Community Engagement Officer

City of Mississauga•Mississauga, ON

4d•CA$72,555 - CA$96,741•Onsite

About The Position

Join Us in Building a Safer, More Compassionate Community Are you passionate about animals, people, and creating meaningful connections? Do you thrive in community spaces—schools, parks, neighbourhood events—where every conversation can spark awareness and positive change? As a Community Engagement Officer, you’ll be the friendly, knowledgeable face of Animal Services, helping residents feel informed, supported, and empowered. You’ll design and deliver education and outreach programs in community and shelter settings, promoting responsible pet ownership, wildlife coexistence, and community safety. In this role, you’ll also support compliance by providing guidance, connecting residents to resources, and addressing by-law concerns, using a progressive approach to encourage understanding, accountability, and positive animal welfare outcomes. This is your chance to shape how Mississauga learns about responsible pet ownership, wildlife coexistence, and community safety—while making a real difference every single day. If you’re energized by outreach, inspired by diversity, and motivated by purpose, we’d love to welcome you to our team.

Requirements

Post-secondary education in Communications, Community Engagement, Education, Public Relations, Animal Welfare, or a related field.
3–5 years of experience in public education, outreach, enforcement, program coordination, or community-facing service.
Demonstrated ability to engage diverse communities using inclusive, culturally responsive, equity‑based approaches.
Strong knowledge of animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, wildlife coexistence, and relevant legislation.
Exceptional communication skills, including confident public speaking and strong written communication.
Experience planning and delivering community events, workshops, or school programs.
Proficiency with digital engagement tools, social media, and content creation software (e.g., Canva).
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving abilities.
Project management experience with the ability to coordinate multiple initiatives.
Data literacy, including interpreting dashboards, surveys, and analytics tools.
Knowledge of privacy, confidentiality, and MFIPPA requirements.
Advanced conflict resolution, mediation, and de‑escalation skills.
Ability to work independently in the field with sound judgment and situational awareness.
Valid Ontario Class G driver’s licence and willingness to travel throughout the city.
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

Nice To Haves

Experience and applied knowledge in animal control, by‑law enforcement, or law enforcement preferred.
Experience with volunteer coordination, media relations, or working with domestic animals/wildlife is an asset.
Multilingual abilities are an asset.

Responsibilities

Create and deliver engaging programs on responsible pet ownership, dog bite safety, wildlife coexistence, and emergency preparedness.
Tailor presentations and materials for diverse audiences, including children, seniors, newcomers, and multilingual communities.
Develop accessible content for print, digital, and social media platforms.
Support school programming, staff training, and integration of education into shelter and enforcement operations.
Conduct neighbourhood canvassing to engage residents, share information, and promote awareness and compliance.
Participate in pet licensing compliance and enforcement activities as needed.
Build strong, trust‑based relationships with residents, community groups, schools, and partner agencies.
Serve as a visible, approachable ambassador at events, neighbourhood activations, and public forums.
Use trauma‑informed, culturally responsive communication during sensitive interactions.
Support media‑sensitive and crisis communications during high‑profile or urgent matters.
Test creative outreach approaches such as mobile activations, pop‑ups, QR‑enabled learning, and interactive digital tools.
Use technology, social media, and data visualization to modernize public education.
Communicate complex topics clearly, respectfully, and with a solutions‑focused mindset.
Ensure all communications meet privacy, confidentiality, and accessibility standards.
Collect and analyze engagement metrics, community feedback, and program data and adjusting and redirecting delivery strategies as needed based on these outcome metrics.
Identify service gaps, emerging needs and areas with low licensing compliance and increased rates of non-compliances.
Maintain accurate records and contribute to reporting, SOP updates, and strategic recommendations.
Coordinate volunteer activities and support meaningful volunteer experiences.
Assist with planning and delivering large‑scale events such as adoption fairs, festivals, and awareness campaigns.
Collaborate with enforcement, shelter operations, and other City divisions to align education with operational priorities.
Support wildlife inspections, emergency preparedness initiatives, and field responses as needed.

Benefits

The City of Mississauga may use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in sourcing and/or screening candidates for some positions; however, it is not used in selecting final candidates.
We thank all who apply, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
You can also check your application status in your candidate profile online.
All personal information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The City of Mississauga is committed to creating a respectful and supportive workplace that fosters a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion which broadly reflects the communities and residents we serve.
Throughout the employee life cycle, the City is working to include an EDI lens to attract, retain and support the growth of diverse talent.
Learn more about the City’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Accommodations
The City of Mississauga is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to removing barriers in our selection process for people with visible and invisible disabilities.
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City of Mississauga will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please complete the following Accommodation Request Form and have it emailed to [email protected] citing the Job ID and Job Title.
This will inform Human Resources of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require in respect of any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation.