Advisor, Policy and Governance

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo; Fort McMurray; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Fort McMurray seeks an Advisor, Policy and Governance to develop, revise, and maintain governance frameworks and policy documents. This role ensures compliance with applicable laws and aligns with Council direction across services.

You will lead research, prepare reports and briefing notes, coordinate cross-functional policy work, manage records, and support strategic initiatives and municipal elections, working with various departments and stakeholders

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Ability to build effective working relationships in a political environment.
• Strong planning, organizational, and time management skills.
• Knowledge of policy development and legislative drafting principles.
• Familiarity with Municipal Government Act or relevant legislation is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and revision of governance documents and policy materials.
• Prepare Council reports, briefing notes, and supporting materials for approval.
• Coordinate cross-functional governance work and stakeholder input.

Skills

Communication

Relationship-building

Confidentiality

Planning

Organization

Technical writing

Research

Policy drafting

Legislation knowledge

Project management

Presentations

SharePoint

MS Office

Education

Degree in Business/Public Administration

Legislative drafting training asset

PMP certification asset

GBA+ training asset

Facilitation training asset

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

SharePoint

Microsoft Office

Job description

*The Municipality offers competitive compensation. The starting salary for this position will be within the range listed above and dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

We strive to make our hiring process accessible to all candidates. If you require accommodation for the interview or any other part of the application process, please let us know.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Legislative Services team ensures the effective operation of municipal governance. The department provides direct support to Mayor and Council, manages Council and Committee meetings and ensures legislative and procedural requirements are met in accordance with the Municipal Government Act and other legislation.

The team is also responsible for maintaining official records, administering municipal bylaws and policies, overseeing elections, and fostering transparency through access to information and privacy management. By upholding strong governance practices and ensuring accountability, Legislative Services helps build public trust and supports the Municipality in serving the region effectively.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Advisor, Policy and Governance facilitates the development, design, and continuous improvement of governance frameworks and policy documents to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with Council direction and organizational objectives. As the Municipality’s primary resource for developing, revising, and maintaining governance documents, the incumbent upholds and advances the Policy Management Framework by ensuring all governance documents are legislatively compliant, strategically aligned, and developed in accordance with recognized best practices. In addition to core governance leadership, the position contributes significant cross-functional expertise to prioritize corporate initiatives and special projects such as municipal elections-ensuring consistent, high-quality, and compliant outcomes across all service areas. Primary responsibilities of this position include:

Policy Management Framework: Ensures that policy development and revision activities are carried out in accordance with the Municipality’s Policy Management Framework. Reviews governance documents to ensure they are consistent, legally compliant, and aligned with best practices. Prepares final versions of Administrative Directives, Administrative Procedures, and supporting materials for submission to the CAO for approval and implementation. Prepares final versions of Council Policies and supporting materials for Council review and approval. Conducts regular audits to assess whether governance documents are current, effective, and complete, and to identify critical issues and gaps. Updates Policy Calendar and prepares monthly, quarterly, and annual Policy Calendar updates for senior leaders. Updates internal and external policy webpages to maintain current and accurate public and employee-facing information.

Research and Document Creation: Conducts research and analysis related to benchmarking, emerging issues, and best practices, and prepares recommendations that inform the development and refinement of governance documents. Supports all stages of the policy drafting process, including document preparation, editing, and integration of stakeholder feedback and legal opinions. Prepares Council Reports, briefing notes, and other supporting materials, as required. Maintains complete and accurate records of workflow activities and archives all milestone documents. Assists with drafting of municipal bylaws in accordance with the Municipal Government Act and applicable legislation. Prepares reports, presentations, and general ad hoc information as required.

Stakeholder Management and Coordination: Leads or participates in cross-functional working groups during policy development and revision, and facilitates discussion across different departments to enhance development, decision making, and integration. Facilitates review process, coordinates input, and consolidates feedback from diverse internal and external stakeholders. Sets up and monitors centralized collaboration sites using eScribe, Document Locator, SharePoint, and other relevant software packages and tools. Provides specialized technical and functional guidance and training on the development and revision of governance documents and adherence to the Policy Management Framework. Builds and strengthens positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, municipal departments, and senior leaders to ensure a collaborative and inclusive approach to policy management. Engages with policy professionals across Alberta and Canada to keep informed on emerging practices and to contribute to the advancement of a shared body of knowledge

SKILLS REQUIREMENTS:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships in a manner that fosters trust, credibility, and rapport.
• Ability to think and act with sensitivity to the unique challenges of a public and political environment and to maintain confidentiality.
• Planning, organizational, time management, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong technical writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Ability to simplify complex concepts.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Advanced research, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of policy development and legislative drafting principles.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Municipal Government Act.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Strong presentation, training, and facilitation skills.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office.
• Proficiency in using enterprise information management tools, such as SharePoint, is an asset.

EDUCATION:

• Degree in Business or Public Administration, Legal Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences or Humanities, Records and Information Management, or related discipline.
• Completion of, or willingness to complete, training in legislative drafting is an asset.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or training in project management is an asset.
• Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), or similar intersectional analysis training, is an asset.
• Training in facilitation is an asset.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

EXPERIENCE:

• Five (5) years of progressive experience in policy development, document management, records and information management, project management, or legal field.
• Experience interpreting and applying relevant legislation and governance documents.
• Experience working in a municipal government or other public-sector environment with unionized and non-unionized employees is an asset.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Position works primarily in a fast-paced, politically sensitive office environment but may require minor business travel within the Municipality. Scheduling flexibility is required to ensure compliance with legislated deadlines
• Criminal Record Check: is required as per organization policy for employment upon hiring.

SAFETY:

As an employee of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the incumbent is responsible and accountable for knowing and working in accordance with the Health and Safety Directive. As per section 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the incumbent shall ensure while in the employ of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo the health and safety of employees, contractors, and the public.

This position is notemployed in a supervisory capacity. As such the employee is required to obtain additional safety training in accordance with municipal procedures and directives.