Manager, Community Plans and Policy

City of Coquitlam; Coquitlam; Hybrid; CAD 142,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Coquitlam seeks a strategic Manager of Community Plans and Policy, responsible for guiding long-range land use and planning initiatives. This role will oversee key policy developments, foster collaboration across departments, and ensure community engagement while leading a team of planners. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in municipal planning, strong leadership skills, and contribute to the city's growth and community development.

Benefits

Attractive total compensation package

Learning and development opportunities

Flex day program

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of senior-level experience in Planning.
• Expertise in urban planning and decision-making processes.
• Eligibility for full PIBC membership preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery and implementation of the City’s Official Community Plan.
• Lead development of land use policies and zoning bylaws.
• Manage complex, cross-department projects aligned with Council priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Interpersonal Skills

Political Acuity

Problem Solving

Education

Graduate degree in planning or related field

Job description

Manager, Community Plans and Policy

3 Year 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 the sixth largest city in BC, we are home to more than 150,000 residents. Our diverse municipality is a great place to work as it continues to grow through innovative urban design, inspiring arts, culture and recreation programs, and state-of-the-art transportation systems. 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 a strategic and collaborative Manager of Community Plans and Policy, reporting to the Director of Urban Planning and Design. This position leads the City’s long-range land use planning and policy initiatives, including reviewing, developing, and implementing the City’s Official Community Plan, neighbourhood plans, legislative requirements, other long range policy initiatives, and more.

You are a self-starter with a strong understanding of planning and decision-making processes in local government. You excel at navigating high-impact, politically sensitive projects with professionalism and tact. With a relationship- focused leadership style, you work both independently and in a team environment, fostering a culture of collaboration across departments and with external partners.

Your ability to think strategically, communicate effectively, and deliver results – combined with a deep understanding of the evolving needs of a growing City – makes you well-positioned to lead a diverse range of planning initiatives.

In this role, you will play a pivotal part in shaping the City’s long-range growth and land use policy. Key responsibilities of this role include:

• Oversee the delivery, review, and implementation of the City’s Official Community Plan, neighbourhood plans, and other long range policy initiatives.
• Lead the development and delivery of land use policies, zoning bylaws, and regulatory frameworks that support sustainable communities.
• Manage complex, cross-departmental planning projects that align with Council priorities, City business plans, and provincial legislation.
• Coordinate responses to ongoing provincial reforms, contributing to citywide policy and regulatory updates and policy integration.
• Guide and support public and interest-holder engagement processes that result in inclusive, transparent, and informed planning outcomes.
• Committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and streamlining of policy and processes.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and supervision to a team of Planners, fostering a collaborative, high- performing, and innovative team culture.
• Champion capacity-building across the team, supporting professional development and interdepartmental collaboration.

The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional leadership, expertise in urban planning, and a commitment to fostering sustainable, inclusive, and well-organized communities. This role requires a critical thinker, innovator and problem solver, as well as a strong and competent leader.

Qualifications
The successful candidate will possess a graduate degree from a recognized planning program or a closely related field with a minimum of 7 years of related senior level or management experience in Planning. Eligibility for full PIBC membership is preferred. This position requires the successful incumbent to have:

• Demonstrated leadership in managing long-range and community planning projects in a municipal context, including multi-faceted projects that span multiple departments, budgets, and timelines.
• In-depth knowledge of the Local Government Act and recent legislation, regulatory frameworks, and planning processes.
• Skilled at presenting to Council, committees, and the public, with a successful track record of engagement and policy advancement.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including experience in supervising and mentoring planning professionals, as well as managing consultants and other external relationships.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to interpret emerging trends in alignment with the City’s objectives and Council direction.
• Ability to lead with political acuity, sound judgment, and clear communication – verbally, visually, and in writing.
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to work independently and take initiative in a dynamic, evolving environment.

What We Offer:
This excluded position has an annual salary range of $142,820 - $160,654 (2025). The rate of pay is based on a variety of factors including qualifications, knowledge, experience and skills.

You will have the chance to join a rapidly growing and diverse team dedicated to supporting the local community, and be able to engage in variety of learning and development opportunities. Additionally, there is an opportunity to participate in the flex day program. This position is based in Coquitlam with some flexible, hybrid work options available. The City offers an attractive total compensation package.

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.

Good people make Coquitlam great, sign up for career alerts through our recruitment portal to stay up to date about opportunities within our team, or follow us on LinkedIn to learn more about how #YouCouldWorkHere too!

Please apply online at www.coquitlam.ca/careers by 11:55 pm on July 15, 2025.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.