Chief of Staff

City of Kawartha Lakes
Division · Customer Engagement Services
Reports to · Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Annual salary · $139,210–$162,864 (2026, Band 12)
Vacancy status · Current vacancy

The opportunity

Help shape how people access, understand and experience municipal services in Kawartha Lakes. As Chief of Staff, you’ll lead Customer Engagement Services and work across City departments to make services easier to access, communications clearer and service improvements measurable.

Reporting to the Deputy CAO, you’ll join the City’s leadership team and oversee Communications, Advertising and Marketing, Customer Experience, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility, Strategy and Corporate Projects, and Modernization and Corporate Performance. You’ll bring teams together across Business and Administration and operating departments to align resources, coordinate major initiatives and deliver on the City’s strategic priorities.

What you’ll do

• Improve the resident experience. Use feedback from residents and staff, complaints, service trends and performance data to set service standards, improve how people access services and make service delivery more consistent, accessible and responsive.
• Lead corporate communications and engagement. Set direction for public information, media relations, branding, the City’s website and social media, internal communications, community outreach and stakeholder engagement.
• Put the Strategic Plan into action. Lead corporate work planning and performance reporting. Use dashboards, business intelligence and customer insights to track progress and support decisions by senior leadership and Council.
• Lead modernization and service improvement. Champion service reviews, process improvement and Lean methods. Coordinate cross-departmental projects, support teams through change and measure the results.
• Advance inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Lead corporate strategies, policies and initiatives that advance equity, accessibility and belonging in municipal services and the workplace. Build these principles into planning, communications and community engagement.
• Advise senior leadership and Council. Provide strategic advice to the CAO, Deputy CAO and Council, and build relationships with community partners, agencies and other service providers.
• Lead people and manage resources. Set clear expectations, coach and develop staff, oversee team performance, and plan for budget and procurement needs.

What you bring

• A post-secondary degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Organizational Development, Strategic Management or a related discipline.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning, organizational transformation, communications, customer or resident experience, community engagement, organizational performance or a related corporate function. Municipal or broader public sector experience is preferred.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving strategic planning, change management, service improvement, innovation, project management, performance management and organizational transformation.
• Experience developing and implementing corporate strategies, performance measures, key performance indicators, dashboards and reporting frameworks that support decision-making and accountability.
• Experience leading or overseeing initiatives in corporate communications, public engagement, customer experience, accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion, or a related area.
• Comprehensive knowledge of strategic planning, organizational performance, change management, customer experience, communications and engagement, accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion, and public sector administration.
• The ability to advise senior leaders and elected officials, work effectively with external stakeholders and exercise sound political judgment. You bring strong facilitation, negotiation, conflict resolution and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation and public speaking skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical and project management skills, with the ability to lead diverse teams and manage competing priorities in a changing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and other business technologies relevant to the role.

Additional requirements

• A valid Ontario Class G driver’s licence or the ability to travel frequently to work-related activities at sites across Kawartha Lakes and elsewhere in Ontario.
• A Criminal Record Check will be required upon a conditional offer of employment.

How to apply:

Apply through the City of Kawartha Lakes Career Page https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/government-administration/career-opportunities/ by November 26, 2026.

A member of the City’s recruitment team reviews every application. The City does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess or select applicants for this position.

The City of Kawartha Lakes is committed to an accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available upon request at any stage of the recruitment and selection process. If you need an accommodation, please contact People Services so we can work with you to meet your needs.