POSITION PURPOSE

Reporting to the Director, Sustainability Communications and Innovation, this position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies that promote sustainable practices and enhance the sustainability vision throughout Public Works. Develops and maintains relationships and partnerships internally and with external agencies, regional, provincial, and federal governments. Identifies, assesses, and prioritizes sustainability opportunities and risks and collaborates with functional sustainability leaders to implement sustainable initiatives. Creates metrics and KPIs to track progress and measure success.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborates with partners to lead efforts to integrate sustainable and innovative practices across the department and in the community.
• Work with cross-functional teams to develop and manage sustainability and innovation programs, set measurable goals, and track progress towards achieving sustainability targets.
• Engage with internal and external partners to communicate sustainability efforts and build strong relationships with partners in the industry.
• Leads external partnerships on sustainability and innovation, including the development of partnerships to turn York Region waste into revenue generating products.
• Participates in public-facing community and partner engagement. Prepares materials, presents, and address questions from the public
• Provides advice to teams on innovation, sustainability, and resilience topics, to inform decision-making and fulfill the corporation’s mandate for sustainable waterfront revitalization.
• Leads the development of department innovation and sustainability frameworks to achieve pathways to low-carbon service delivery and capital development activities.
• Leads innovation and sustainability reporting on behalf of the department and as part of corporate reporting.
• Oversees, gathers, and reports on metrics and tools that support innovation and sustainability to inform decision making.
• Assists the Director in preparing, recommending, monitoring, and controlling budget; prepares the business unit annual budget, special project budgets, and work plans.
• Monitors and evaluates service delivery and develops effective and innovative program delivery methodologies to meet mandates, legislation and Branch and Regional program service requirements.
• Conducts research and remains current with the latest sustainability trends and best practices to drive innovation and continuous improvement.
• Participates on or chairs committees, meetings, task forces, work groups and special projects, as directed.
• Responds to customer enquiries directly and/or resolves difficult or highly sensitive complaints either verbally or in writing.
• Provides input to or prepares reports, briefing notes, presentations, statistics, and analysis, for Senior Management, as requested.
• Liaises with provincial and external agencies, local municipalities, etc., to promote the Department’s sustainability and innovation goals and objectives.
• Ensures adherence to the Region’s policies, guidelines and bylaws and manages information in accordance with legislation and corporate standards.
• Manages staff, including recruitment, selection, hiring, scheduling, assigning work, determining training and development needs, coaching, and mentoring, conducting performance appraisals and determining/recommending disciplinary action up to and including dismissal in accordance with collective agreements, Regional policies and practices.
• Ensures that operating staff work in a safe manner and utilize all required health and safety equipment and protective devices and follow all measures and procedures as required by the Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations and Regional policies.
• Support and advance Public Works' cultural transformation as a leading digital utility through a people-centric focus, process improvements, and data-driven insights.
• Continue to develop individual and team's digital skills, building internal capacity to reinforce and advance department's digital priorities.
• Promotes the code of conduct, Regional values and HR policies with all staff of the section.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet Departmental goals and program/service objectives.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Successful completion of a University Degree or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum five (5) years demonstrated experience in sustainability management or related role including demonstrated minimum of two (2) years of direct supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant Legislation, Standards, Acts and Regulations.
• Knowledge in sustainability and innovation practices and strategies aimed at achieving long-term sustainability across the department's operations, supply chain, products, and services.
• Ability to demonstrate the Region’s leadership and corporate core competencies.
• Supervisory and human resource management skills, knowledge of collective agreement administration and interpretation, labour relations principles and practices and relevant employment legislation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to connect with a range of internal and external stakeholders while focusing on fostering collaborative work relationships.
• Strong communication, influencing and presentation skills with a strong customer focus and experience with change management practices.
• Financial acumen and ability to synthesize data and present recommendations and financial impact to senior leadership team
• Strong report writing, research, analytical and project management skills to meet program objectives and work to tight deadlines.
• Advanced skills in MS Office Suite including the use of virtual platforms for conducting meetings and/or presentations.
• Strong leadership to proactively engage in accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, committing to and taking action to contribute to a more accessible, diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace
• Ability to work independently and with teams and with ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to travel to offsite locations, as required.
• Ability to work outside regular hours, as required.

Please apply online by 5:00PM EST of the closing date indicated above.

All employment opportunities are recorded on a 24-Hour Career Line and may be accessed by calling 1-877-464-9675 ext. 75508. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please be advised, York Region uses email as the primary means of communication with candidates and does not use AI technology in any part of the recruitment process. Please ensure your email address is up to date, checked frequently (including your spam folder), and accepts messages from unknown users.

York Region is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. We respect, encourage and celebrate our diversity, aiming to build a qualified workforce that reflects the population we serve. Should you require an accommodation under the Human Rights Code during the recruitment and selection process, including accessible formats and communication supports, please email [email protected] or call 1-877-464-9675 extension 75506. Accommodations for applicants with disabilities are available upon request during recruitment processes and throughout employment.