Job Description

We’re looking for a Director of Planning to join Clarington’s Planning & Infrastructure Services team!

Why Clarington

Clarington is a place of possibilities.

With a population set to double by 2051, Clarington is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Durham Region with more than 107,000 people across four urban centres and 14 hamlets. Clarington offers a perfect blend of urban living and country charm and is known for its thriving energy and agriculture sectors, historic downtowns and as a great place to live, work and play.

Our people enjoy a collaborative work environment, work-life balance, and are at the forefront of community impact. We value accountability, integrity and respect, and are committed to fostering equity, inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Together, we are striving to enhance the quality of life for residents today and for future generations who call Clarington home.

The future is bright – and working with the Municipality of Clarington means you can help shape it. How will you make your mark?

Position Snapshot

Clarington is growing and our workforce is, too!

The Director of Planning is the municipality’s senior leader in land use planning, responsible for shaping and driving Clarington’s vision for sustainable growth and community development. This role ensures the integration of innovative planning practices, compliance with legislative frameworks, and alignment with organizational priorities.

Reporting to the Deputy CAO of Planning and Infrastructure Services, the Director provides strategic direction and authoritative expertise in planning policy, development, and stakeholder relations. The position plays a pivotal role in fostering community development and long-term sustainability, influencing decisions that impact the municipality’s future.

The Director is responsible for the municipality's policy and community planning, development review, heritage, and environmental functions. The role will also support and coordinate Council Citizen Advisory Committees for Agriculture, Heritage, the Land Division-Committee of Adjustment, and other Steering Committees established for specific projects.

The Director will supervise a team of highly skilled professionals, each managing diverse and complex projects, requiring strategic oversight distinct from roles supervising larger teams performing uniform tasks.

What you’ll be doing

Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Defining and executing the strategic vision for municipal planning, ensuring alignment with Council objectives and fostering a culture of innovation.
• Providing leadership to staff to develop recommendation reports to Council, programs, policies, and procedures for services the division delivers.
• Performance coaching and ensuring best practices for staff development are implemented for all levels of staff.
• Spearheading the creation and implementation of high-impact planning policies and regulatory frameworks that shape the municipality’s growth.
• Directing the efficient management of the planning division, ensuring excellence in service delivery and innovation, policy interpretation, and development application processes.
• Ensuring projects follow project management principles and milestone delivery on project schedule timelines and plans are comprehensive and address operational, service level, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Leading meaningful collaboration with council, community groups, and developers to drive initiatives, innovative approaches and foster transparency.
• Representing the municipality in media engagements and as an expert witness before tribunals and legal proceedings.
• Attending public meetings, and addressing concerns related to planning and development in order to maintain positive community relations and deliver services in alignment with corporate Customer Service Excellence expectations.
• Strategically develop and manage multi-year capital and operating budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility and maximizing resource allocation for priority projects based on Council direction and corporate policies.
• Monitoring budget adherence, identifying and explaining variances, and ensuring budgets are effectively managed in compliance with corporate policies.
• Providing advice and recommendations to the CAO and Council on land use and development, divisional and corporate policies, projects, plans, budgets, activities, operations, and maintenance as they relate to the services delivered by the division.
• Preparing business cases, reports, briefing notes, and recommendations for Senior Leadership and Council.
• Ensuring reports and recommendations are completed to update the community through communications plans, based on both quantitative and qualitative data.
• Other duties as required.

What you bring

The successful candidate will have:

The successful candidate will possess:

• A University degree in Planning, preferred at the master’s level.
• Full Membership in the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and Ontario Professional Planners Institute (RPP designation).
• Minimum of ten (10) years in municipal planning with progressive management experience.
• Proven leadership in policy development and development control, stakeholder engagement, and complex decision-making.
• Experience planning and leading complex projects in the areas of policy and land development.
• Experience making policy recommendations and conducting policy analysis.
• Demonstrated a high level of critical thinking with the ability to successfully perform proactively and strategically, plan, prioritize and balance multiple responsibilities, shift priorities and find innovative solutions.
• Ability to navigate conflict resolution, facilitation and negotiation with diverse set of stakeholders (private and public), with often competing interests.
• Experience in leading multidisciplinary groups and coaching senior staff, while delivering services and projects with tact and diplomacy in a client-focused manner.
• Superb communication, report writing, and presentation skills
• Knowledge in cutting-edge planning and development principles and best practices, with experience leading continuous improvement, project management, or Lean Six Sigma training would be considered assets.
• Legally able to work in Canada.

What we offer

• Salary: Grade 13 ($172,511 to $209,687) of the 2025 Non-Affiliated Salary Administration Program.
• The Municipality of Clarington offers flexible work arrangements for eligible roles, where employees are empowered to do their best work in the way that works for them. Currently, this position is eligible for a flexible work arrangement option. Further details on this program will be discussed through the selection process.
• A comprehensive benefits and pension program to ensure that your total compensation package addresses both your work and life needs.
• Hours of work: 35 hours per week, with after-hour meetings required.

How to apply

To explore this opportunity please apply via email with your resume and covering letter by September 17th, 2025 to careers@waterhousesearch.net quoting project CL-DPLAN .

Should you wish to speak to our Executive Recruiter or to receive an information package please contact Jon Stungevicius at 416-214-9299 x1, jon@waterhousesearch.net or Amy Oliveira at 416-214-9299 x4, amy@waterhousesearch.net.

We are an equal opportunity employer

The Municipality of Clarington is a progressive employer committed to equity, inclusion and diversity within its community and organization. We are committed to building an inclusive and barrier-free environment for our team.

We are pleased to accommodate individual needs in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, within our recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any time throughout the recruitment process or in performing your position, should you be selected, please contact or Executive Recruiter at jon@waterhouseseach.net or the Human Resources Division at careers@clarington.net.

If you require this information in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131.

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