Commissioner, Community Services (Niagara Region)


Niagara Region is a regional municipality serving more than 480,000 people who call Niagara home. They provide essential services for day-to-day life, from clean water, roads and waste collection to public safety, housing and more. The Region believes in social, environmental and economic choices that support its diverse community and foster collaboration with its partners in making Niagara a prosperous place for everyone. As a Regional government, Niagara Region is composed of 32 council members, who represent Niagara's 12 cities, towns, and townships. Geographically, the region is as diverse as the municipal services that sustain it. Located between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, Niagara encompasses an area of 1,852 km2 and is home to communities rich in both character and history.
 
Reporting to the Chief Administration Officer, the Commissioner of Community Services provides a high level of strategic leadership in the delivery of a diverse portfolio of community programs and services to Niagara Region, building external networks and partnerships to create vision and influence results that enhance the quality of life for citizens while ensuring that departmental programs and services support the strategic priorities and initiatives of the Region. The Commissioner of Community Services oversees the development and implementation of Community Services programs, including Children Services, Social Assistance, Housing Services, Homelessness Services, Community Policy and Service Planning Initiatives (e.g. Community Safety and Well-being), Municipal Long-term Care Services and Seniors Community Programs. As a key member of the Region’s Corporate Management Team, the Commissioner participates in the development and implementation of corporate-wide strategies, structure, systems and policies.
 
As an adept leader, you have experience leading large teams within a variety of service areas, ideally within a unionized environment and have the business acumen and financial skills to administer complex operating and capital budgets. With strong relationship-building skills, you will forge productive relationships and are persuasive and skilled at negotiating agreements with multiple parties. You bring demonstrated success developing and implementing multi-faceted strategic plans for diverse interests with wide-ranging impacts, coupled with at least 10 years senior management experience in a leadership capacity in a community, human services, and/or long-term care environments. A systems thinker with advanced communication and relationship abilities, you are well-equipped to take on the role of Commissioner Community Services.
 
To express your interest in confidence, please submit your resume and letter of interest online at https://careers.odgersberndtson.com/en-ca/29788 or amanda.bugatto@odgersberndtson.com by September 13th, 2024.
 
We thank all those who express an interest, however only those chosen for further development will be contacted.
 
Niagara Region welcomes and values diversity - in background and experience. This includes race / ethnicity, Indigenous identity, gender, sexuality, religion and ability. This also includes language, age, education, immigrant status, social status or other forms of diversity. Niagara Region recognizes that intersecting aspects of identity can affect one's lived experiences.
 
In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers Berndtson and Niagara Region throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
 
Odgers Berndtson is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our DEI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.