Team Lead, Customer and Community Relations

CityofOttawa • Ottawa, ON

5d • CA$95,128 - CA$120,309 • Onsite

About The Position

The mandate of the Transit Customer Systems and Planning Service is to provide customer service, service planning, and technology and control systems support for OC Transpo, geared to providing excellence in customer service delivery to 100 million transit customers per year by means of conventional bus, para transit and rail operations. Transit Customer Service is responsible for delivering a broad range of program areas and services related to Marketing/Branding, Sponsorship/Advertising, Customer Service, Information, Fare Sales and Operations, Community Relations, and Internal Communications.

You are responsible to lead a small group of professional and technical staff in all Customer and Community Relations activities including management of social media, live service information, customer alerts, correspondence, relations with Councillors’ offices, accessibility, charters, outreach, and events for OC Transpo and Para Transpo. Within the assigned area of responsibility, the Team Lead is the City’s chief technical specialist, supervisor, mentor, and relationship manager for the group.

As the chief technical specialist, you provide expert advice and project manage all Transit programs, projects and services that fall within Customer and Community Relations, including the development and delivery, technical accuracy and evaluation stages.

You are responsible for: establishing and maintaining positive client relationships with internal and external management; leading teams in investigating complex customer service issues raised by members of the public, directly to OC Transpo or through Councillors or the Mayor’s office; developing policies, procedures and tools; and ensuring that the information communicated to the Mayor, Councillors, customers, Transportation Services staff and the general public is consistent, effective, accurate and up to date.

As the relationship manager, you are responsible for establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships and positive client relationships with internal and external management, Councillors’ offices, stakeholders and managing consultants/contractors/suppliers. You provide strategic input to the Program Manager regarding dissemination of information on key communications issues and resolution of complex customer issues.

As leader and mentor, you advocate for and demonstrate behaviours to your team members that support principles of teamwork, respect, service excellence and professionalism. You work in a fast-paced unionized work environment that is customer focused and encourages performance excellence.

Requirements

• Completion of 4 year degree in communications, journalism or public relations, or related field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the field of communications, customer service, public relations, journalism, marketing and/or media relations
• General knowledge of the City of Ottawa and of corporate and departmental policies and procedures
• Current trends and developments in the communications techniques, practices, electronic media, and public/media relations
• Planning and development of strategic, consultative and communications strategies and plans
• Research, trend analysis and risk assessment
• Public consultation processes
• Working knowledge of corporate human resource policies, practices and collective agreements, and Human resource and motivational techniques for managing in a unionized environment, including employee recruitment, supervision, training, performance management, coaching/motivational, team-building and conflict resolution, evaluation, discipline, dismissal, and the grievance procedure
• Effective use of rich media for communications
• Effective communication tactics and techniques using traditional and web-based channels
• Current trends in communications industry and techniques
• Communications strategies and risk management
• Engagement best practices
• Local and current events impacting Transit Services
• Microsoft Office suite and software such as the Adobe Creative Cloud
• Photography and videography
• Must be familiar with all applicable health and safety legislation, have knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the work place, and have knowledge of appropriate actions to be taken in order to ensure the health and safety of staff in accordance with applicable legislation and City policies and procedures
• Designated Bilingual – specific level of language proficiency: French: oral, reading, writing English: oral, reading, writing
• Must complete a Criminal Records and Judicial Matters Check (Level 2) with the Police Services in their jurisdiction to the City of Ottawa’s satisfaction.

Nice To Haves

• Experience and formal training combined with demonstrated performance and ability may substitute for stipulated academic requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small group of professional and technical staff in all Customer and Community Relations activities including management of social media, live service information, customer alerts, correspondence, relations with Councillors’ offices, accessibility, charters, outreach, and events for OC Transpo and Para Transpo.
• Provide expert advice and project manage all Transit programs, projects and services that fall within Customer and Community Relations, including the development and delivery, technical accuracy and evaluation stages.
• Establish and maintain positive client relationships with internal and external management.
• Lead teams in investigating complex customer service issues raised by members of the public, directly to OC Transpo or through Councillors or the Mayor’s office.
• Develop policies, procedures and tools.
• Ensure that the information communicated to the Mayor, Councillors, customers, Transportation Services staff and the general public is consistent, effective, accurate and up to date.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships and positive client relationships with internal and external management, Councillors’ offices, stakeholders and managing consultants/contractors/suppliers.
• Provide strategic input to the Program Manager regarding dissemination of information on key communications issues and resolution of complex customer issues.
• Advocate for and demonstrate behaviours to your team members that support principles of teamwork, respect, service excellence and professionalism.

Benefits

• The City of Ottawa promotes the principles of diversity and inclusion and adheres to the tenets of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from members of Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women and non-binary persons, persons of all ethnic origins, religions, sexual orientations, classes, gender identities and expressions.
• The City of Ottawa provides accommodation to applicants during all parts of the hiring process, upon request.
• Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request.

What This Job Offers

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