Manager, Project Integration and Strategy

Region of Waterloo; Kitchener; Hybrid; CAD 114,860 - 143,580; Full time

Job summary

Region of Waterloo seeks a Manager, Project Integration and Strategy to lead stakeholder engagement, property coordination, and community benefits for the LRT extension. This role coordinates across legal, real estate, facilities, and engineering to ensure strategic alignment and successful delivery.

The position drives governance, funding strategies, and intergovernmental partnerships while collaborating with regional departments and municipal partners to achieve housing, equity, accessibility,

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in a related field (e.g., Engineering, Planning, Business) or equivalent.
• Significant experience in project management and stakeholder engagement.
• Knowledge of public administration, reporting, budgeting, and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Leads stakeholder engagement, property coordination, and community benefits strategies for the LRT extension project.
• Provides strategic leadership for interfaces between the LRT project and regional/departments, municipalities, and agencies.
• Develops governance frameworks, stakeholder registries, and issue management strategies to support approvals and funding.
• Supports government relations activities, funding opportunities, and intergovernmental partnerships.
• Coordinates with Legal, Real Estate, Facilities, and Engineering to align project delivery with approvals and budgets.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Strategic planning

Public sector experience

Education

Degree in Engineering/Planning/Business

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Manager, Project Integration and Strategy

Job Number: 4673
Job Type: Temporary Full-Time
Contract Length: 2 years
Vacancy Reason: Net New
Location: 20 Weber St E - 20 Weber
Job Category: Transportation
Number of Positions: 1
Department: Rapid Transit
Division: Transportation Services
Hours of Work: 35
Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, hybrid: 3 days in-office / 2 days remote
Grade: Management/Management Support Grade 08
Salary Range: $114,860.20 - $143,579.80 annually
Posting Date: July 20, 2026
Closing Date: July 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (internals only)

About Us!

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.
Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan , “Growing with Care,” we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

