Project Officer, Funding - Adaptation

Federation of Canadian Municipalities; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 76,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work model

Summer schedule

Employee development

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

The Project Officer at Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund (GMF) supports applicants through the funding life cycle, reviews applications for completeness and eligibility, summarizes assessments, and guides grant and loan recipients through contracts and disbursements.

This client‑facing role requires strong written and oral communication, solid organizational skills, attention to detail and the ability to work independently or as part of a team in a hybrid Ottawa‑based

Qualifications

• University degree in an environmental science, engineering, planning, finance or related discipline.
• 3–5 years of project management/evaluation experience in sustainable community development.
• Strong knowledge in one or more technical areas of sustainable community development.
• Excellent written and oral communication and client service skills.
• Ability to manage multiple files with strong organization and judgment.

Responsibilities

• Acts as primary client contact on a portfolio of applications and funding agreements through the project cycle.
• Reviews applications for eligibility criteria, completeness and adherence to requirements.
• Prepares summaries and recommendations for funding and supports contract negotiations and disbursement processes.
• Guides grant and loan recipients through contract execution and fund disbursement.
• Reviews contracts for mandatory requirements and provincial legislation adherence.
• Supports cross‑functional teams and process improvements to enhance client service.

Skills

Communication

Client service

Organization

Attention to detail

Judgment

Teamwork

Education

University degree in environmental science/engineering/planning/finance

Job description

Who we are at GMF:

At the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), we create change where it matters most—in Canada’s municipalities. As the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ flagship program and backed by a $2.4 billion endowment from the Government of Canada, GMF helps Canadian municipalities, big and small, invest in their future by supporting homegrown sustainability and resilience projects that work for Canadians by creating jobs, lowering costs, and strengthening local economies. Through our unique mix of funding, resources and training, GMF is enhancing the quality of life for people in Canada by accelerating a transformation to sustainable and resilient communities. Since 2000, GMF has invested over $1.6 billion in local projects helping communities avoid 2.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, while also contributing $1.24 billion to the national GDP and creating more than 13,000 person-years of national employment.

About This Role:

The Project Officer provides assistance and guidance to applicants to the GMF funding process, while providing superior client service in all phases of the funding life cycle. The Project Officer is responsible for reviewing applications for quality, completeness, and adherence to application criteria, summarizing peer review assessments and recommending files for approval. The Project Officer is also responsible for guiding grant and loan recipients through the contract negotiation, execution, and fund disbursement processes.

What you’ll be doing:

Key Responsibilities

• Acts as primary client contact on a portfolio of applications and funding agreements through the project cycle, responsible for internal and external communications, document review, keeping accurate and up to date records, and ensuring timely processing
• Conducts a review of applications for plans, studies, pilot projects and capital projects for adherence to eligibility criteria and mandatory requirements
• Provides assistance and guidance to applicants to improve technical, economic and social viability of proposals. Increasing the possibility of funding by sharing relevant knowledge products and capacity building resources, and providing information of importance to finalizing funding agreements
• Facilitates and supports the Peer Review process, including reviewing scores and comments, conducting additional research or consulting with applicants to clarify and/or elaborate content information
• Writes and reviews application summaries and prepares recommendations for funding and is prepared to answer questions. This may involve reviewing translated presentation documents, as required
• Responsible for the administration of funding agreements and contracts within the assigned portfolio, which includes consulting with clients on contract terms, negotiating where required, reviewing and finalizing agreements and obtaining applicable signatures
• Reviews contracts for adherence against mandatory requirements and applicable provincial legislation, ensuring the project reflects the pre-approved terms and conditions
• Reviews and recommends disbursement requests and content of progress and final reports based on contract requirements
• Prepares and defends post-approval recommendations, which may include contract amendments, scope changes and closure memos
• Reviews projects results, including triple bottom line reports to identify significant results or lessons learned which may be used as case studies or to support the development of knowledge/communication products. Relevant information shared with cross‑functional teams (Communications and Marketing, Capacity and Sector Development, Impact Research and Performance)
• Participates as required in cross‑functional team project work for GMF, FCM Programs department or in FCM-wide initiatives
• Contributes to ongoing process improvements in application and contracting process with a focus on improving client service. This may include reviewing new application forms and developing/updating tools and templates for applicants

Knowledge and Experience

• University degree in an environmental science, engineering, planning, finance or related discipline
• Minimum of 3 - 5 years of professional experience in project management/evaluation, ideally related to one or more technical sustainable community development area, and in a client focused role
• Strong knowledge and experience in one or more technical areas of sustainable community development (energy, water, municipal solid waste, transportation, land use, and planning) is ideal
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent client service skills
• Strong organizational skills, priority management skills, and ability to manage multiple files
• Detail oriented and strong analytical skills
• Sound judgment
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• The ability to work in both official languages is essential

Specific Working Conditions & Requirements

Domestic travel may be required - approximately 1-2 trips per year, depending on whether based in Ottawa. Longer than normal workdays and irregular hours may be required when travelling. Ability to adapt to changing priorities and multi-task.

Salary Range: $75,577.00 - $85,413.00

What we offer:

We offer a flexible work model grounded in accountability, collaboration, and delivering results. It is designed to support both performance and well‑being. While work is primarily virtual, occasional travel to our Head Office in Ottawa is expected. The majority of the team is based in the National Capital Region. Where applicable, you may also have opportunities to travel across Canada to engage with the communities we support and better understand the impact of our work.

• Employee experience and supports: We are committed to creating an environment where people can do their best work while maintaining a healthy balance including: Flexible work arrangements that support productivity and collaboration
• Summer schedule (July 1 to Labour Day): 7-hour workdays Fridays off, aligned with team and operational needs
• Ongoing commitment to employee development
• Comprehensive range of employee benefits and services designed to support employee wellbeing and development

Please note: details and eligibility may vary depending on the role Modern office space in Ottawa’s ByWard Market and downtown core

We’re committed to fostering an organizational culture that embraces equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, where individuals from diverse racial and ethnic identities, ages, nationalities, social economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and physical and mental abilities can thrive and be fully engaged at their best level. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.

The future of work at FCM includes a hybrid work model; therefore, this role will be a combination of virtual and on‑site work.

The successful candidate is required live within 80kms of downtown Ottawa, unless otherwise specified, and be authorized to work in Canada.

As part of our recruitment process, we use automated artificial intelligence tools to screen applicants. All AI-generated assessments are reviewed and validated by our People and Culture team.