Senior Policy Planner,  Secondary Planning Temporary - Approx. One (1) Year

Fort Erie bridges big city entrepreneurial opportunities with small-town charm and lifestyle. Quality of life is incomparable with its strong values, a dynamic work environment and easy access to modern amenities complemented by small-town ambience, warmth and welcome. Along with an array of historical sites, natural beauty and beaches, recreational trails, excellent fishing, birding and cycling, and a gateway to Buffalo via the Peace Bridge, Fort Erie has so much to offer!

The Town of Fort Erie is a diverse and welcoming community.  Come join our team of dedicated, professional and committed co-workers and put your mark on something that is exciting and rewarding.  We are recruiting people who share our values of teamwork, respect, honesty and commitment.  Our mission is to lead and serve Fort Erie by pursuing opportunities, leveraging partnerships and managing our resources to achieve prosperity.

The Senior Policy Planner, Secondary Planner will lead, manage, and coordinate long-range secondary planning policy initiatives. They will also review supporting special studies and prepare secondary planning policies and other documents. 

The ideal candidate will have a four (4) year University Degree in Planning or a related field with four (4) years of planning experience. They will be registered as or eligible for registration as a Professional Planner accredited in Ontario, and they will be a member of or eligible for membership with the Ontario Institute of Professional Planners (OPPI). The ideal candidate will have experience with Secondary Plan development, Official Plan policy, Policy planning, and Zoning Bylaws, and they will have technical knowledge of project management. They will also have applied technical knowledge of MS office and ESRI/GIS, with expertise in AutoCAD, SketchUp Pro and Adobe Suite being an asset. In addition, they will have technical knowledge of customer service and public consultation legislation, standards and strategies. 

Compensation includes an annual salary of $92,131 - $110,558 plus 4% vacation pay, based on 37.5 hours weekly; for this position there will be the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule. The successful candidate is also entitled to enroll in the Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement System (OMERS) pension plan.

Fort Erie: A Community for Everyone

The deadline for receiving applications is 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. For more information and to apply for this position please visit www.forterie.ca. 

The Town of Fort Erie is an equal opportunity employer. Accommodation is available to candidates upon request. We thank all applicants for their interest, only those advancing through the recruitment process will be contacted.  Personal information is collected under the Municipal Act, 2001 to determine employment suitability.

Department:          Planning and Development Services

Division:                Community Planning

Reports to:            Manager of Policy and Community Planning

Position Objective

To lead, manage, coordinate long-range secondary planning policy initiatives; review supporting special studies, prepare secondary planning policies and other documents.

Duties & Responsibilities

1.  Lead the preparation of secondary planning projects and studies related to land use policy that protect the long-range interests of and advance the strategic objectives of the Town and Council priorities.
2. Undertake land use studies as necessary to support the needs of the Town, undertake project management and public consultation as required. 
3. Initiate and manage community planning initiatives and special projects. Provide expertise and leadership, relative to natural and cultural heritage, brownfield development, urban and rural land use, climate change, affordable housing, archaeology, urban area boundary expansion, and other community planning priorities. 
4. Prepare Administrative Reports related to Land Use Policy and Community Planning with recommendations to Council. Provide advice and comments to Council, other staff, government agencies, the public at large, and stakeholders on local, regional and provincial land use, planning policies and community planning programs.
5. Lead consultation processes, including stakeholder consultation, public open houses and public meetings. Present at Council meetings.
6. Provide expert evidence at Ontario Land Tribunal hearings.

Education & Experience

• Four (4) year University Degree in Planning or related field
• Registered as or eligible for registration as a Professional Planner accredited in Ontario. 
• Member of or eligible for membership in the Ontario Institute of Professional Planners (OPPI)
• Four (4) years’ planning experience. Municipal experience an asset.
• Experience with Secondary Plan development, Official Plan policy, Policy planning, and Zoning Bylaws.

Knowledge

• Applied, technical knowledge of applicable/related planning and heritage legislation/regulations, guidelines, policies/policy statements, and local by-laws.
• Applied, technical knowledge of MS office and ESRI/GIS. Expertise with AutoCAD, SketchUp Pro and Adobe Suite an asset.
• Technical knowledge of project management.
• Technical knowledge of customer service and public consultation legislation, standards and strategies. Customer focused.
• General knowledge of local government structure, protocols, procedures, reporting, public procurement, budgeting and funding.
• General knowledge of tribunal/court rules of procedure.
• General knowledge of routine office procedures, practices and equipment.

Skills & Ability

• Ingenuity and creativity, conceptual thinking and problem solving.
• Ability to apply long-range strategic thinking.
• Ability to develop/interpret/apply policies, by-laws, professional standards.
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal, written, listening, graphic presentation, public speaking and negotiation skills.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Plan, lead and direct the completion of projects, project management skills.
• Attention to high degree of quality and accuracy. 
• Sound decision-making ability, and exercise of discretion.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member, to collaborate.
• Organization and time management skills.
• Ability to work on a number of projects simultaneously.
• Commitment to continuous learning.

Supervision

N/A

Work Demands

• Public/committee meetings outside of regular work hours.
• Manage multiple and simultaneous time demands and deadlines.
• Works independently and under general supervision; refer unusual problems to supervisor.
• Target completion dates range from one day to one year.
• Requires close attention to avoid errors or missed deadlines that may result in increased cost, incorrect payments, misinformation, delay, customer dissatisfaction, litigation, embarrassment and damage to reputation of the Corporation, Council and employees.
• Frequent contact with the general public regarding potentially contentious issues
• Occasional work with confidential information.
• Normal activities include sitting, standing, regular movement; visual demands.
• Standard office environment with normal disruptions.

Position History

August 2025 - This Job Description was created to facilitate the preparation of a new secondary plan.