PROJECT MANAGER (Council Engagement)

City of Toronto•Union, NJ

6d•Onsite

About The Position

To initiate, plan and oversee complex, multi-disciplinary projects to advance of the division's reports to City Council. To provide leadership and expert guidance in coordinating cross-functional partners, managing project timelines, milestones and stage-gates, and ensuring the effective advancement of projects and initiatives identified as priorities for the Division.

Requirements

Post-secondary education in a professional discipline pertinent to the job function combined with relevant experience or an equivalent of education and experience.
Considerable experience in leading complex projects, including developing and implementing project design, schedule, budget, identifying and mitigating project risks, managing deliverables and identifying and achieving outcomes and objectives.
Considerable experience managing City Council relations and engagement functions, and issues management.
Considerable experience managing a large number of projects and/or programs and thriving in a fast-paced creative environment with competing deadlines, multiple tasks and high expectations.
Experience establishing and maintaining effective partnerships with diverse internal and external stakeholders, including negotiating diverse interests to identify and implement solutions that advance project or program objectives.
Strong political and strategic acumen, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and develop recommendations that advance the organization's mandate.
Excellent oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
Strong interpersonal, consensus building, consultation, facilitation and negotiation skills.

Nice To Haves

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve.
Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request.

Responsibilities

Provides project management support for Council and Committee agenda items, ensuring compliance with corporate reporting requirements, timelines, and approval processes.
Collaborates with divisional subject matter experts and corporate partners to gather information, assess impacts, and develop recommendations that support informed decision-making and effective implementation planning.
Maintains systems, tools, and reporting mechanisms to monitor the status of Council-directed initiatives, identify emerging implementation risks, and support accountability and reporting to senior management.
Develops and implements detailed plans and recommends policies regarding program specific requirements.
Manages assigned projects, ensuring effective teamwork and communication, high standards of work quality and organizational performance and continuous learning.
Conducts research into assigned area ensuring that such research takes into account developments within the field, corporate policies and practices, legislation and initiatives by other levels of government.
Oversees multi-disciplinary team to oversee the delivery of high-quality project management services on divisional projects.
Conducts research, identifies stakeholder requirements and analyzes business processes for opportunities to optimize operational efficiencies, effectiveness and service delivery to clients.
Anticipates, analyzes and identifies organizational and program delivery impacts of emerging issues and activities; recommends innovative divisional solutions using sound professional judgment, conflict resolution and negotiation skills to successfully manage sensitive and controversial matters.
Performs service level adjustment scenarios and participates in meetings which may involve highly confidential strategic, operational or labour relations issues such as restructuring, downsizing, and contracting out.
Responds to emergency and priority situations by anticipating problems, making decisions and deploying appropriate financial and human resources.
Oversees and evaluates the work performance of external service providers with respect to quality, timeline, cost and completion of required tasks.
Identifies and recommends approaches for addressing program/activity gaps and issues, ensuring alignment with other City and divisional priorities and objectives.
Monitors work output, reviews project deliverables and ensures project staff and divisional stakeholders complete assigned deliverables on time, on schedule and on budget and at quality standards.
Develops and implements project control systems, procurement oversight, cost evaluation methodologies, performance evaluation criteria, in accordance with approved corporate policies and guidelines.
Reviews, evaluates and recommends detailed project plans and project deliverables to Director/Manager including the overall scheduling of projects and reports on the status of all subprojects and ensures City obligations are met and are in compliance.
Manages and reports sub-project progress to senior management with respect to technology, staffing level, costs, schedules, and operations.
Prepares, develops and negotiates agreements with suppliers, contractors, other divisions, partner organizations, agencies, and community groups.
Develops and manages requests for proposals/quotations in accordance with the City's policies and procedures and manages evaluation and selection processes and contracts with suppliers.
Ensures compliance with contractual agreements, project charters and legislative requirements.
Manages contentious issues regarding projects, ensuring follow up documentation, corrective action and implementation of preventative strategies.
Negotiates and implements innovative solutions to complex project challenges involving multiple stakeholders to achieve assigned objectives.
Develops, coordinates and approves effective communication activities for all levels of staff in the division to ensure the strategic plan is widely understood and paramount in all strategic and day-to-day decision-making.
Communicates any potential situations of political and/or media attention; makes recommendation on course of action and ensures the Director/Manager is apprised of issues impacting the service delivery of the project and any potential impact on divisional operations.
Conducts and/or coordinates appropriate training and communication to staff undertaken with respect to events/projects policies and procedures and making revisions as necessary.
Ensures the quality of work and service meets corporate and divisional standards and employees are trained to perform work in compliance with all legislative regulations that apply.
Represents the division in meetings with a wide and diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, City Divisions, community groups, agencies, senior staff, and elected officials.
Cultivates and retains strategic relationships with corporate representatives, media partners, local businesses, politicians from three levels of government and internal senior level management.
Develops briefing notes and reports to senior management, Committees and Council.