General Manager, Planning & Development

City of Coquitlam; Coquitlam; Hybrid; CAD 254,000 - 309,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Municipal Pension Plan

Hybrid work options

Vacation & extended benefits

Job summary

The City of Coquitlam is seeking an accomplished General Manager, Planning & Development to lead a large portfolio guiding growth, housing, land use and development amid change.

Reporting to the CAO, you will shape city-building strategy, lead a high-performance team, advance modernization of planning and permitting, and collaborate with Council, government partners and the community. This role offers hybrid work options and a competitive executive salary.

Qualifications

• A university degree in Planning, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Significant progressive senior leadership experience in planning, development, municipal administration or a closely related field.
• Experience operating within a complex development environment involving major, multi-phase, mixed-use or high-density projects and sophisticated negotiations.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic advice to elected officials, executive leadership teams and diverse external partners on complex and high-profile matters.
• Experience leading strategic planning, policy development and implementation within a complex or regulated environment.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change, process improvement, service modernization or business transformation.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including an understanding of the relationship between growth, infrastructure, development financing and long-term municipal sustainability.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, influencing and negotiation skills, supported by sound judgment and executive presence.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Planning & Development Department, creating alignment across planning, development services, building regulation and business improvement functions.
• Serve as a trusted senior advisor to the Chief Administrative Officer and Council on complex land-use, housing, development, regulatory and city-building matters, providing balanced and evidence-based advice in an increasingly complex public-policy environment.
• Lead implementation of the City’s growth and housing objectives, including responding to evolving provincial requirements while maintaining a strong focus on complete, sustainable and livable communities.
• Guide major planning and development initiatives, including transit-oriented intensification, master-planned development, neighborhood evolution and the future planning of Northwest Burke.
• Champion continued modernization of planning, development and permitting services through process improvement, digital transformation, performance measurement and approaches that improve clarity, predictability and service.
• Build productive relationships with the development industry, other levels of government, Indigenous communities, regional partners, residents and other interested parties while maintaining the integrity of the City’s regulatory and public-interest responsibilities.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to align growth with infrastructure, transportation, community amenities, financial planning, parks, environmental objectives and other corporate priorities.
• Lead and develop a highly capable departmental leadership team, fostering a culture of sound decision-making, accountability, collaboration, innovation, succession and continuous improvement.
• Provide executive oversight of departmental business planning, budgets, performance management and resource allocation while ensuring the department is positioned to respond effectively to changing organizational and community needs.
• Contribute beyond the departmental mandate as an enterprise leader, bringing a city-wide perspective to executive decision-making and helping advance the broader strategic priorities of the organization.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Executive presence

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Financial acumen

Communication

Education

University degree in Planning, Urban Studies, Public Administration or related discipline

Job description

City of Coquitlam

General Manager, Planning & Development

Regular Full Time (Exempt)
About Us
One of BC’s Top Employers, the City of Coquitlam offers meaningful career opportunities to make a difference within the local community. As one of British Columbia’s largest and most dynamic municipalities, Coquitlam is home to a diverse and rapidly evolving community of more than 170,000 residents.
Located in the heart of Metro Vancouver, Coquitlam combines established neighbourhoods, emerging urban centres, rapid-transit connectivity and significant new community development with extensive parks, trails and natural areas. The City is experiencing substantial growth and transformation while continuing to focus on thoughtful city building, sustainable service delivery and an exceptional quality of life.
Our brand is built on managing our resources in a responsible and sustainable manner while supporting a vibrant, growing regional urban centre. We envision a bright future in Coquitlam that we hope includes you.

