As one of the fastest growing cities in Alberta, the City of Airdrie is a recognized leader in building a vibrant and sustainable community through innovation.
At the City of Airdrie, incredible opportunities happen every day in a flexible work environment that is tailored to each department. Our inclusive culture and values create a workplace where we welcome aspiring, driven and creative individuals to help us accomplish our business and community goals. We are supportive of one another, and we have fun while we serve our community. We are passionate about improving the lives of our residents through care and respect; that is the foundation of our organization. At the City of Airdrie, we learn, grow and accomplish great things together.
If you have a passion for building a better community and are ready to join the excitement, we’d love to hear from you!
The Opportunity:
The Housing Policy Strategist will provide subject matter expertise and take a lead role in developing and implementing affordable housing strategies, policies, research, and programs to create and improve affordable housing opportunities within the City of Airdrie. This position will engage, and champion initiatives related to the City’s 2024-2030 Affordable Housing Action Plan and other housing related initiatives. This position works with a variety of stakeholders including government officials, private industry, nonprofit and community organizations/groups, and regional partners. The Housing Policy Strategist will play an important role in clearly defining Airdrie’s Below-Market System as well as achieving more affordable and diverse housing options provided by the private market through setting the policy environment.
Primary accountabilities include:
• Facilitate the implementation of the City’s 2024-2030 Affordable Housing Action Plan and other housing related plans
• Work collaboratively across City departments and with external housing stakeholders including within industry, nonprofit and community organizations/groups, regional partners, and others to improve nonmarket and market housing options in Airdrie
• Engage with the private sector and nonprofit housing providers to partner in the development of affordable housing options
• Create staff reports, briefing notes and other materials for senior management and Council related to housing serving community needs
• Represent the interests of the City of Airdrie on internal and external committees and project teams related to the housing system in Airdrie
• Provide expert advice to support and advance advocacy work with other orders of government and participate in federal and provincial affordable housing initiatives, including funding programs
• Proactively monitor legislative, regulatory and program changes from other levels of government by advising on impacts/implications of housing policy changes, programs, funding opportunities, etc.
• Undertake research on a range of housing issues, challenges, and potential solutions
• Monitor trends and emerging issues in the housing sector through intelligence gathering, environmental scans, professional relationship building, and participation in external workshops and events
• Advise and lead capacity building actions and education opportunities on affordable housing for internal and external housing stakeholders as aligned with priorities for Airdrie’s affordable housing program
• Connect with community stakeholders including conducting consultations to determine needs related to affordable housing, public education, advocacy and other needs related to improving housing options in Airdrie
• Contribute to proposals/plans/reporting for Federal and Provincial housing programs and funding
• Advance affordable housing priorities and strengthen Airdrie’s affordable housing program internally to the organization through interdepartmental collaboration
• Determine housing targets and report on housing targets and progress of overall housing outcomes to a variety of stakeholders (executive leadership team, Council, governments, partners and community)
• Advise on elements of cost of service, including cost estimates, budget and reporting on the financial status of Airdrie’s 2024 – 2030 Affordable Housing Principled Action Plan and other housing related plans
You Bring:
• Degree in public administration, public policy, business, planning, social work, or a related discipline
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience in affordable housing, policies, and housing solutions or a related position
• Comprehensive knowledge of the housing continuum and experience with developing innovative housing options
• Knowledge and understanding of municipal land-use policies and implications of the MGA
• Experience working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders including not-for-profit organizations, developers and other levels of government and regional stakeholders to achieve shared housing goals and outcomes
• Previous municipal and/or provincial experience in policy
• Experience working on project teams responsible for the planning, design and delivery of long-range housing strategies and implementation plans
• Understanding of quantitative and qualitative social research
• Experience with funding opportunities through the federal and provincial governments and other external funding agencies (including CMHC, GOA, FCM, etc.)
• Comprehensive knowledge of key Federal, Provincial, and Municipal housing legislation and strategy is an asset (i.e. Government of Alberta’s 10 Year Housing Strategy, Stronger Foundations, Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy, A Place to Call Home etc.)
• Strong analytical skills and problem-solving abilities
• Strong political acumen and strategic thinking skills are essential
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to adjust to a changing environment with the ability to quickly align with shifting priorities, work assignments and timelines
• Ability to work under pressure and meet project deadlines, with the ability to effectively influence others and successfully resolve a variety of stakeholder relationships, projects and technical issues
• Ability to exercise a significant amount of professional judgment and initiative when making recommendations and resolving problems that may be complex and sensitive in nature
• Ability to effectively collaborate with a variety of individuals at all levels of the organization as well as officials from outside agencies
• Ability to formulate and coordinate plans for a variety of projects, concurrently
• Ability to implement positive changes and develop new processes
• Ability to be a positive influence in a team setting
We Offer:
Along with a competitive compensation program and City paid health and dental premiums, this position also includes:
• Excellent health, dental, paramedical and benefits plan
• First-in-class pension plan
• Career development and tuition reimbursement
• Employee discounts, annual adult Genesis Place pass, social events and health & wellness initiatives
Continuous learning through training and development is encouraged as are flexible work arrangements, when possible. We recognize that our people work best when they feel engaged in their environment and appreciated for their efforts and our overall benefits package reflects that.
Additional Information:
This is a 2-year term full-time (37.5 hours per week) position.
Next Steps:
Candidates are invited to apply online.
Postings close at 9 p.m. on the closing date listed in the posting. We recommend applying as soon as possible as we are not able to accept late applications.
Please review the job competition carefully and be sure to attach any specifically requested documentation in the My Documents section of your application.
Interviewing and hiring may commence prior to the posted closing date.
Thank you for your interest in the City of Airdrie.
