Executive Director, Public Works and Environmental Services

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo; Fort McMurray; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo invites applications for an Executive Director, Public Works and Environmental Services in Fort McMurray. You will lead a broad portfolio including transportation, water, waste, and environmental programs, reporting to the CAO and Council.

The role requires exceptional strategic leadership, 15+ years in municipal operations, and a proven track record in governance and financial stewardship. Competitive package and comprehensive benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Fifteen years of senior leadership in public works and environmental services.
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary municipal operations.
• Strong budget management and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction across Public Works and Environmental Services.
• Lead a high-performing team of directors and staff.
• Represent Municipality in Council meetings and public forums.
• Ensure compliance with laws and governance standards.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Public works oversight

Environmental services

Governance

Education

Public Administration

Engineering

Environmental Science

Job description

Position Type: Permanent Full Time

Number of Openings: 1

Bi-weekly Working Hours: 35 hours bi-weekly

Shift/Work Schedule: Monday to Friday

Department / Branch: Office of the CAO

Job Location: Fort McMurray

Posted: 07/09/2026

Closing Date: 04/10/2026

Posting Type: Internal and External

The Municipality offers a competitive compensation package, including an attractive base salary, excellent benefits, retirement plans, and more. The starting salary for this position is within the range listed above and will be 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.

General Description

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Executive Director, Public Works and Environmental Services is a senior leader that provides strategic direction, vision, and oversight across the Municipality’s Public Works and Environmental Services portfolios. This encompasses responsibility for a broad range of municipal infrastructure and services, including transportation and fleet services, parks, roads, and rural operations, water and wastewater treatment, underground services, solid waste, infrastructure maintenance, and environmental technical services.

The Executive Director plays a pivotal role in advancing the Municipality’s integrated service delivery strategy and ensuring that municipal operations are effective, efficient, and aligned with strategic priorities. This role encompasses leadership of complex, multi-disciplinary municipal services and programs, fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. The Executive Director provides professional advice to the CAO and Council, ensures applicable resolutions, bylaws, policies and plans of Council are implemented, and keeps the CAO and Council informed on progress and emerging issues.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Contributes to the overall leadership and strategic direction of the Municipality as a key member of the senior leadership team.
• Aligns divisional strategies with Council priorities and the Municipality’s long-term vision, ensuring services are delivered with integrity, transparency, and responsiveness.
• Provides expert advice to the CAO, Council, and senior leadership, and collaborates across departments to identify and advance both short-term and long-term strategic priorities.
• Fosters a culture of innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement across all assigned portfolio areas.

Operational Oversight

• Provides oversight of the Public Works and Environmental Services portfolios, aligning operations with strategic priorities, community values, and regulatory requirements.
• Promotes responsible stewardship of municipal infrastructure and assets through effective governance, planning, and risk management.
• Tracks and analyzes major operational issues, providing timely updates, strategic insights, and recommendations to the CAO and, when appropriate, Council.
• Drives operational excellence through data-informed decision-making, continuous improvement, and process optimization.
• Leads the resolution of complex or high-impact operational challenges, ensuring cross-functional collaboration and engagement.
• Anticipates emerging trends and risks, proactively adapting operations to meet future community and organizational needs.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, innovation, and service excellence across all operational areas.
• Champions complex or difficult public works and environmental services projects.

Engagement and Community Relations

• Creates positive working relationships with Council, municipal administration, employees, residents, Indigenous groups, regional partners, and other collaborators to meet shared objectives.
• Represents the Municipality’s interests in Council meetings, public forums, intergovernmental meetings, and community consultations.
• Demonstrates consistent, effective, and meaningful engagement with respect to Truth and Reconciliation and the Calls to Action that the Municipality has identified for implementation.
• Effectively handles disputes or complaints involving citizens and other interest groups.

