Departmental Business Strategist

If you are committed to public service, enjoy collaborating with others, share our values and have a desire to learn and grow, join The City of Calgary. City employees deliver the services, run the programs and operate the facilities which make a difference in our community. We support work-life balance, promote physical and psychological safety, and offer competitive wages, pensions, and benefits. Together we make Calgary a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life. The City is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace which is representative of the community we serve. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and reconciliation. Applications are encouraged from members of groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. Accommodations are available during the hiring process, upon request.

Bring your strategic insight and disciplined execution to the Corporate Strategy & Performance Measurement Team in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). As a Departmental Business Strategist, you will help shape corporate strategy, deliver senior leadership meetings, support business planning, and lead principal corporate risk analysis and reporting. You will lead and support change management to activate the Corporate Strategic Plan, uncover insights through trend and environmental analysis, and move complex initiatives forward across The City. Your work will help leaders make informed decisions and turn direction into coordinated action and measurable results. Primary duties include:

• Plan and execute strategic executive meetings and decision-making processes involving Council, the Executive Leadership Team, Senior Management Team and Corporate Management Team. Develop forward agendas and intended outcomes, sequence decisions, manage timelines and dependencies, and coordinate meeting preparation and delivery.
• Coordinate and review briefing materials so leaders have the information they need to make decisions. Integrate strategic context, previous decisions, emerging issues, risks and dependencies so senior leaders have clear, timely advice.
• Turn decisions into action by clarifying responsibilities, tracking commitments and raising risks or delays that need executive attention.
• Make senior leadership meetings and decision-making more effective by gathering feedback, reviewing results and improving how meetings are planned and followed up.
• Lead and support the change needed to bring the Corporate Strategic Plan and related initiatives to life. Assess impacts and readiness, engage affected teams and leaders, and coordinate communications, learning, adoption and progress tracking.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, trend analysis and environmental scans to identify emerging risks, opportunities and implications. Synthesize internal and external evidence, benchmarks and expert perspectives into options and recommendations for senior leaders.
• Connect strategy to delivery through business and work planning. Translate priorities into deliverables, resource needs, milestones, performance measures and reports, and help teams produce clear, aligned and timely submissions.

• Help leaders stay ahead of the principal corporate risks owned by the CAO. Spot changes, assess whether mitigations are working, and turn risk insights into clear advice that supports timely decisions.

Qualifications

• A degree in Business Administration, Management, Economics or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience developing and implementing corporate strategy and initiatives, partnering with senior leaders, and contributing to corporate reports.
• Experience solving complex problems, planning implementation and supporting organizational change.
• Experience in performance measurement, benchmarking, business planning or enterprise risk management is considered an asset.
• Experience taking senior leadership meetings or decision-making processes from planning through follow-up, including agendas, briefing materials, timelines and decisions.
• A talent for seeing how issues, teams and decisions connect and turning complex priorities into practical action.
• The ability to lead complex work independently, build agreement without direct authority, and guide colleagues and working groups.
• Strong research, trend analysis, facilitation, writing and presentation skills, with a knack for turning complex information into clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, sound judgment and discretion, and an understanding of political and organizational context.
• The ability to anticipate executive needs, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge and experience working in project management methods and delivery.

You will thrive in this role if you combine strategic thinking with strong follow-through and enjoy spotting trends, advising leaders, bringing clarity to complex issues and turning important decisions into results.

Pre-employment Requirements

• Successful applicants must provide proof of qualifications.

Workstyle

• This position may be eligible to work from home for at least part of the time as one of several flexible work options available to City employees. These arrangements depend on the operational requirements of the role, employee suitability, and are subject to change based on operational needs and corporate direction.

Position and Pay Information

• Business Unit: Chief Administrator´s Office
• Union: CUPE Local 38
• Position Type: 1 Permanent
• Compensation: Pay Grade 12 $48.54 - 64.88 per hour
• Hours of work: Standard 35 hour work week.
• Days of work: This position works a 5-day work week with 1 day off in a 3 week cycle.
• Location: 323 7 Avenue S.E.
• Audience: Internal/External
• Apply By: October 29, 2026

• Job ID: 315462