The Role

Manages strategic planning, stakeholder integration, community benefits realization, and supports government relations and property coordination functions required to successfully deliver the Region's Light Rail Transit Extension Project. Provides leadership for the non-technical strategic components of the project, ensuring government partners, municipalities, Indigenous communities, agencies, utilities, property owners, businesses, and community stakeholders are appropriately identified, engaged, and coordinated throughout project planning, procurement, design, and implementation. Working closely with engineering, planning, communications, and project delivery teams, ensures project objectives, funding commitments, community outcomes, and strategic priorities remain aligned throughout the project lifecycle. Acts as the principal project lead for stakeholder integration, working in collaboration with regional departments including Strategic Communications, Government Relations, Legal Services, Real Estate, Growth and Development Services, Housing, Facilities, and other internal and external partners to proactively identify opportunities, resolve issues, manage project risks, and support successful project delivery.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Leads the development and implementation of stakeholder engagement (including area municipalities), property coordination, and community benefits strategies supporting delivery of the LRT extension project, and provides project input to communications and engagement planning in partnership with Strategic Communications.
• Provides strategic leadership for project interfaces between the LRT extension project and regional departments, area municipalities, provincial and federal agencies, Indigenous communities, utilities, regulatory authorities, business organizations, institutional partners, and community stakeholders.
• Develops and maintains stakeholder mapping, governance frameworks, stakeholder and community impact/input registries, engagement requirements, and issue management strategies to support project approvals, funding commitments, procurement activities, implementation, and related communications and engagement planning.
• Supports Strategic Communications and Government Relations teams regarding government relations activities, advocacy initiatives, funding opportunities, legislative approvals, and intergovernmental partnerships.
• Supports negotiations related to funding agreements, partnership arrangements, project approvals, and third-party agreements, in coordination with Legal Services and senior leadership as required.
• Works closely with Legal Services, Real Estate, Facilities, Transportation Engineering, and external agencies to coordinate property acquisition activities, access requirements, temporary occupancies, interim property management strategies, and related Council approvals.
• Coordinates preparation of reports and recommendations regarding property acquisition, governance matters, funding strategies, stakeholder issues, and project decisions for senior management, Steering Committees, and Council.
• Leads implementation and monitoring of community benefits strategies, ensuring project commitments relating to housing, economic development, equity, accessibility, reconciliation, climate adaptation, sustainability, and broader Regional strategic objectives are achieved and appropriately measured.
• Coordinates with Growth and Development Services, Housing Services, Economic Development, Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and other departments to integrate community outcomes into project planning and delivery.
• Oversees implementation and monitoring of the Region's Community Building Strategy and other related strategic initiatives associated with the LRT extension project in collaboration with the City of Cambridge and other municipal partners.
• Serves as the project lead for strategic issue identification, risk assessment, and resolution of stakeholder concerns that may impact project scope, schedule, approvals, funding, public confidence, or delivery. Works with leadership and the Strategic Communications team on issues with significant public, reputational, or politically sensitive implications.
• Represents the LRT extension project on internal and external committees, intergovernmental working groups, municipal committees, public forums, technical advisory committees, and industry organizations, providing project, stakeholder, and issue management expertise, and coordinating with Strategic Communications on public-facing materials, messaging, and engagement activities as required.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with the Manager, Rapid Transit Engineering and other Divisions to ensure stakeholder commitments, project strategies, communications, engineering solutions, and delivery objectives remain fully integrated.
• Coordinates with Transit Services and Transportation Planning to ensure long‑term operational requirements, customer experience objectives, and future transit service needs are incorporated into project planning.
• Supports development and administration of project operating and capital budgets related to stakeholder engagement, property coordination, consulting services, community initiatives, strategic studies, and project‑specific engagement and communications support.
• Procures and manages consultant assignments supporting stakeholder engagement, communications, government relations, environmental studies, property activities, community benefits, and strategic initiatives.
• Monitors project performance related to stakeholder commitments, strategic objectives, governance milestones, and community outcomes, providing regular reporting and recommendations to the Director.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a degree or diploma in a related field (e.g., Engineering, Planning, Business Administration) or equivalent, plus significant, progressively responsible related experience.
• Project management skills, with experience leading large‑scale projects within the public sector.
• Demonstrated experience managing stakeholder integration activities, including collaborating with internal departments for specialized services, and coordination, communication, and inclusion of stakeholders at appropriate junctures to enable quality project outcomes.
• Knowledge of public administration, reporting, budgeting, and policy development.
• Demonstrated skill and experience developing and implementing stakeholder management plans, and identifying and resolving issues that could impede project progress.
• Experience developing and maintaining relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain momentum to achieve project outcomes using an action and outcome‑oriented approach.
• General knowledge of the light rail transit industry.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with corporate policies and procedures, collective agreements, legislation, regulations, and standards relevant to the design, development, and provision of rapid transit services.
• Analytical, strategic thinking, issue resolution, and continuous improvement skills, with a commitment to innovation and collaboration. Ability to respond quickly to requests while meeting deadlines and dealing with multiple projects.
• Leadership, human relations, facilitation, negotiation, political acumen, and public relations skills.
• Ability to support and coordinate with multidisciplinary project team members, advance priorities and balance objectives in a political environment, including with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to present issues and reports to Committee and Council, the public, elected officials, senior staff, and external stakeholders.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office.
• Ability to alter working hours to include evenings and weekends for open houses and public meetings.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Region of Waterloo is committed to building a workforce through fair, equitable, and accessible hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve and to promote a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.
We invite all interested individuals to apply and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions

For questions or to request accommodations during your recruitment, onboarding or employment, please [e-mail] , or by calling our Service First Contact Centre at phone number [phone].
Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Hiring Process: Region of Waterloo may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance efficiency during the recruitment process. However, applications will also be reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team to ensure a fair and thorough assessment. AI does not make final hiring decisions.
Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).