Climate Change Coordinator

Town of Whitby

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

In Whitby, we are dedicated to our work, our community, and each other. We work hard, we have fun, and we celebrate our successes. The Town of Whitby is a community in transformation that is located in the heart of Durham Region in the eastern Greater Toronto Area. Whitby is the second-largest municipality in the region and one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada. Located on Lake Ontario and only an hour east of Toronto, the population of Whitby is expected to grow from 140,000 to more than 200,000 by 2031. Whitby’s Official Plan has been updated to establish new directions for Whitby’s planned growth and development; the protection of our natural and built environments; urban design intensification; sustainability; community improvement; and, new employment within this time frame. The Town of Whitby combines a small town atmosphere with the sophistication and amenities of a larger urban centre. Whitby boasts two beautiful heritage downtowns, one of the finest recreational harbours with an award-winning marina, year round sports and recreation activities, parks, trails, and a robust arts and culture scene, all of which are part of the extraordinary amenities that Whitby residents enjoy every day. Whitby has an exciting and aspiring future, with a community that is welcoming, growing and transforming. On our team, you can expect to make a difference through your work and have a direct impact on shaping our growing community. Creating an inclusive environment where employees experience job satisfaction and have rewarding careers is important to us. We live our values and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, respect and engagement where people enjoy coming to work. The Town of Whitby is a hybrid organization. This means staff are empowered to do their best work from various locations, as appropriate for the position. We want to be the preferred employer for the most talented people who care about the Town of Whitby, and are excited and proud to serve our vibrant community. Let’s grow together. The successful candidate will have a positive impact on our corporate culture by demonstrating the Town’s CARE core values (Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful, Engaged) through daily interactions with individuals at all levels of the organization, external contacts and elected officials. By effectively building positive rapport and relationships both internally and externally, the successful candidate will help us achieve our mission that together we deliver services that make a difference in our community. The Climate Change Coordinator reports to the Project Manager of Sustainability and Climate Change and is responsible for supporting the implementation of the climate change programs both mitigation and adaptation for the Town of Whitby to ensure it meets its goals of net zero by 2045 and becomes a complete, healthy and resilient community. Our Sustainability team is looking for an enthusiastic, solutions-oriented team player who takes initiative and thrives on a high-performing team. You are self-motivated, self-starting and utilize a proactive approach to work. You value partnerships. Your excellent communication and interpersonal skills coupled with your experience enables you to skilfully build, establish and maintain positive working relationships. You demonstrate tact, diplomacy and sound discretion when working with a broad range of partners. You bring to the team your strong reasoning, analytical, numerical, research and presentation skills. You have an uncanny ability to see the forest for the trees - you love to research and analyze complex issues, come up to with innovative solutions and formulate data-driven recommendations.

Requirements

• Post-graduate degree (Master’s) in Environmental Science/Studies, Sustainability, Climate Change or closely related field
• Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in environmental planning/management, sustainability, and/or community-based climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Strong knowledge and experience in the areas of GHG emissions reductions, climate change adaptation, sustainable development, and environmental policies
• A demonstrated working knowledge of information systems, including a working level knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Nice To Haves

• A professional designation as an Environmental Professional or LEED Green Associate certification are considered an asset

Responsibilities

• Implement the Climate Emergency Response Plan by executing the Implementation Plans for Phase 1 – Resilience and Phase 2 – Mitigation. This includes monitoring and tracking metrics associated with each action, reporting progress to Council annually, and updating the Plan every five years.
• Carry out the actions outlined in Phase 1 – Resilience Implementation Plan, including the research, development, and implementation of programs, policies and projects, such as: Lead the Climate Emergency Preparedness Strategy by developing and facilitating workshops and creating educational resources focused on flooding, extreme heat and cold, and other severe weather events. Organize and coordinate climate adaptation and sustainability-related events, including workshops, webinars, tree planting initiatives, and outreach programs. Support the development and implementation of the pilot Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program by collaborating with relevant stakeholders and partners.
• Carry out the actions outlined in Phase 2 – Mitigation Implementation Plan, including the research, development, and implementation of programs, policies and projects, such as: Support the implementation of the Whitby Green Standard and other programs aimed at increasing sustainable development, such as community education workshops. Organize and coordinate climate mitigation events, including energy retrofit workshops, webinars, and outreach programs. Implement climate change performance measurement and monitoring protocols, including the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Promote incentive programs to residents for conducting energy retrofits.
• Lead funding applications to support actions of the Phase1 and Phase 2 of the Climate Emergency Response Plan.
• Manage and develop sustainable social media content, including creating posts, event promotions, webpage updates, and newsletter content to engage the community and promote the Town’s sustainability and climate change initiatives.
• Support the reporting on a range of Climate Change and Sustainability designations including Whitby’s Bee City Designation, CDP, Tree Cities of the World, Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, Race to Resiliency, Race to Zero and Global Covenant of Mayors.
• Review and provide technical comment on a range of Federal, Provincial and local policy amendments and proposals.
• Represent the Town on several climate change matters, liaising with internal and external stakeholders, including the public, organizations, businesses, institutions and Town departments and act as Staff Liaison of the Whitby Sustainability Advisory Committee.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• A comprehensive benefits and pension program to ensure that your total compensation package addresses both your work and life needs.
• A hybrid work environment and flexible work arrangements where employees are empowered to do their best work in the way that works for them.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level