Engagement Specialist/Planner

Dillon Consulting Limited; Toronto; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned consulting firm in Toronto is seeking an Engagement Specialist / Planner to lead community engagement initiatives. You will work collaboratively to develop engagement plans and facilitate meetings for diverse stakeholders on high-profile projects. The ideal candidate has 5 to 8 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to innovation and community engagement.

Benefits

Competitive salaries

Health benefits

Flexible work arrangements

Generous retirement plan

Qualifications

• 5 to 8 years of professional experience in stakeholder engagement or communications.
• Experience managing project-based work as a project manager or coordinator.
• Strong report writing and external communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead stakeholder engagement programs for planning and infrastructure projects.
• Develop engagement plans based on stakeholder analysis.
• Evaluate engagement programs for continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Bachelor's or graduate degree in planning

Eligibility for OPPI membership

Tools

SurveyMonkey

Microsoft Teams

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

Overview

Are you someone with strong leadership and technical capabilities? Do you enjoy working collaboratively in a team environment and building both internal and external relationships? Are you a thoughtful leader, a trusted advisor, and a problem solver? Are you interested in community engagement and outreach, and want to design and facilitate better ways to engage people in real conversations about the future? If you enjoy entrepreneurship and innovation in a flexible work environment, this opportunity is for you! With excellent communication skills and business acumen, you will thrive in our fast-paced and agile environment.

Your opportunity

Dillons Community Planning (Central and Eastern Ontario) operating team seeks an Engagement Specialist / Planner to join our multidisciplinary team of planning and stakeholder engagement professionals in Toronto (North York or Downtown) or Kitchener offices.

We aim for someone eager to lead community-based consultation programs for high-profile planning and infrastructure projects shaping our cities and neighborhoods.

The ideal candidate has the technical background and skills to design, facilitate, and lead meetings and consultation activities with organizations, agencies, and the public. They should enjoy taking a leading role in project delivery, support junior staff’s growth, and possess excellent communication skills, a passion for community engagement, and strong business acumen. Our team values diversity of opinions and thoughts, and we encourage applicants interested in entrepreneurship and innovation within a flexible work environment.

Responsibilities

What your day will look like

• Lead or support stakeholder engagement programs for planning and infrastructure projects.
• Develop engagement plans based on stakeholder and project issue analysis.
• Prepare communication and engagement materials.
• Plan, attend, and facilitate engagement events of various sizes and complexities.
• Leverage digital tools and technologies for engagement activities.
• Prepare consultation summary reports from input analysis.
• Evaluate engagement programs for continuous improvement.
• Support project management activities, including budgets, expenditure reports, and invoicing.
• Collaborate with technical and professional staff across the company and with sub-consultants.
• Support client relationships and business growth in Ontario, including proposal writing.
• Travel to project locations across Ontario or other Dillon offices as needed.
• Support the career development of junior staff.

Note: This role requires in-person attendance at meetings or events across Ontario.

Learning and Development

• Commit to ongoing self-development and professional growth.
• Contribute to the career development of junior staff through technical guidance, training, coaching, and mentoring.
• Participate actively in professional associations and committees to enhance Dillon’s profile.

Qualifications

What you will need to succeed

• A bachelor’s or graduate degree in planning from an accredited planning program; related technical fields considered.
• Full membership or eligibility for full membership in the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) within two years.
• 5 to 8 years of professional experience in stakeholder engagement or communications, preferably in consulting.

Experience

• Experience managing project-based work as a project manager or coordinator.
• Experience developing and implementing engagement programs for diverse audiences and project types.
• Experience designing and facilitating meetings, workshops, and advisory sessions.
• Experience with online and virtual engagement methods and tools like SurveyMonkey, Mentimeter, Social Pinpoint, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.
• Experience working with government clients.
• Understanding of Ontario land use planning frameworks.
• Strong report writing and external communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Critical and strategic thinking abilities.
• Organized, responsible, and committed to excellence.
• Ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience with Indigenous community engagement and Adobe Creative Cloud applications are assets.
• Membership or certification in IAP2, CPRS, or IABC are assets.

Dillon offers competitive salaries, health benefits, flexible work arrangements, and a generous retirement plan. Our work week is 37.5 hours.

Why choose Dillon

• We live our core values: Reliability, Achievement, Continuous Development, Creativity, Courage, and Inclusiveness.
• We provide employee share purchase plans, health benefits, retirement plans, flexible hours, and remote work options.
• We promote ongoing learning through coaching, mentoring, and internal knowledge sharing.
• We focus on innovation, encouraging new solutions and forward-looking approaches.
• We offer Employee and Family Assistance programs and corporate fitness memberships.

About Dillon

Dillon is a Canadian employee-owned consulting firm specializing in planning, engineering, environmental science, and management. With over 78 years of experience, 20 offices, and 1200+ employees, we strive for excellence and have been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies.

Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, valuing differences and ensuring opportunities based on skills and abilities. We encourage applicants requiring accommodations during the interview process to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you!