Interim Chief of Staff

IMMEDIATE INTERIM OPPORTUNITY

Interim Chief of Staff

Reports to Chief Administrative Officer & Mayor

Duration: 2- 3 Months

Location: Greater Toronto Area (Hybrid)

Our client is an Ontario municipality with a dynamic and progressive Mayor seeking to establish a strong, effective, and well‑structured Mayor’s Office to be implemented in 2027. Expectations from residents, Council, and staff are high, and there is a clear desire to ensure the Mayor is supported by the right resources, governance discipline, and political‑administrative alignment to be successful. Lessons learned from this will be used to determine a go-forward plan for 2027.

The municipality is seeking an experienced, politically savvy Interim Chief of Staff to work directly with the Mayor to build the foundations of a professional Mayor’s Office, provide strategic and procedural guidance, and ensure compliance with the Municipal Act and related legislation—while enabling the Mayor to lead confidently and effectively on behalf of residents. A secondary requirement is to document gaps and opportunities for the future structural and operational state of the Mayor’s office including staffing capacities.

This is a high‑trust, high‑judgment role, requiring discretion, credibility, and deep understanding of Ontario municipal governance.

Key Accountabilities:

Establish and Professionalize the Mayor’s Office

• Design an effective Mayor’s Office structure, defining accountability and roles, and operating rhythm.
• Ensure the Mayor has appropriate briefing discipline, workflow management, and decisions support mechanisms.
• Introduce structure and rigour without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Work closely with the existing Executive Assistant.

Strategic Advisory & Coaching to the Mayor

• Act as a trusted advisor and sounding board to the Mayor.
• Provide candid coaching and guidance on governance, political dynamics, and operating within the municipal system.
• Support the Mayor in setting priorities, sequencing initiatives, and managing expectations during an election year.

Political Acumen & Council Interface

• Support the Mayor in navigating Council dynamics and relationships.
• Anticipate political and governance risks and help mitigate issues before they escalate.
• Ensure the Mayor’s interactions with Council and Committees are well‑prepared, compliant, and effective.

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure programs, initiatives, and decisions are procedurally sound and compliant.
• Act as a safeguard against governance, compliance, or reputational risk.
• Flag potential conflicts with the Municipal Election rules.

Clearing the Path for the Mayor

• Filter, prioritize, and integrate information coming to the Mayor.
• Ensure briefings are accurate, timely, and decision‑ready.
• Reduce noise and operational drag so the Mayor can focus on leadership and community outcomes.
• Align expectations with resource availability.

Interface with the CAO and Senior Administration

• Work closely with the CAO to maintain a healthy political–administrative relationship
• Ensure alignment between Mayor’s Office priorities and administrative execution
• Support clarity of roles, expectations, and boundaries
• Work closely with the CAO to develop a future state report for the Mayor’s Office.

Ideal Interim Profile

The ideal candidate will be a highly experienced leader, ideally a semi‑retired Chief of Staff, who is now seeking an opportunity to leverage deep expertise and judgment in a focused, high‑impact role.

This assignment will appeal to someone who:

• Brings significant senior experience within Ontario’s municipal or provincial government
• Has deep, practical knowledge of governance, and legislative compliance
• Is politically astute, discreet, and trusted at senior levels
• Has previously worked directly with Mayors, Ministers and Councils
• Enjoy coaching and supporting elected officials without seeking the spotlight
• Wants to continue adding value by supporting a growing municipality through an important phase of evolution, without returning to a permanent executive role
• Willing to roll up their sleeves to help on day-to-day matters

This role is well‑suited to an experienced leader who understands municipal complexity, values good governance, and is motivated by impact rather than title.

Why an Interim Makes Sense

An interim appointment allows the municipality to:

• Rapidly add senior governance and political expertise.
• Support a Mayor through a critical phase of their term.
• Establish strong foundations before committing to a permanent staffing model.
• Reduce political, procedural, and compliance risk during transition.

PLEASE SEND YOUR CV (AS A WORD DOC) TO: Interim.Applications@LHHknightsbridge.com (Subject: Job Title)

LHH Knightsbridge Interim Management is a service to help our clients address a wide range of scenarios including leadership support due to sudden departures, driving key change initiatives or leading transformation projects. Our interim executives step in with minimal downtime to meet specific objectives and deliver results. All have held senior positions in the past and have now chosen to offer their unique depth and breadth of experience to organizations on a limited engagement basis.

Follow the LHH Knightsbridge LinkedIn page and set up a job alert to learn about new Executive Interim opportunities.

Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge Corp. is committed to providing equitable treatment and accommodation to ensure a barrier-free recruitment process. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and our AODA policy, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the hiring process. If you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, please provide your accommodation needs in advance to the Recruitment Lead for this opportunity.

We thank all interested candidates in advance; however, only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

May 2026