Senior Project Manager - Strategic Initiatives

Reporting to the Manager, Intergovernmental Services & Economic Development, the Senior Project Manager - Strategic Initiatives leads the coordination, planning, implementation, and evaluation of complex strategic initiatives and special projects. This position will initially be assigned to the Prairie Economic Gateway initiative and may transition to other County priorities as organizational needs evolve.

Operating in a complex, high-profile, multi-jurisdictional environment, this role integrates project and program management, intergovernmental alignment, infrastructure and servicing planning, funding strategy, governance support, stakeholder engagement, and issue resolution. The role provides senior-level advice and recommendations related to project scope, implementation sequencing, budgets, funding opportunities, partnership structures, agreements, and risk management.

The Senior Project Manager works across County departments, partner organizations, other municipalities, governments, developers, utility providers, Indigenous partners, consultants and other stakeholders to advance assigned initiatives from strategic planning through implementation. The role requires political acuity, sound judgement, relationship-building, innovation, and the ability to influence outcomes across organizations with diverse mandates and decision-making processes.

• Lead assigned strategic initiatives and special projects from planning through implementation, ensuring alignment with Council direction, County priorities, approved budgets, governance requirements, and partner commitments.
• Develop and maintain integrated project and program management, including workplans, critical paths, milestone tracking, decision logs, risk registers, issue tracking, and reporting frameworks.
• Define and coordinate project scope, priorities, dependencies, servicing needs, implementation requirements, budget assumptions, and strategic risks in collaboration with the Manager and relevant County departments.
• Monitor progress across multiple workstreams and identify emerging risks, barriers, or interdependencies; resolve issues where appropriate and escalate complex matters with analysis, options, and recommended actions.
• Coordinate studies, technical work, consulting assignments, and implementation planning required to advance assigned initiatives.
• Support the transition of project components to the appropriate County department(s), external partner(s), or implementation bodies as project elements move into execution and operations.

• Provide senior strategic advice and recommendations regarding regional implementation, infrastructure and servicing coordination, development phasing, cost-recovery opportunities, governance models, and partnership structures.
• Support alignment between strategic planning, servicing requirements, land use approvals, infrastructure timing, financial planning, economic development objectives, and delivery mechanisms.
• Prepare, evaluate, and administer procurement processes and related contracts, including requests for proposals, quotations, pre-qualifications, tenders, consulting assignments.
• Support the development, negotiation, coordination, and administration of project-related agreements, including servicing, governance, cost-sharing, cost-recovery, communications, and implementation agreements.
• Research and apply relevant legislation, regulations, policies, municipal processes, and funding requirements affecting assigned initiatives.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities to improve effectiveness, manage risk and advance complex work within available resources.

• Coordinate stakeholder communications in collaboration with the Communications & Engagement department to support public information, partner messaging, key milestones, and strategic positioning of the initiative.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships with internal departments, external stakeholders, partners organizations, municipalities, developers, utility providers, senior governments, Indigenous partners, consultants, agencies, and funding partners.  
• Prepare meeting materials, strategic messaging, briefing notes, and follow-up actions for discussions with elected officials, executive leadership, government representatives, funding partners, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate and lead working groups, partner meetings, workshops, consultation activities, and stakeholder presentations.
• Represent the County in meetings, studies, committees, working groups, and inter-organizational initiatives.
• Respond to inquiries related to assigned initiatives and special projects. 

• Track project and program performance, schedules, budgetary objectives, approvals, risks, dependencies, deliverables, and implementation constraints using appropriate project and program management practices.
• Prepare and/or provide significant input into internal and external reports, governance updates, decision documents, briefing notes, Council reports, business cases, grant applications, advocacy materials, annual reporting inputs, project close-out documents, and other submissions supporting approvals, funding, implementation, and accountability requirements.  
• Support governance and oversight processes, including committee reporting, decision tracking, action follow-up, inter-organizational coordination, and partner accountability.
• Provide advice and recommendations regarding policies, procedures, implementation frameworks, and governance practices related to strategic initiatives, regional development matters, and special projects.
• Ensure adherence to County policies, project governance requirements, funding conditions, procurement practices, and applicable legislation.
• Support the Manager in preparation of annual operating and capital budget submissions for assigned initiatives, including multi-year funding planning where applicable.

• Work in accordance with the requirements established by the RVC Health and Safety Program and the Alberta OHS Act, Regulation and Code.
• Take reasonable care to protect their health and safety and that of other persons at or in the vicinity of the worksite while working.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Completion of a bachelor’s degree or diploma in public administration, business, economics, planning, regional development, engineering, project management, political studies, or a related field, along with a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible project and/or program management experience, is required. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• Demonstrated senior-level project and/or program management experience in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Experience in municipal government, intergovernmental relations, strategic infrastructure, regional development, economic development, or complex multi-stakeholder initiatives is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing initiatives involving governance coordination, agreement development, issue resolution, reporting, implementation planning, and cross-functional delivery.
• Strong knowledge of project and program management principles, tools and practices.
• Understanding of municipal processes related to infrastructure, servicing, land use planning, development, budgeting, procurement, and interdepartmental coordination.
• Knowledge of provincial and federal funding programs, grant administration, advocacy processes, business case development, and relevant Alberta municipal, infrastructure, planning, or regional development frameworks is an asset.
• Strong political acuity and ability to work effectively with elected officials, executive leadership, partner municipalities, developers, senior governments, Indigenous partners, agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Well-developed communication, facilitation, negotiation, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, influence outcomes without direct authority, and exercise sound judgement in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
• Demonstrated integrity, professionalism, initiative, adaptability, and innovation, including appropriate handling of confidential, strategic, or politically sensitive information.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with project management, reporting, and presentation tools.
• PMP certification is an asset.
• Engineering or technical infrastructure experience is an asset, particularly in municipal servicing, transportation, water, wastewater, or regional infrastructure planning.
• Familiarity with GIS, document management, procurement, or contract administration tools is an asset.
• Possess a valid Class 5 Alberta driver’s license.