Economic Development Officer (Temporary, up to 12 months)

City of Guelph; Guelph; Hybrid; CAD 86,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation days

Extended health and dental benefits

OMERS pension with employer matching

Health Care Spending Account

Employee assistance program

Parental leave top up

Job summary

The City of Guelph is seeking an Economic Development Officer to lead programs that strengthen the city's competitive position and attract investment. You will work with businesses and partners to deliver strategic initiatives, monitor metrics, and advise on municipal processes to enable growth.

Based at City Hall with hybrid work options, you will coordinate with the Economic Development and Tourism department, manage timelines and budgets, and help shape policies supporting a vibrant local

Qualifications

• Degree in Business/Commerce, Economic Development, Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Public Administration or closely related field.
• Considerable experience in economic development, business attraction, investment attraction, business retention and expansion.
• Experience developing, implementing and evaluating economic development programs and working with businesses, investors and government partners.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Project management skills to manage timelines and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement programs to enhance Guelph's competitiveness and investment readiness.
• Develop knowledge of key industry growth sectors and pursue investment leads.
• Respond to information requests and prepare timely responses.
• Advise clients on investment/expansion, municipal processes, and timelines.
• Facilitate meetings with clients and staff, and coordinate with staff to resolve barriers.
• Maintain economic development networks and connect businesses to resources.
• Provide input on corporate policy and ensure stakeholder engagement.
• Work with communications to inform impacts of service changes to businesses.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, and metrics.
• Carry out other duties as directed by the Manager of Economic Development.

Skills

Business development

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Project management

Communication

Education

Degree in Business/Commerce/Economic Development/Public Administration

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Job description

Job Summary

Service Area: Infrastructure, Development, and Environment Department: Economic Development and Tourism Work Location: City Hall, 1 Carden Street Work Mode: Hybrid Job Type and Duration: Temporary, Full time Vacancy (up to 12 months) Position Availability: 1 existing vacant position Salary Range: $86,457.28 - $108,071.60Affiliation: Non-Union Posting Period: October 23, 2026 to November 8, 2026 11:59 p.m.

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality, we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph: Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

What we offer

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

• Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
• Paid personal days;
• Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
• Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
• Employee and Family Assistance Program;
• Parental leave top up program;
• Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
• Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview

The Economic Development Officer will be responsible for developing and leading economic development programs that enhance Guelph's position as a competitive and prosperous location for private and public investment that will positively contribute to the City's employment and non-residential tax base. Guided by the goals and objectives of the City’s Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Vision for an inclusive, connected and prosperous city.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Create and implement viable programs that enhance Guelph's competitiveness, investment readiness and business climate, including employment survey program, visitation program, land and infrastructure planning and other related economic development projects.
• Develop a working knowledge of key industry growth sectors in Guelph, identify prospective investment and expansion leads and follow up with outreach calls, visits, meetings and/or real estate tours.
• Respond to requests for information and expansion inquiries and prepare responses in a timely manner.
• Deliver service excellence and act as the City's champion/advisor for business Investment/expansion clients and address queries regarding ICI real estate, municipal fees, development approval processes (zoning, planning and permitting processes, etc.), timelines and other municipal matters.
• Facilitate meetings with clients and staff, collect required information and attend pre-consultation, site plan review, committee of adjustment and/or Council meetings, with business clients and work with staff to find possible solutions where barriers exist.
• Maintain economic development networks and connect businesses and potential investors to municipal, provincial and federal government resources, funding programs, business support services and resources that offer solutions and support their growth.
• Provide input on corporate policy and program changes and ensure that relevant business stakeholders are appropriately engaged.
• Work with corporate communications to ensure impacts of municipal service level changes are being appropriately communicated to impacted businesses.
• Manage project timelines, budgets and metrics.
• Carry out other departmental and corporate duties as directed by the Manager of Economic Development

Qualifications and requirements

• Completion of a Degree in Business/Commerce, Economic Development, Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Public Administration and/or closely related field. Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Considerable experience in economic development, business attraction, investment attraction, business retention and expansion, planning, real estate development, or a related field.
• Experience developing, implementing and evaluating economic development programs, initiatives and strategies.
• Experience working directly with businesses, investors, developers, site selectors, industry associations and government partners.
• Relationship building skills and the ability to initiate, develop, influence and maintain collaborative relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders both internally and externally, including staff, council, higher levels of government, business, community organizations and academia sectors.
• Project management skills to manage projects within set timelines and budgetary constraints.
• Ability to think and act strategically in a political and community-based service environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to communicate and work with all levels of staff, stakeholders and the general public.
• Exceptional judgement and political sensitivity in complex situations.
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook).
• Valid class G Driver's licence with good driving record and a reliable vehicle to be used on corporate business. Successful candidates will be required to provide a current driver's abstract prior to their start date to confirm their licence is held in good standing and that is has not been suspended or revoked under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) or Criminal Code of Canada in the last 5 years. The City of Guelph will take into consideration the number of demerit points and/or nature of the infractions to determine if it meets our requirements
• This position requires frequent local, regional and some international travel with extended overnight stays.
• An affiliation with Economic Development Council of Ontario, Economic Development Association of Canada, Ontario Professional Planners Association and/or Canadian Institute of Planners would be considered an asset.

Notes

Applicants are required to demonstrate in their application how their qualifications match those specified above. Assessments based on all of the objectives and qualifications listed above will be a part of the interview, written and/or practical test and reference checking.

Hours of work

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. This position is eligible for hybrid and flexible work arrangement options (as per current corporate policy).

Hiring Process Transparency

The City of Guelph is committed to fair and transparent recruitment practices. Candidates who participate in an interview for this position will be notified of the hiring decision within 45 days of their interview. Notifications will be provided in writing, or through technology.

Commitment to Diversity & Accessibility

The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees feel welcome, valued and engaged. Our employment policies strictly prohibit all forms of discrimination on any of the grounds in relevant laws. All employment practices are solely based on individual merit, qualifications, and organization's needs at the time. In keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals in our job application procedures. If you need an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process, you may contact us to make your needs known in advance.

Privacy Notice

Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.