Economic Development & Community Engagement Officer

Township of Adjala-Tosorontio; Alliston; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Township-paid benefits

OMERS pension plan

Paid personal and sick days

Job summary

The Township of Adjala-Tosorontio is seeking an Economic Development & Community Engagement Officer to advance rural and agricultural economic vitality through programs, partnerships, and events. Reporting to the CAO, this role focuses on business retention, expansion, attraction, tourism, and community development in Alliston and surrounding areas.

The position leads development of strategies, coordinates events like Canada Day, supports volunteers, and collaborates with local businesses,

Qualifications

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Economic Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Community Development, Planning, or related field.
• Professional designation in Economic Development or progress toward designation is an asset.
• Minimum 3-5 years of progressive experience in economic development, municipal administration, community engagement, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in event coordination, community initiatives, stakeholder consultations, and volunteer or advisory committees.
• Experience working within municipal, public sector, rural, agricultural, or small community environment is preferred.
• Experience developing partnerships, securing grant funding, and administering funding programs an asset.
• Knowledge of economic development principles, including business retention, attraction and community development

Responsibilities

• Leads development, implementation, and monitoring of the Township’s Economic Development Strategy with rural and agricultural focus.
• Supports workforce development, attainable housing, broadband advocacy, and rural economic resilience with partners.
• Coordinates Township-led events and supports community-led activities on Township property.
• Manages partnerships with local businesses, agricultural operators, and organizations.
• Identifies and administers grant funding opportunities related to economic development.
• Provides staff support to the Community Development & Events Committee and prepares reports for Council.

Skills

Economic development

Community engagement

Event coordination

Grant writing

Stakeholder relations

Communications

Public speaking

Education

Post-secondary diploma or degree in Economic Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Community Development, Planning, or related field

Professional designation in Economic Development or progress toward designation

Job description

The Township of Adjala-Tosorontio is located north of the GTA, at the southwest border of Simcoe County with a population of 11,000 residents and offers rural living with proximity to urban amenities.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Economic Development & Community Engagement Officer is responsible for advancing the Township’s economic vitality and community well-being through economic development, business support, community engagement, and event coordination initiatives. The position supports Council’s strategic priorities by fostering business retention, expansion, and attraction opportunities while promoting investment, tourism, and community development in a rural agriculture-based Township.

This Economic Development & Community Engagement Officer leads the development and implementation of economic development programs, initiatives, and partnerships; coordinates Township-led events (ie Canada Day) and supports community-led activities on municipal property, and works collaboratively with local businesses, agricultural stakeholders, community organizations, volunteers, and County partners. This position also supports Township communications and marketing activities for economic development, contributes to the implementation of the Township’s Economic Development Strategy, and provides operational and administrative support to the Community & Development & Events Committee.

Duties & Responsibilities, but not limited to:

Economic Development

• Leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Township’s Economic Development Strategy, with a focus on rural and agricultural priorities and alignment with Council’s strategic objectives.
• Works with the appropriate stakeholders, tracks emerging trends and issues to develop and implement programs to support business retention, expansion and attraction initiatives within a hamlet-based community.
• Acts as a liaison between the Township, local businesses, industries, agricultural operators, and organizations such as the Nottawasaga Futures, Alliston & District Chamber of Commerce and Alliston Business Improvement Association (BIA).
• Provides information and guidance to businesses on Township processes including coordination with Planning staff on development-related inquiries.
• Manages the development and implementation of initiatives related to workforce development, attainable housing, broadband advocacy, and rural economic resilience, in collaboration with staff and external partners.
• Identifies and manages the administration of grant funding opportunities related to economic development.

Small Business & Stakeholder Support

• Serves as a primary point of contact for local businesses, entrepreneurs, and agricultural operators.
• Develops and implements programs to support new and existing small businesses.
• Fosters relationships with the business community to identify needs and opportunities.
• Facilitates connections between businesses and internal Township services.

Special Events & Community Engagement

• Leads the planning, coordination, and execution of Township-led events (ie Canada Day).
• Supports community organizations hosting events on Township property, including guidance on permits and logistics.
• Develops and administers special event policies, procedures, and permitting processes.
• Identifies and secures sponsorship opportunities, where appropriate, to support Township events and community initiatives.
• Gathers feedback from residents, businesses, and participants to evaluate and improve programming.
• Acts as primary liaison for resident volunteers supporting Council-approved initiatives (ie. community gardens, seasonal ice rinks).
• Coordinates with staff to support safe and effective volunteer-led initiatives.
• Provides guidance to ensure alignment with Township policies and Council direction.
• Supports recruitment and engagement of volunteers in partnership with Community Development & Events Committee.

Communications & Public Engagement

• Collaborates with Communications Officer to develop economic development, event-related, and community communications.
• Provides content and subject matter expertise for promotional materials, web content, and media releases.
• Maintains economic development web content, including business directories, available commercial properties, and event listings.
• Seeks public and business community input through variety of methods on initiatives and special projects where engagement is required or desirable, ensuring compliance with statutory and Township notice requirements.

Tourism Development

• Develops and implements tourism-related initiatives by identifying local opportunities, collaborating with partners, and contributing to promotional activities where aligned with economic development priorities.

Governance & Administration

• Provides staff support to Community Development & Events Committee in collaboration with Clerk's Office. The Clerk's Office is responsible for agenda preparation, legislative oversight, and recording of meeting minutes.
• Researches, tracks trends and prepares background materials, reports, recommendations, and presentations for Council and Committee consideration, and presents when required.
• Reviews, develops and as directed implements policies, procedures and by-laws related to economic development, events, and community engagement.

Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Economic Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Community Development, Planning, or a related field.
• Professional designation in Economic Development or progress toward designation is an asset.
• Minimum 3 - 5 years of progressive experience in economic development, municipal administration, community engagement, business support, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in event coordination, community initiatives, stakeholder consultations, and volunteer or advisory committees.
• Experience working within municipal, public sector, rural, agricultural, or small community environment is preferred.
• Experience developing partnerships, securing grant funding, and administering funding programs an asset.
• Knowledge of economic development principles, including business retention, attraction and community development
• Knowledge of event planning, stakeholder engagement, grant funding, and partnership development.
• Working knowledge of applicable legislation and standards, including MFIPPA, AODA, the Municipal Act, and accessibility requirements.
• Understanding of municipal governance, rural and agricultural economies, and local socio-economic conditions.
• Strong communication skills, including report writing, presentations, public speaking, and grant writing.
• Excellent interpersonal, networking, and relationship-building skills with ability to work effectively with staff, businesses, community groups, government agencies, and the public.
• Strong organizational, project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and contribute effectively within a team environment.
• Demonstrated initiative, sound judgment, and a customer service-focused approach.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends for events and meetings.
• Valid Ontario Class G driver's licence and access to reliable vehicle for business use.
• Provide Criminal Records Check upon hire.

Compensation: $64,785 to $80,983 annually (2026 rates). A comprehensive Township-paid benefits package, OMERS pension plan, Employee & Family Assistance Program, paid personal and sick days.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm (35 hours per week).

Location: On-site, 7855 30th Sideroad, Alliston, Ontario.

This is a newly created position with a targeted start date of mid-November.

The Township of Adjala-Tosorontio is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity and inclusivity in employment for a barrier-free workplace. Accommodations are available for all parts of the recruitment, selection &/or assessment process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance to Human Resources.

We use AI-enabled tools to help screen and sort applications based on job-related criteria. All final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team.

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment and handled in accordance with Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

We thank all those who apply, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.