City Clerk

Kawartha Lakes; Lindsay; Hybrid; CAD 151,000 - 176,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Kawartha Lakes is hiring a City Clerk to lead the Clerk’s Office and fulfil statutory duties under the Municipal Act. Based in Lindsay, ON, the role oversees governance, elections, records and licensing, and provides strategic direction to Council and the CAO.

Hybrid in-office/remote work may be permitted with approval, travel as needed. Requirements include a post-secondary degree in a relevant field, 10+ years of municipal experience, and professional certifications (AOMC/CMO).

Qualifications

• Post-Secondary degree in Business, Political Science, Public Administration or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of related progressive experience, preferably in a municipal environment.
• Certified Accredited Ontario Municipal Clerk (AOMC) or willingness to obtain within a reasonable timeframe.
• Completion of the Municipal Administration Program offered through AMCTO.
• Certified Municipal Officer (CMO) designation and Municipal Law Program certificate would be an asset.
• Possess an in-depth knowledge of parliamentary procedures, procedural by-laws, and relevant legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide statutory leadership and governance oversight as the legislated City Clerk for a single-tier municipality.
• Serve as the corporate secretary to Council and the Corporation, overseeing Council and Committee processes, agendas, minutes, records, and procedural integrity.
• Advise Council, the Mayor, the CAO, committees, and senior leadership on municipal legislation, by-laws, policies, and procedural matters.
• Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of municipal by-laws, policies, and governance frameworks.
• Oversee the conduct of municipal elections and statutory processes, including election planning and administration.
• Provide leadership of the City Clerk’s Office, including records and archives, municipal law enforcement and licensing, and statutory services.
• Ensure effective records management, information governance, and public accountability.
• Act as a liaison between Council, the administration and the public to support transparent governance.
• Model organizational values and supervise staff performance; manage budgets and reporting to Council.
• Demonstrate knowledge of BI, KPIs, and financial planning as part of senior leadership.
• Manage risk and confidentiality with privacy compliance.
• Applicants must be prepared for skill testing.

Skills

Parliamentary procedures knowledge

Public speaking / oral communication

Leadership / team building

Interpersonal skills

Education

Post-Secondary degree in Business, Political Science, Public Administration or related field

AMCTO Municipal Administration Program

AOMC certification / willingness to obtain

CMO designation & Municipal Law Program certificate (asset)

Job description

Under the direction of the CAO, the City Clerk leads the Clerk’s Office and fulfills the statutory duties of the Municipal Clerk.

Number of available positions:

Date of Posting:

November 18, 2026

Duration (if temporary):

N/A

Location:

City of Kawartha Lakes, ON

Union:

NON-UNION

Job: City Clerk
Reports To: Chief Administrative Officer
Salary Range: (2026): $150,676 – $176,260 annually
Location: Lindsay, Ontario
Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week (7.5 hours/day) | Core hours 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Additional Requirements: Combination of in-office and remote work may be permitted with approval. Occasional off-site travel required. Must attend meetings, conferences, and departmental emergencies, including outside normal business hours.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the City Clerk is responsible for the overall management, leadership and strategic direction of the City Clerk’s Office which encompasses the divisions of Municipal Law Enforcement and Licensing, and Corporate Records and Archival Services. This position is required to fulfill the statutory office of the Municipal City Clerk pursuant to the Municipal Act and other legislation as applicable to a single-tier municipality.

Specific to this role:

Provide statutory leadership and governance oversight as the legislated City Clerk for a single-tier municipality, ensuring compliance with the Municipal Act, Municipal Elections Act, MFIPPA, and all other applicable legislation.

Serve as the corporate secretary to Council and the Corporation, overseeing Council and Committee processes, agendas, minutes, records, and procedural integrity, and providing authoritative advice on governance, protocol, and legislative requirements.

Advise Council, the Mayor, the CAO, committees, and senior leadership on municipal legislation, by‑laws, policies, and procedural matters, including the interpretation and implementation of legislative changes.

Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of municipal by‑laws, policies, agreements, and governance frameworks, providing strategic policy and legislative recommendations to Council and the CAO.

Oversee the conduct of municipal elections and statutory processes, including election planning and administration, budget development, staffing, and compliance with legislative requirements.

Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the City Clerk’s Office, including records and archives, municipal law enforcement and licensing, and statutory services such as marriage licensing, vital statistics, and other legislated authorities.

Ensure effective records management, information governance, and public accountability, including compliance with records retention requirements and administration of requests under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Act as a key liaison between Council, the administration, and the public, supporting transparent governance, public access to Council, and effective communication on Council and governance‑related matters.

Exercise corporate signing authority and custodianship of municipal documents, ensuring the proper execution of by‑laws, contracts, agreements, and acceptance of service for writs, claims, and liens on behalf of the City.

Provide leadership in public accessibility, licensing, and by‑law enforcement programs, ensuring fair, consistent, and legislatively compliant service delivery.

Support organizational capacity and legislative awareness, including providing guidance and training to staff on records management, freedom of information, and procedural matters.

As a member of the senior leadership team:

Develop and implement strategic goals, priorities and measurements, consistent with performance management, engaging a continuous improvement mindset and recommend improvements to CAO and Council

Conduct continuous research, analysis of industry trends, issues and future objectives resulting in recommendations to the Chief Administrative Officer and Council

Conduct reviews and analysis of organizational service objectives and ensure standards are achieved

Ensure collaborative partnerships are maintained with community partners, agencies, legislators, public institutions and neighbouring service providers aligned with service delivery of the department

Ensure collaborative partnerships are formed and maintained inside of the organization including maintaining a cohesive team environment to support staff’s achievement of objectives

Prepare and review Council reports, providing advice and recommendations on departmental matters; follow through on Council directives and report on progress

Develop comprehensive budgets for the department, present recommendations to Council; implement and monitor the department’s annual expenditures per guidelines specified

As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to corporate planning including employee related strategies, financial planning, and organizational programs

Model the desired organizational values and competencies; monitor performance of applicable corporate policies, directives, procedures, agreements

Responsible for the overall performance outcomes of direct reports applying applicable actions aligned with organizational values; includes actions not limited to hire, lead, coach, train, discipline

Act as a supervisor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act

Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

Specific to this role:

Post-Secondary degree in Business, Political Science, Public Administration or a related field

Minimum 10 years of related progressive experience, preferably in a municipal environment

Certified Accredited Ontario Municipal Clerk (AOMC) or willingness to obtain within a reasonable timeframe

Completion of the Municipal Administration Program offered through the Association of Municipal Managers Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO)

Certified Municipal Officer (CMO) designation and Municipal Law Program certificate would be an asset

Possess an in-depth knowledge of parliamentary procedures, procedural by‑laws, and relevant legislation including the Municipal Act, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Elections Act

As a member of the senior leadership team:

Knowledge of municipal structures, functions, and financing of local governments, and their relations with federal and provincial governments

Understanding the use of Business Intelligence (BI) and demonstrated use and development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Extensive experience in public relations, facilitation and conducting presentations in public forums

Demonstrated negotiation and conflict resolution skills

Strong organization and team building skills to oversee a diverse complement of full‑time, part‑time and seasonal staff, complemented with an understanding of collective agreements and working within a unionized environment

Demonstrated leadership and management skills at a level to ensure successful program and employee performance outcomes and management

Effective oral communication and strong interpersonal skills; excellent written communication skills; attention to detail, accuracy and follow-through

Demonstrated customer service skills at a level to develop and maintain cooperative and collaborative working relationships both within and outside the organization

Demonstrated knowledge and application of financial budget and business planning processes

Demonstrated time‑management skills with the ability to prioritize workloads and meet deadlines with minimal supervision

Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and tact while maintaining a high degree of confidentiality at all times, complying with all applicable privacy legislation and policies and procedures

Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, the internet and any other related software

Possess and maintain a valid Ontario Class “G” Driver’s Licence or the ability to frequently attend work related activities at various sites within the municipalities or at other sites within Ontario

Upon a conditional offer of employment, a Criminal Record Check will be required.

The City of Kawartha Lakes is an equal opportunity employer committed to building an inclusive and supportive workplace. We welcome applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

We are dedicated to providing barrier‑free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you are contacted regarding a job opportunity, please let us know of any accommodations you may require. We will work with you to ensure your needs are met throughout the recruitment and selection process.

Applicants must be prepared for skill testing.