As the Business Strategist, you will work independently within a cross-divisional setting to support The City of Calgary’s Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater service lines. You will coordinate and support an evolving governance model to deliver on its newly formed mandate, provide strategic support in a complex multi-stakeholder environment and be a connector and bridge builder on various issues and topics. You will use your expertise and ability to support planning and reporting, foster strong cross-divisional collaboration, and drive continuous improvement initiatives; enabling the Water Utility to deliver on identified One Calgary priorities and provide the services that Calgarian’s value. You will respectfully challenge the status quo to identify new avenues to explore, while considering diverse perspectives along the way. Work with leadership at various levels to enhance systems and processes to plan, report and communicate on behalf of Water Utility. Primary duties include:
• Work with leadership at various levels to enhance systems and processes to plan, report and communicate on behalf of Water Utility.
• Coordinate and support Water Utility service governance. This may include facilitating agendas and discussions, managing action items, ensuring communication between governance teams, and supporting other needs as they emerge for diverse working groups.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to understand and resolve business issues and identify opportunities for cross-divisional improvements.
• Build strategic working relationships with various participants across the business to support the planning, coordination, and alignment of initiatives.
• Provide innovative, critical, and systems thinking to identify solutions to cross-service line challenges, while maintaining a focus on end-user engagement.
• Work with leadership to prepare reports and communications for a variety of audiences, including committees and council, such as reports on trends, impacts, financial projections, changing stakeholder and client needs.
Qualifications
• A degree in Business, Science, Social Sciences, Environmental Planning, Public Administration, Marketing or Communications.
• At least 5 years of related experience in strategic planning, communications planning, policy and guideline development, or primary and secondary research in a Water Utility or a complex multi-divisional organization.
• Experience in project management, process improvement and change management in utility or other operational work environments is considered an asset.
• Previous experience with human centered design and design thinking will also be an asset.
• Proven abilities to lead administrative tasks related to governance teams (i.e. records management on key decisions, minutes, meeting logistics, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to self-direct and self-govern in terms of professional conduct and application of corporate policies and procedures. This position is expected to have a high degree of corporate sensitivity and to be aware when decision makers need to be advised or consulted when issues arise.
• Strong writing, communication, analytical and strategic thinking skills required to create clear and compelling plans and reports through papers, presentations, and key messages.
• Business and political acumen skills to understand policy development in the context of Utility and Corporate priorities and change initiatives.
• Well-developed consultation, analytical and strategic thinking skills are required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work as part of a team and to build and maintain collaborative working relationships.
