Municipal Clerk

Experience it – Ajax!

The Town of Ajax, situated on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, is an innovative municipal sector leader that provides a variety of services to one of the fastest growing communities in Ontario. With over 130,000 residents, Ajax's rich heritage and culturally diverse community make it a great place to work and live.

Municipal Clerk

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (Corporate Services Department), the Clerk will provide leadership and guidance to the Clerk’s Division which includes a Legislative Services team and a Customer Experience team. As a key member of the Corporate Services management team, this role will implement and promote strategic plan initiatives and foster a culture of innovation, engagement, collaboration and respect. This role is responsible to perform the statutory duties of the Clerk under the Municipal Act, act as Returning Officer for municipal elections, and coordinate Council and Committee meetings. The Clerk will also oversee the Customer Experience division which has corporate accountability for customer service standards, training, and performance measurement, and delivery of a multi-year Customer Service Strategy recently approved in December 2023. The successful candidate will be a collaborative, flexible, business-partner focused leader, committed to the leveraging of information technology and data to improve the operations of the Clerk’s Division and its portfolios.

Key Duties

General

• Lead a team of at least 11 employees, with responsibilities for coaching, planning/scheduling, work distribution and follow-up, performance management, etc;

• Research, understand and implement industry best practices in all service areas, keeping abreast of changing standards and trends, while continuously looking for process improvements such as automation, streamlining, removal of redundancy, etc.;

• Prepare and present reports to Council and Standing Committees on matters within portfolio (e.g. election-related reports, legislative changes, council-approved policies, major plans and strategies i.e. RIM, Multi-year Accessibility Plan, Customer Service Strategy, etc.);

• Provide advice on the requirements of statutes, by-laws, policies, and internal processes in terms of how decisions are made, and matters handled;

• Develop and monitor operating and capital budgets for Clerk’s division.

Clerks Portfolio

• Perform the statutory duties of the Clerk under the Municipal Act and all other applicable legislation;

• Develop, manage and enforce policies and procedures pertaining to the Municipal Clerk’s responsibilities;

• Act as Returning Officer, to coordinate and deliver municipal elections in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act;

• Provide oversight and leadership to the secretariat support function (agendas, minutes, by-laws, correspondence, etc.) for Council and committees including standing, quasi-judicial, and advisory committees; oversee the coordination of the appointments to Boards and Committees;

• Provide governance and legislative guidance to Council and Committees of Council on procedure and protocol matters, advice to the Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Management Team on matters of governance and statutory functions related to the Clerk’s position;

• Oversee the management of the Corporate Records and Information Management System and delivery of the Records & Information Strategy;

• Act as the ‘Head’ in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and oversee the Town’s Corporate Privacy Program.

• Primary contact and coordinator for Ajax’s accountability framework including its independent accountability officers (Integrity Commissioner, Closed Meeting Investigator, and the Ombudsman.)

• Oversee the development and implementation of the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan; responsible for compliance with applicable accessibility legislation

Customer Service Portfolio

• Oversight of the Corporate Services Customer Service team which includes functions such as main switchboard and main town email inbox, marriage licenses and ceremonies, lottery licensing, other front counter services and mailroom/courier.

• Oversee delivery of the Corporate Customer Service Strategy and support other key strategic priorities such as the quality management program, digital strategies, etc.;

• Guide the development and implementation of training programs, KPIs, corporate and departmental service standards, reporting and outcomes across the organization as it relates to customer service.

Qualifications/Skills

• Post-secondary University Degree in Public Administration, Political Science, or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related discipline

• More than 5 years experience as a Clerk/Deputy Clerk or in a closely related discipline;

• Exceptional understanding and proven experience in conducting municipal elections;

• Solid understanding of the Municipal Elections Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Marriage Act, the Vital Statistics Act and other relevant legislation;

• Previous leadership experience with a proven ability to inspire, influence and lead change while building strategic relationships;

• Experience overseeing customer service programs, with the ability to develop and report on customer service standards and KPIs; Demonstrated strategic and creative thinking while employing sound problem solving and decision-making skills are essential for this role;

• Superior communication, time management, research, business planning, project management, budgeting, and coaching skills;

• Proven track record of driving process improvements, automation and streamlining through the use of technology and data analysis;

• Exceptionally strong interpersonal and communication skills required (verbal and written);

• Availability after-hours for meetings, and time-sensitive or urgent matters;

• Valid G Class Drivers License.

What is Offered to Staff

• Pay Range: $127,744 - $159,680 per year

• Hours of Work: This is a non-union position that works 35 hours per week. The hours of work are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Benefits: The Town offers full-time staff a comprehensive benefit package with paid sick, vacation and personal leave days; Employee & Family Assistance Program; Health & Wellness Program, Town of Ajax Fitness Centre membership; plus a defined benefits pension (OMERS pension).

• Hybrid Work Program: The Town offers a Hybrid Work Program. A flexible work arrangement, including the option to work from home some of the time, is currently a possibility with this position, and can be discussed during the interview process.

How to Apply

This position is being advertised concurrently to internal and external candidates and applications are accepted online. To apply to this position, please click the ‘’ button below.

External closing date: 11:59 p.m. on February 2, 2024

We would like to thank all applicants however, please note that only those selected to attend an interview will be contacted and all other applicants will be kept on file. Applicants are advised that written, oral and practical testing may form part of the selection process.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Town of Ajax is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and accessibility within the workplace where all employees feel valued, respected and supported. The Town embraces diversity and gender expression through policy, staff training and providing positive spaces. The Town encourages applications from all qualified candidates. If selected for an interview, please inform Human Resources of any accommodation you may require during the process.