHG emission reduction initiatives by developing and leading education programs, preparing a GHG inventory, organizing stakeholder consultations and policy research, etc.; and works with key staff to identify actions and projects to reduce the Town’s environmental footprint.
- Develops and advances Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plans; manages and leads aspects of the Town’s urban forestry program, including completion and maintenance of a tree inventory and developing plans to enhance the Town’s urban forest.
- Develops strategies and initiatives for future requirements related to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change; acts as a resource for other departments in implementing improvement projects; and oversees and monitors the implementation of mitigative measures resulting from investigations and conducts periodic follow-up.
- Develops and leads the Town through the Stormwater Management Program, including implementation and monitoring of the conditions identified in the stormwater Consolidated Linear Infrastructure Environmental Compliance Approval (CLI-ECA).
- Develops, manages, and delivers educational programs to raise awareness on the impacts of climate change and potential solutions; reviews and/or develops by-laws, policies and guidelines related to environmental matters; reviews and provides expertise as a subject matter expert on a variety of projects; prepares technical presentations and presents at conferences, workshops, committees and various levels of government.
- Provides leadership on the implementation of low-impact development elements such as bio-swales, rain gardens, exfiltration and infiltration galleries; leads, monitors and administers the Town’s Stormwater Management Program and works with staff to initiate reviews and studies for the possible implementation of stormwater management fees.
- Identifies opportunities for funding, leads the application process for pilot projects, and leads the development and implementation and monitoring, guiding stakeholders in identifying potential funding and incentives for climate change or sustainability; reviews technical documents and development applications to ensure environmental requirements and commitments are included, providing advice and guidance on issues related to the protection of natural habitats in efforts to sustain and enhance biodiversity; prepares tender packages/RFPs and participates in evaluation of bids; makes recommendations to the Manager on the awarding of contracts; and carries out the implementation, evaluation, and completion of the contracts.
- Reviews best practices in other municipalities for the purpose of co-ordinating climate adaptation initiatives and public education programs; organizes stakeholder consultations; develops and implements plans to reduce impact of municipal practices and projects; and prepares reports and presentations for senior management and Council for approval of various initiatives.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Post-secondary degree/diploma in Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change, or
- post-secondary graduate degree in Environmental Science, Bio-resource; Environmental Management or Climate and Environmental Change Science & Policy; or
- the equivalent in combined education and experience.
- Registration or eligible for registration with the Ontario Association of Civil Engineering Technicians and Technologists as a Certified Engineering Technologist (CET).
- Minimum five (5) years of related experience in the environmental field; specifically, climate change, sustainability and/or asset management.
- Valid Class G driver’s license.
- Knowledge of the Environmental Protection Act, Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, Ontario Water Resources Act, Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Act, Drainage Act, Environmental Assessment Act, etc.
- Knowledge of analysis and research techniques in environmental sustainability, preferably within climate change including methodology and tools used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- Ability to identify emerging trends and develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change; good organizational, project management, and report writing skills; ability to work independently with minimal supervision; understanding of climate change issues, asset management, sustainable development, construction and reconstruction within the context of municipal government, and strong research and analytical skills.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills and ability to effectively communicate with all levels of an organization, senior levels of government, Council, and the public.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office and working knowledge of software such as ArcGIS.
Successful candidates will be required to complete a background check, including but not limited to a Criminal Record Check, in accordance with the duties of this position.
Salary Range: $83,476.30 to $97,655.46, Band 10 on the Town’s 2024 Pay Grid (currently under review), plus a comprehensive benefits package
Qualified candidates are invited to submit their resumes, in confidence, to Sarah Mayer, Co-ordinator, Human Resources, no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, November 11, 2024. Applications may be submitted online, or in person to the Town Hall located at 87 Broadway. Please do not email your application.
To select the best candidates to serve the Town of Orangeville and its people, several screening tools, including Police Record Checks are required as part of the hiring process for some employment or volunteer positions. When requested, applicants are required to provide a Police Record Check as a condition of their offer of employment. Police Record Checks must be dated within three (3) months of the employment offer to be considered valid. The specific type of Police Record Check required will be indicated in the job posting qualifications.
The Town of Orangeville is an equal opportunity employer. Accommodations are available for all parts of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance. By submitting your personal information to the Town of Orangeville, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of that information in connection with our recruitment, hiring and/or employment processes. Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, as amended, and will be used to determine the qualifications for employment with the Town of Orangeville. Questions about this collection should be directed to the Manager, Human Resources at 87 Broadway, Orangeville, Ontario L9W 1K1.