Federation of Canadian Municipalities Looking for Project Officer, Capacity Development at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Full Time

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is the national voice of municipal governments, representing the interests of cities and communities with the federal government.

Position Project Officer, Capacity Development Department Growth & Development – GMF Programs Classification Level 5 Salary

Our salaries generally range from $73,000 – $82,500, and are based on qualifications and experience

Languages English required, French is an asset Term Temporary Contract (July 19th, 2025) Location Hybrid (Ottawa)/Remote (Canada)

Why GMF is the place for you

At GMF, we empower our people to create change where it has the most impact – municipalities. GMF is a $1.6 billion permanent endowment from the Government of Canada, managed at arm’s length, making it nimble and available for higher-risk, higher-impact initiatives. A further $530M investment into GMF to support the National Adaptation Strategy was announced in November 2022. Our team is committed to helping local governments switch to sustainable practices faster. GMF is the cornerstone program of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

Our unique mix of funding, resources, and training gives municipalities the tools they need to build resiliency — and create better lives for Canadians. Through GMF, municipalities have reduced carbon emissions; built better transportation assets; constructed efficient and resilient buildings; diverted waste from landfill; made previously unusable land available for development; and improved soil and water quality.

You in this role

The Project Officer, Capacity Development will provide project oversight, coordination, administrative and logistical support to knowledge and skills development programming in support of GMF’s Sustainable Affordable housing initiative. This programming aims to build the capacity of the affordable housing sector to improve the energy efficiency and affordability of existing and new affordable housing units, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve resident comfort, health and quality of life.  

The Project Officer will oversee the design, logistics and delivery of a number of GMF- and partner-oriented events and learning activities (both online and in person) to mobilize the knowledge and practices developed within GMF’s funding program and the Canadian affordable housing sector – including municipal, not-for-profit organizations and housing co-ops. The role helps build the capacity of key stakeholders within the affordable housing sector to understand, undertake, successfully deliver and scale-up successful practices and approaches to plan, build, operate and maintain more ambitious energy efficiency projects. 

Major activities include coordinating the delivery of the Regional Energy Coach program, the development and delivery of other learning and capacity building activities (online and in person), convening and facilitating peer learning and networks, supporting the development, delivery and measurement of capacity building for funded projects and collaboration with affordable housing providers and other program partners. The Officer also assists with the integration and coordination of knowledge management, exchange and mobilization across other units of GMF and the FCM Programs department. 

What you’ll be doing

• Develops and delivers awareness raising and capacity building activities and programming (both online and in person) for Canadian affordable housing providers, including municipal, non-profit and cooperative housing providers. 
• Leads the development and delivery of information resources, guidebooks, tools and activities to promote uptake of these. Develops and deploys strategies for optimal impact and reach. 
• Designs and develops program content for FCM events and recognition programs. 
• Supports the development, delivery, and measurement of capacity building for GMF-funded initiatives and for the broader affordable housing sector based on lessons learned from funded initiatives. 
• Designs and delivers training and information sharing sessions for GMF staff and clients to support capacity building for funded initiatives. 
• Maintains relationship with capacity development program partners.
• Leads stakeholder and partner engagement support in CD program design.
• Supports program evaluation design and development and is responsible for program evaluation data collection.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of effective and innovative capacity building tools and approaches. 
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of best practice in sustainable affordable housing and other GMF priority areas. 
• Provides strategic and operational advice to management to inform the development of the direction, objectives and plans for the GMF Capacity Development unit and the Sustainable Affordable Housing program team. 
• Collaborate with colleagues across the GMF team and in other FCM programs to ensure a coordinated and complimentary approach to FCM initiatives that support sustainability with external partners and in our membership.
• Works alongside Advisor – Capacity Development and/or Manager, Capacity Development to determine work priorities, timelines and processes.
• Responsible for the delivery of specific work objectives, and timelines with oversight and guidance of Advisor and Manager.

Your skills make us better

Education

You bring:

• University degree in environmental studies or public administration, or a related discipline with strong background in organizational change and adult education.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 – 5 years of professional experience designing and delivering initiatives which connect diverse stakeholders (e.g. government, not-for-profits, private sector, etc.) to deliver on capacity building approaches, adult education, online learning and engagement, the transfer of skills and knowledge; build capacity; and measure impacts. 

Knowledge

• Strong knowledge and experience in the area of sustainable housing development, environmental issues, and program management. 
• Knowledge of the Canadian affordable housing sector structure, needs, and capacity. 
• Experience in group facilitation and consensus building.

Competencies

• Excellent communication and presentation skills (written and oral). Includes the ability to coordinate and work with multi-disciplinary teams, lead meetings and make formal presentations to high-level audiences.
• Excellent customer service skills. 
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills with the ability to establish support and credibility at all levels within and outside the organization. 
• Strong research and analytical skills. 
• Ability to spearhead and work independently on projects using excellent judgement. 
• Excellent project management skills with strong ability to multi-task. 
• Ability to administer small budgets, allocating funds for events or travel support, correcting for variances as needed. 
• Strong political acumen and diplomacy. 
• Capacity to work in a changing environment and willingness to take on new or evolving responsibilities. 
• The ability to work in both official languages (English and French) is considered a strong asset.

Why working here rocks

We Prioritize Work-life Balance With Our Flexible Model

• When we say flexible work model, we mean that in collaboration with your manager and based on what your team needs, you have the flexibility to determine when you work so that you can enjoy a healthy balance between work and personal demands.
• While you do need to live in Canada for this role, you can primarily work from home. Travel may be required to Head Office in Ottawa periodically. The majority of the GMF team operates from the National Capital Region.
• We do like to visit the areas we are impacting and it allows us to see unique and wonderful parts of our country. You may find yourself traveling nationally 10-15% of the time.

We don’t just talk about employee wellness, we live it:

• Summer hours between July 1 and Labour Day:
• 7-hour workdays rather than 7.5
• Every Friday off in the summer
• Flexible work arrangements to support productivity and well-being
• Commitment to employee development
• Competitive range of employee benefits and services
• Office facilities located in the Byward Market and Ottawa’s downtown core

We’re committed to fostering an organizational culture that embraces equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, where individuals from diverse racial and ethnic identities, nationalities, social economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and physical and mental abilities can thrive and be fully engaged at their best level.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.

How To Apply

If this role speaks to you and the impact you want to make, we’d love to hear from you! Apply today.

The deadline to apply is June 11th, 2024.

The future of work here includes a hybrid work model; therefore, this role will be a combination of virtual and on-site work.

The successful candidate is required to live in and be authorized to work in Canada. They are also required to be able to work from home/remotely, from within Canada. All in-office work and in-person meetings for work that take place inside and/or outside of the offices located in Ottawa will be subject to FCM’s Safe Workplace Vaccination Policy, as well as its health and safety procedures.

For additional information on this posting, or for further information on FCM, access our website at www.fcm.ca. Learn more about the Green Municipal Fund at https://greenmunicipalfund.ca/