Job Description
Strathcona County is seeking a strategic and results-driven Manager of Strategic Planning and Financial Advisory to lead our multi-year business planning process and provide financial advisory services across the organization. This role plays a critical part in shaping the County’s strategic direction by aligning corporate business plans with Council priorities, ensuring resources are allocated effectively, and supporting evidence-based decision-making.
A large portion of the role involves municipal strategic planning. In this position, you will lead an annual corporate environmental scan, stakeholder engagement, and priority-setting exercises with Council and the Executive Team. As a trusted business partner, you will foster strong relationships and provide strategic insights to support the County’s goals and initiatives.
Additionally, you will support and oversee the integration of financial planning into strategic initiatives, ensuring a client-focused, collaborative approach that drives fiscal sustainability and operational excellence.
As a key leader within Financial and Strategic Services, you will spearhead corporate performance measurement initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and process optimization. Leading a team of strategic and financial advisors, you will strengthen the connection between departments and corporate finance. In this role, you will mentor a high-performing team, cultivate cross-departmental collaboration, and enhance organizational effectiveness. Furthermore, you will build strong partnerships, integrate your unit with other service areas, and deliver impactful, value-added services.
This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in advancing Strathcona County’s long-term vision, driving strategic priorities, and enhancing financial stewardship to support the community’s evolving needs.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the County’s multi-year strategic planning process, ensuring alignment with corporate and strategic priorities
- Provide expert recommendations to support Council and the Executive Team in informed decision-making
- Conduct an annual corporate environmental scan and stakeholder engagement to anticipate community needs and inform strategic priority setting
- Facilitate the development of four-year business plans that effectively allocate resources across diverse programs and services
- Continuously improve business planning processes using best practices, data analytics, and training tools
- Lead financial advisory services across the organization, ensuring a strategic, customer-centered approach to financial planning and reporting
- Oversee Strategic Planning Advisors and Strategic Finance Coordinators, ensuring they provide effective strategic and financial support to departments
- Serve as a trusted business advisor, providing financial expertise, proactive planning, and strategic insights
- Work collaboratively with Financial Planning and Financial Reporting branches with Financial and Strategic Services to ensure alignment in budgeting, forecasting, reporting and fiscal strategy
- Develop and implement corporate performance measurement systems to enhance enterprise performance management
- Leverage data analytics to assess, optimize, and improve service effectiveness and efficiency
- Oversee the annual review of the County’s program and service model, including service costing and performance measures
- Contribute to department-wide strategic planning, business plans, and budgeting
- Foster a collaborative and positive work culture, emphasizing accountability, communication, and professional growth
- Mentor and develop staff through performance planning, leadership development, and career growth initiatives
- Lead and advise on inter-departmental and multi-disciplinary projects to ensure strategic alignment across the organization
- Promote a culture of innovation and operational excellence, leveraging industry best practices and emerging trends
Qualifications and Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in commerce, business or a related field combined with 10 years of directly related progressive experience as a trusted advisor in strategic business planning, implementation, service level reviews and performance measurement work
- Extensive experience in strategic planning
- A professional accounting designation (CPA) is highly desirable
- A Certified Local Government Manager (CGLM) or related professional designation in municipal administration is an asset
- Ability to balance corporate planning and execution with operational practicalities and to guide others through established processes to achieve results
- Increasing levels of leadership in public administration and positive record of working effectively with elected officials, other orders of government and executive administration
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, change management, and presentation skills and the ability to build support for your vision
- Experience in project management, business process management, and change management
- Demonstrated ability to plan and implement multiple projects at the same time, while still being able to respond to emerging issues and changing priorities
- Excellent facilitation, internal consulting, problem-solving, analytical and systems-thinking skills
- Politically astute and able to read the political implications of recommendations and actions
- Creative and innovative using theory and experiences to develop new and unique ways to identify root causes of organizational issues and find effective ways to address them
- Policy development skills to guide future organizational and community direction
- Excellent strategic, critical thinking and analytical ability to analyze a variety of information, assess risk and resolve issues and an ability to provide strategic advice to senior representatives
- Ability to provide effective leadership to set priorities, provide supervision, and promote engagement
Conditions of Employment:
- Submission of a Satisfactory Criminal Record Check
Who We Are:
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality located in the heart of Alberta. Our vision is to become Canada’s most livable community, where our workplace culture and identity are supported by our people plan and values of integrity, respect, safety, fairness, and cooperation.
Why Join Strathcona County: (depending on position)
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, which includes:
- Extended health and dental coverage
- Health and wellness spending account
- Life and disability insurance and critical illness programs
- Retirement and pension programs
- Paid and unpaid leave programs
- Earned day off program
- Employee and family assistance program
- Commitment to employee development, through internal and external training and development opportunities
- Well-being programs and a safety culture focused on physical and psychological health in the workplace
Equivalencies of education and experience may be considered.
This competition may be used to fill future vacancies for similar positions within the next 6 months.
Strathcona County is committed to an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace that represents the community we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds who can contribute diverse perspectives and experiences.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
