Associate Chief of Staff (Water Utility)

Job Title: Associate Chief of Staff (Water Utility)

TP - CAL - 9948

The City of Calgary is one of Canada's largest and fastest-growing municipalities, serving more than 1.6 million residents and delivering critical infrastructure and public services that support a vibrant, diverse, and economically dynamic region. Through innovation, collaboration, and responsible stewardship, The City works to enhance quality of life while building resilient communities and sustainable infrastructure for future generations. As part of this commitment, the Water Utility plays a vital role in delivering safe, reliable, and resilient water services to Calgarians while supporting continued growth and development across the region.

Meridia Recruitment Solutions is pleased to partner with the City of Calgary in the recruitment of an Associate Chief of Staff - Water Utility, Office of the COO.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), this is a unique opportunity to serve as a trusted advisor, strategic integrator, and relationship leader at the center of one of the City's most visible and impactful business units. The successful candidate will operate as an extension of the COO's office, ensuring priorities remain aligned, critical relationships are fostered, and executive decisions are supported through exceptional planning, preparation, and follow-through.

Role Description

As Associate Chief of Staff - Water Utility, you will act as a central point of coordination for executive priorities, communications, stakeholder engagement, and strategic initiatives. You will ensure the COO is equipped with the information, relationships, and support required to make timely decisions, respond effectively to emerging issues, and advance key organizational commitments.

Working across The City, Council, elected officials' offices, funding agencies, boards, municipal, provincial, and federal government partners, you will build alignment, strengthen relationships, and facilitate collaborative solutions to support the Water Utility's strategic objectives.

You will also provide leadership to the COO's office team, ensuring seamless delivery of executive administration, governance support, communications, board liaison activities, and executive workflow management.

• Your responsibilities will include: Strategically manage the COO's schedule, priorities, and executive agenda to ensure focus on critical initiatives and emerging issues.
• Anticipate executive needs, identify risks and challenges, and proactively coordinate solutions and responses.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the COO by providing research, analysis, briefing materials, stakeholder intelligence, and strategic recommendations.
• Coordinate relationships with Council, the Mayor's Office, elected officials, boards, funding agencies, and government partners at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
• Lead the preparation and quality review of executive correspondence, presentations, briefing notes, reports, speaking materials, and communications.
• Monitor political, legislative, stakeholder, and industry developments that may impact Water Utility priorities, initiatives, or reputation.
• Track executive commitments, strategic initiatives, action items, and key deliverables to ensure timely execution and accountability.
• Support the COO's participation in high-profile meetings, events, and intergovernmental engagements through detailed preparation and coordination.
• Lead and support a small team responsible for executive administration, board liaison activities, and strategic advisory support.
• Foster a collaborative, professional, and service-oriented culture focused on responsiveness, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, and emerging tools to improve executive effectiveness and information management.
• Support the development of innovative processes that improve decision-making, efficiency, and organizational responsiveness.

Your Qualifications

The ideal candidate is a confident and highly adaptable professional who combines exceptional organizational capability with political acumen, executive judgment, and relationship-building skills. You are comfortable operating in highly visible environments, managing confidential information, and supporting senior leaders through complex and evolving priorities.

• Your qualifications include: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Science, Communications, Organizational Leadership, or a related discipline.
• Progressive experience supporting senior executives, C-suite leaders, elected officials, boards, government stakeholders, or complex public-sector organizations.
• Experience working within politically sensitive, high-profile, and fast-paced environments.
• Demonstrated success preparing executive briefing materials, strategic communications, recommendations, presentations, and correspondence.
• Strong understanding of government, intergovernmental relations, stakeholder engagement, or public affairs environments.
• Experience managing relationships with senior leaders, elected officials, external partners, and funding organizations.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience, including coaching, guiding, or managing staff and team performance.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to quickly synthesize large volumes of information and identify key priorities and risks.
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience leveraging technology, digital tools, or artificial intelligence to improve workflows, research, decision support, or executive productivity would be considered an asset.
• Experience in communications, public affairs, government relations, policy, legal, executive operations, or related fields would be considered an asset.

Why Join the City of Calgary?

This is an opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping one of Calgary's most important public services. You will be positioned at the center of critical conversations involving infrastructure, government relations, public trust, stakeholder engagement, and long-term strategic planning.

The City of Calgary offers a competitive compensation package, comprehensive benefits, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative environment where innovation, leadership, and public service are highly valued.

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