People Leadership

• Builds and leads a high-performing team of directors, managers, and staff, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
• Establishes a clear vision for success, ensuring teams have the resources and support needed to achieve strategic goals.
• Develops and implements performance measures with defined objectives and measurable outcomes.
• Champions innovation and leads organizational change, empowering staff to enhance municipal service and operational delivery.
• Models municipal values and cultivates an inclusive, respectful workplace that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and psychological and physical safety.
• Ensures the Public Works and Environment Services portfolio is appropriately structured and staffed to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient municipal infrastructure and environmental services.
• Applies sound human resource practices to inspire high performance and support employee development.

Financial and Administrative Management

• Leads divisional planning and budgeting, ensuring fiscal responsibility and proactively addressing long-term financial needs.
• Supports and collaborates with the CAO and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to develop the annual budget and advises on divisional priorities.
• Oversees and monitors divisional financial activities, ensuring effective controls and sound fiscal management.
• Upholds compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and municipal standards.
• Supports and collaborates on the Municipality’s asset management strategy to ensure sustainable and strategic use of municipal resources.

Emergency Management Leadership

• Proactively prepares for and provides divisional leadership during major events, including operational disruptions, emergencies, and disasters.
• Ensures the development, maintenance, staff familiarization, and activation of business continuity plans across all assigned operational areas. Participates as a member of the Muncipality’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA) as appointed by the CAO, to support the EMA’s duties and functions.
• Provides recommendations to the CAO regarding policies, programs, and budgetary requirements to sustain and improve the Emergency Management Plan (EMP).
• Collaborates with the EMA and other departments to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure is integrated into emergency preparedness, continuity planning, and response strategies.
• Reviews findings from Post-Event Action Reports and approves recommendations, as necessary, to strengthen future response and recovery efforts.
• Engages with internal and external partners to ensure collaboration, alignment, and community resilience.

Skills Requirements

• Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
• Sound knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in public works (transportation, fleet, and parks, roads, and rural operations) and environmental services (water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and solid waste management).
• Proven expertise in strategic leadership, project and program management, asset management, organizational planning, and service delivery optimization within a complex municipal environment.
• Strong understanding of municipal legislation, infrastructure planning, environmental stewardship, and applicable regulatory and compliance frameworks.
• Sound understanding of municipal government administration and the Municipal Government Act.
• Broad knowledge of current affairs, municipal, provincial, and federal politics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, diverse teams and manage complex, multi-disciplinary operations.
• A demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusive, respectful, and high-performing workplace cultures.
• Ability to provide leadership and build relationships with Council and various groups including but not limited to industry, government, Indigenous groups, and members of the public.
• Expertise in strategic issues management and policy development.
• Experience introducing transformational change in a highly complex and evolving organization serving a rapidly changing community.
• Ability to communicate effectively and transparently with all parties to build trust and accountability.
• Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, negotiation, facilitation, and mediation skills.
• High political acumen and ability to anticipate politically sensitive issues.

Education

• Degree in Public or Business Administration, Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field is required.
• Certifications in any of the following are considered assets: Water Distribution, Water Collection, Water Treatment, Landfill Operations, or SWANA.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Experience

• Fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in public works, environmental services, utilities, and/or municipal operations, is required. This experience must encompass the management of complex, multi-disciplinary operations; the ability to synthesize and act on large volumes of information; sound decision-making in complex and ambiguous situations; effective negotiation; budget administration and control; and the development of innovative solutions to operational and community issues.
• Experience working in a public sector environment with unionized and non-unionized employees is an asset.

Other Requirements

• This position works primarily in an office environment and will also require field visits within the Municipality, including rural communities. Incumbent must be flexible to attend Council and Committee Meetings and work outside of regular working hours (evenings or weekends), as required. May require the use of personal or municipal vehicle for business travel purposes.
• Criminal Record Check
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s Licence

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 organization’s Occupational Health and Safety Administrative 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 employed in a supervisory capacity. As such the employee is required to obtain additional safety training in a