Executive Director, Engineering & Planning

About Cochrane

Cochrane is located in the breathtaking Bow Valley corridor in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta. With a population of over 37,000 people, and growing steadily every year, Cochrane is a thriving town, surrounded by world-famous ranch country. Our western heritage is reflected in the Town’s architecture and our friendly people. The Town of Cochrane welcomes innovative and skilled individuals to join our team of over 250 employees.

Who are we looking for?

We are seeking a bold, visionary leader to serve as our Executive Director, Engineering & Planning. As a principal strategic advisor to the CAO and Town Council, you will orchestrate Cochrane’s long-term growth by seamlessly integrating technical engineering standards with sophisticated statutory planning processes. This role is designed for a high-caliber professional who thrives on navigating complex political and community-facing challenges while inspiring a high-performing, multidisciplinary team and fostering a culture that preserves Cochrane’s unique community character.

At Cochrane, we believe that world-class infrastructure is built on a foundation of collaborative leadership and a true spirit of camaraderie. We are looking for a visionary who brings both unwavering technical precision and the interpersonal skill to nurture healthy, positive relationships that bridge our organization and the community. As a key architect of our town’s physical evolution, you will champion a high-impact portfolio including complex development portfolios, Engineering, Land Use Planning, and Asset Management directly shaping the landscape of one of Alberta’s most dynamic and fastest-growing communities.

Why build your career with Cochrane?

Cochrane is evolving at an unprecedented pace, creating a consequential environment for an executive leader to leave a visible, lasting mark. By joining our Executive Leadership Team (ELT), you aren't just managing a department; you are designing the future of a community where proximity to urban amenities meets a connected, outdoor lifestyle.

As the Executive Director, Engineering & Planning, your career impact with us includes:

• You will orchestrate sophisticated growth management and long-range statutory planning including MDPs, ASPs, and Land Use Bylaws to preserve our unique community character for the next two decades.
• You will safeguard the long-term financial and physical health of the community through executive oversight of complex development portfolios, multi-year capital programs, and advanced asset management.
• You will serve as a primary strategic advocate in intergovernmental forums, navigating the intersections of political and technical complexities to influence relationships with Rocky View County and the City of Calgary.
• You will mentor a high-performing multidisciplinary team in a culture rooted in camaraderie, professional excellence, and collaborative problem-solving.

What are some of the duties of the Executive Director, Engineering & Planning?

• Serve as the principal strategic advisor to the CAO and Council, translating complex technical data into actionable policy recommendations.
• Champion organizational change and drive continuous improvement by establishing departmental performance metrics that ensure operational transparency and public service excellence through cross-functional cooperation and a culture of camaraderie.
• Direct the development and implementation of sophisticated statutory frameworks, including Municipal Development Plans (MDPs), Area Structure Plans (ASPs) and Land Use bylaws.
• Lead the strategic oversight of complex development portfolios and serve as the lead negotiator for high-stakes developer agreements, servicing arrangements, and off-site levy strategies.
• Utilize advanced proficiency in asset management data and financial modeling to optimize long-term stewardship and justify multi-year capital investment strategies.
• Oversee the strategic planning, budgeting, and successful delivery of high-value municipal infrastructure projects.
• Direct the lifecycle management of all municipal infrastructure by prioritizing teamwork and professional cooperation across multidisciplinary teams.
• Navigate and influence complex relationships with regional partners, including Rocky View County, the City of Calgary, and provincial bodies.
• Maintain corporate accountability for APEGA’s Permit to Practice and ensure 100% compliance with the Alberta Municipal Government Act (MGA).
• Exercise fiscal oversight of departmental budgets while directing workforce planning and succession initiatives.
• Lead high-tension community engagements and public consultations with professional diplomacy and a solutions-focused approach.
• Lead, mentor, and empower a multidisciplinary team of professionals, fostering a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, transparency, and continuous professional growth.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

Education and Experience

Required:

• University Degree in Engineering, Urban Planning, Urban Design, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive leadership experience within a municipal or complex public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated success at a senior management or executive level in managing large-scale capital programs and navigating complex development portfolios within a high-growth municipal environment.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), or a related graduate-level field.
• Evidence of ongoing executive-level leadership training that supports strategic agility and organizational positioning.

Skills and Abilities

Required:

• Masterful management of development pressure through the strategic application of off-site levy frameworks, servicing agreements, phasing strategies, and the implementation of land use bylaws.
• Advanced proficiency in navigating Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (MGA) to lead sophisticated statutory planning processes (MDPs/ASPs) and long-range community policy.
• Advanced proficiency in utilizing asset management data and financial modeling to optimize the long-term stewardship of municipal infrastructure and justify multi-year capital investment strategies to Council.
• Exceptional ability to navigate and influence regional partners, provincial bodies, and neighboring municipalities to proactively advance the Town’s interests.
• Sophisticated ability to design and lead transparent, community-centered engagement frameworks that successfully align diverse public interests with the Town's strategic planning and urban design goals.
• Exceptional ability to foster trust and camaraderie through the articulation of a compelling vision that motivates multidisciplinary teams, ensures alignment with Council priorities, and maintains professional credibility during high-stakes community and political conversations.
• Proven capacity to lead, mentor, and empower high-performing, multidisciplinary teams of engineering and planning professionals within a collaborative, accountability-based public-sector environment.

Certifications, Licenses and/or Designations

Required:

• Immediate eligibility for professional registration in Alberta as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with APEGA or a Registered Professional Planner (RPP/MCIP) with APPI.
• Professional standing to serve as a "Responsible Member" under APEGA’s Permit to Practice (if a P.Eng.) or the ability to oversee designated Responsible Members (if an RPP).
• Possession of a valid Alberta Driver’s License (or equivalent) to facilitate regional and site-specific oversight

Work Environment

The Town of Cochrane is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for all employees. As an employee, you must take reasonable care to protect your health and safety and that of others by following all relevant legislation, Town directives, and procedures.

How to Apply

• Qualified individuals are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter detailing how your 15+ years of progressive leadership and technical expertise match the requirements for this consequential executive role.
• All candidates will be requested to complete an online suitability survey.
• Applications for this position will be accepted until 9pm MST, May 25,2026. Please apply at www. https://www.cochrane.ca/government/careers.
• This personal information is collected in accordance with ATIA.
• The annual salary for this position is $185,731 – $203,840. This is an Executive Leadership Team position based on a standard 35-hour week; however, candidates should anticipate an executive schedule that includes evening council meetings and emergency response oversight to meet the Town’s operational needs.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All applicants must be legally entitled to live and work in Canada.

Land Acknowledgement

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.