About You / What We Are Looking For
The City of Coquitlam is seeking an accomplished and forward-looking executive to join our leadership team as General Manager, Planning & Development.
Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and serving as a member of the City’s executive leadership team, the General Manager will provide strategic leadership to one of Coquitlam’s largest and most significant portfolios. The role will help define and deliver the City’s approach to growth, housing, land use and development at a time of significant legislative, economic and community change.
This is a distinctive city-building opportunity. Coquitlam is simultaneously managing significant transit-oriented densification, the evolution of established neighborhoods, major mixed-use and master-planned developments, substantial housing demand and the creation of entirely new communities. Northwest Burke, Coquitlam’s last large undeveloped greenfield area, provides a particularly rare opportunity within Metro Vancouver to help shape the next generation of neighborhoods while also guiding continued densification within an established urban city.
We are looking for a strategic and systems-oriented leader who understands that planning and development is about more than regulation and approvals. You understand the connections between housing, land use, infrastructure, transportation, community amenities, finance, economic development and long-term community priorities — and can translate that complexity into clear strategies, decisions and results.
Equally important will be your ability to lead change. The next General Manager will build on the strengths of an experienced department while continuing to advance process improvement, modernization, service enhancement and better alignment of people, process and technology.
For an accomplished leader motivated by growth, transformation and the opportunity to leave a lasting impact, this is a chance to help shape what Coquitlam becomes next.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the Planning & Development Department, creating alignment across planning, development services, building regulation and business improvement functions.
• Serve as a trusted senior advisor to the Chief Administrative Officer and Council on complex land-use, housing, development, regulatory and city-building matters, providing balanced and evidence-based advice in an increasingly complex public-policy environment.
• Lead implementation of the City’s growth and housing objectives, including responding to evolving provincial requirements while maintaining a strong focus on complete, sustainable and livable communities.
• Guide major planning and development initiatives, including transit-oriented intensification, master-planned development, neighborhood evolution and the future planning of Northwest Burke.
• Champion continued modernization of planning, development and permitting services through process improvement, digital transformation, performance measurement and approaches that improve clarity, predictability and service.
• Build productive relationships with the development industry, other levels of government, Indigenous communities, regional partners, residents and other interested parties while maintaining the integrity of the City’s regulatory and public-interest responsibilities.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to align growth with infrastructure, transportation, community amenities, financial planning, parks, environmental objectives and other corporate priorities.
• Lead and develop a highly capable departmental leadership team, fostering a culture of sound decision-making, accountability, collaboration, innovation, succession and continuous improvement.
• Provide executive oversight of departmental business planning, budgets, performance management and resource allocation while ensuring the department is positioned to respond effectively to changing organizational and community needs.
• Contribute beyond the departmental mandate as an enterprise leader, bringing a city-wide perspective to executive decision-making and helping advance the broader strategic priorities of the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• A university degree in Planning, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration or a related discipline, supplemented by substantial progressive senior leadership experience. An equivalent combination of relevant education and significant executive-level experience may also be considered.
• Significant progressive senior leadership experience in planning, development, municipal administration or a closely related field.
• Experience operating within a complex development environment involving major, multi-phase, mixed-use or high-density projects and sophisticated negotiations.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic advice to elected officials, executive leadership teams and diverse external partners on complex and high-profile matters.
• Experience leading strategic planning, policy development and implementation within a complex or regulated environment.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change, process improvement, service modernization or business transformation.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including an understanding of the relationship between growth, infrastructure, development financing and long-term municipal sustainability.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, influencing and negotiation skills, supported by sound judgment and executive presence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within a large urban municipality, high-growth community or similarly complex organization.
• Experience guiding major mixed-use, high-density, transit-oriented, master-planned or greenfield development.
• Experience leading housing initiatives and responding to significant changes in provincial legislation, policy or regulatory requirements.
• Experience with development financing, growth-related infrastructure planning and the financial implications of major development.
• Demonstrated experience modernizing development, planning or permitting systems, including process redesign, digital transformation, performance measurement or service improvement.
• Professional planning credentials or other relevant professional designation would be considered an asset.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic, politically astute and highly collaborative executive who can balance long-term vision with practical execution.
You will be comfortable operating in a highly visible environment and capable of providing Council with clear, balanced and credible advice on difficult issues. You can navigate competing perspectives, build productive relationships and maintain trust while remaining accountable for the professional advice you provide.
As a people leader, you will set clear direction while creating room for talented professionals to exercise judgment and grow. You will develop future leaders, encourage cross-functional collaboration and create an environment in which accountability, innovation and continuous improvement can coexist.
Above all, you will see planning and development as an integrated city-building system rather than simply a regulatory function. You will be motivated by the opportunity to influence Coquitlam’s next chapter and capable of converting ambitious plans into meaningful outcomes for the community.

Why Work With Us

• Shape a city at a pivotal point in its evolution. Influence how one of Metro Vancouver’s major urban centres accommodates growth, housing and development for generations to come.
• Build communities as well as cities. Help guide both significant urban intensification and the creation of new neighbourhoods within one of Metro Vancouver’s few remaining large greenfield areas.
• Influence major housing and city-building initiatives. Work directly with Council, the CAO, executive colleagues, industry partners and other levels of government on some of the region’s most significant growth challenges.
• Modernize how development happens. Lead continued improvements to planning, development and permitting services through better processes, technology, data and performance.
• Lead an accomplished team. Build on the strengths of experienced professionals and develop the leadership capacity required for Coquitlam’s next phase of growth.
• Make an impact beyond your portfolio. Join the City’s executive leadership team and bring a city-wide perspective to decisions involving infrastructure, finance, transportation, amenities, sustainability and organizational priorities.
• Join a recognized employer. Be part of a progressive organization recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers for nine consecutive years and as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers.

What We Offer:

This is an excluded position with an annual salary range of $253,678 – $308,638 (2026 Rates). The rate of pay will be determined based on a variety of factors including qualifications, knowledge, experience and skills.
This is an opportunity to join a progressive and growing municipality and an accomplished executive team committed to serving a diverse and evolving community. The City supports continuous learning and leadership development and provides opportunities for employees at all levels of the organization to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully to public service.
The City offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including an attractive vacation and extended benefits program and participation in the Municipal Pension Plan. There is also an opportunity to participate in the City’s earned day off/flex day program. The position is based in Coquitlam, with flexible and hybrid work options available in alignment with the responsibilities and operational requirements of this senior leadership role.

Accessibility / Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Coquitlam is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer working towards enhancing equitable practices in our recruitment and retention processes. As an organization we are committed to creating an inclusive work environment to support our growing and diverse work force. To learn more about what equity, diversity, and inclusion means, and the City’s efforts in support of these principles, please visit coquitlam.ca/edi for more information.
If at any time during the application or recruitment process you require additional assistance or an accommodation, please contact our team for confidential support. Staff can also provide in-person support if required.
Applicants under consideration may be required to undergo and submit an acceptable police information check.