Executive Director, Engineering & Planning

Town of Cochrane • Cochrane, AB

19h • Onsite

About The Position

Cochrane is seeking a bold, visionary leader to serve as its Executive Director, Engineering & Planning. This principal strategic advisor to the CAO and Town Council will orchestrate Cochrane’s long-term growth by integrating technical engineering standards with statutory planning processes. The role is for a high-caliber professional adept at navigating complex political and community-facing challenges, inspiring a high-performing, multidisciplinary team, and fostering a culture that preserves Cochrane’s unique community character. The Town believes that world-class infrastructure is built on collaborative leadership and camaraderie. The ideal candidate brings technical precision and the interpersonal skills to nurture relationships between the organization and the community. As a key architect of the town’s physical evolution, this role champions a high-impact portfolio including complex development portfolios, Engineering, Land Use Planning, and Asset Management, directly shaping the landscape of one of Alberta’s most dynamic and fastest-growing communities. Cochrane is evolving at an unprecedented pace, creating a consequential environment for an executive leader to leave a visible, lasting mark. By joining the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the individual will not just manage a department but design the future of a community where proximity to urban amenities meets a connected, outdoor lifestyle.

Requirements

• University Degree in Engineering, Urban Planning, Urban Design, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience within a municipal or complex public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated success at a senior management or executive level in managing large-scale capital programs and navigating complex development portfolios within a high-growth municipal environment.
• Masterful management of development pressure through the strategic application of off-site levy frameworks, servicing agreements, phasing strategies, and the implementation of land use bylaws.
• Advanced proficiency in navigating Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (MGA) to lead sophisticated statutory planning processes (MDPs/ASPs) and long-range community policy.
• Advanced proficiency in utilizing asset management data and financial modeling to optimize the long-term stewardship of municipal infrastructure and justify multi-year capital investment strategies to Council.
• Exceptional ability to navigate and influence regional partners, provincial bodies, and neighboring municipalities to proactively advance the Town’s interests.
• Sophisticated ability to design and lead transparent, community-centered engagement frameworks that successfully align diverse public interests with the Town's strategic planning and urban design goals.
• Exceptional ability to foster trust and camaraderie through the articulation of a compelling vision that motivates multidisciplinary teams, ensures alignment with Council priorities, and maintains professional credibility during high-stakes community and political conversations.
• Proven capacity to lead, mentor, and empower high-performing, multidisciplinary teams of engineering and planning professionals within a collaborative, accountability-based public-sector environment.
• Immediate eligibility for professional registration in Alberta as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with APEGA or a Registered Professional Planner (RPP/MCIP) with APPI.
• Professional standing to serve as a "Responsible Member" under APEGA’s Permit to Practice (if a P.Eng.) or the ability to oversee designated Responsible Members (if an RPP).
• Possession of a valid Alberta Driver’s License (or equivalent) to facilitate regional and site-specific oversight.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), or a related graduate-level field.
• Evidence of ongoing executive-level leadership training that supports strategic agility and organizational positioning.

Responsibilities

• Orchestrate sophisticated growth management and long-range statutory planning including MDPs, ASPs, and Land Use Bylaws to preserve our unique community character for the next two decades.
• Safeguard the long-term financial and physical health of the community through executive oversight of complex development portfolios, multi-year capital programs, and advanced asset management.
• Serve as a primary strategic advocate in intergovernmental forums, navigating the intersections of political and technical complexities to influence relationships with Rocky View County and the City of Calgary.
• Mentor a high-performing multidisciplinary team in a culture rooted in camaraderie, professional excellence, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Serve as the principal strategic advisor to the CAO and Council, translating complex technical data into actionable policy recommendations.
• Champion organizational change and drive continuous improvement by establishing departmental performance metrics that ensure operational transparency and public service excellence through cross-functional cooperation and a culture of camaraderie.
• Direct the development and implementation of sophisticated statutory frameworks, including Municipal Development Plans (MDPs), Area Structure Plans (ASPs) and Land Use bylaws.
• Lead the strategic oversight of complex development portfolios and serve as the lead negotiator for high-stakes developer agreements, servicing arrangements, and off-site levy strategies.
• Utilize advanced proficiency in asset management data and financial modeling to optimize long-term stewardship and justify multi-year capital investment strategies.
• Oversee the strategic planning, budgeting, and successful delivery of high-value municipal infrastructure projects.
• Direct the lifecycle management of all municipal infrastructure by prioritizing teamwork and professional cooperation across multidisciplinary teams.
• Navigate and influence complex relationships with regional partners, including Rocky View County, the City of Calgary, and provincial bodies.
• Maintain corporate accountability for APEGA’s Permit to Practice and ensure 100% compliance with the Alberta Municipal Government Act (MGA).
• Exercise fiscal oversight of departmental budgets while directing workforce planning and succession initiatives.
• Lead high-tension community engagements and public consultations with professional diplomacy and a solutions-focused approach.
• Lead, mentor, and empower a multidisciplinary team of professionals, fostering a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, transparency, and continuous professional growth.

Benefits

• Annual salary of $185,731 – $203,840
• Executive Leadership Team position
• Standard 35-hour week, with anticipation of an executive schedule including evening council meetings and emergency response oversight.

What This Job Offers

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