March 2025

The Town of Kentville is seeking a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to lead the administration of the town, and to support Council in the fulfillment of its goals to be a healthy, vibrant and welcoming community. Just an hour west of Halifax is a town of 6,600 friendly people in the urban core of the Annapolis Valley where residents and visitors want to live work and visit. A thriving centre for business, health care, education and industry, all this activity is nestled between rivers, farms, orchards, and vineyards.

The Town is governed by a Mayor and six Councillors and employs up to 100 individuals in both unionized and Non-unionized positions. The annual operating budget is approximately $19 million. The Town owns and operates streets, water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection, police department, municipal buildings and various recreation facilities. In addition, the Town is involved in a number of inter-municipal agreements for the provision of solid waste, wastewater treatment and public transit.

Council is seeking a CAO to guide strategic and operational planning that supports Council's priorities. You also support a strong senior management team in achieving performance objectives. Finally, you enjoy engaging with local residents and businesses to ensure they are aware of major policies and initiatives being undertaken.

The ideal CAO candidate is:

• A strategic thinker with exceptional organizational skills and able to maintain order in a dynamic environment.
• Skilled at navigating the administrative and political dimensions of the CAO role, with loyalty to the primary role of Council to govern the municipality.
• Committed to transparent and robust communication and information sharing with Council, the administrative organization, government and institutional partners and the community.
• A collaborative and supportive administrative leader who is adept at developing and building the staff team throughout the organization and has a proven ability to champion and implement change.

Preferred qualifications for the CAO include:

• 5 to 10 years of senior level leadership experience with responsibility for managing a team in a complex and dynamic environment.
• Considerable experience reporting to a governance body/official, preferably with direct experience reporting to a municipal council.
• Results driven and strategic, with proven ability to develop and implement multi-year strategic action and operational plans aligned with financial and human resources.
• Strong financial management skills with experience developing multi-year operating plans and capital improvement plans, preferably with knowledge of asset management planning.
• Excellent communication skills, with proven experience in developing and supporting the development of robust decision-making documents for council consideration.
• Thorough knowledge of municipal operations, including knowledge of provincial and municipal legislative and policy frameworks.
• Post secondary degree in a discipline related to municipal service delivery, with a post-graduate Masters in Public Administration considered an asset.

The Town of Kentville will offer a competitive salary within the range of $150,000 to $180,000 per year, and a benefits package, to the successful candidate.

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Town of Kentville welcomes applications from Indigenous, Inuit and Metis People, African Nova Scotian's and other racially visible people, persons with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQQIPAA community, and femme-identifying people. If you are a member of one of the equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify, on either your application form, covering letter or resume. Contingent on meeting the minimum education or equivalent experience, your application will be a high priority during the screening process. During the recruitment process, applicants have the right and are encouraged to request accommodation should they need.

To explore this opportunity further including details pertaining to the community and the position, please visit https://kentville.ca/jobs or call Kevin Matheson at 902-679-2501 or [email protected] All interested applicants should forward an electronic application including a cover letter and resume. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.