Team Lead, Innovation Practice & Projects

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.
 

As part of the Collaboration, Analytics, and Innovation business unit, the Innovation Lab is an internal consultancy that serves the Corporation through:

• Project consulting through complex, human-centred challenges affecting Calgarians and City staff.
• Professional Learning for City staff capacity building in innovation methodologies and tools.
• Stewardship of the Innovation Network to enhance relationships across The City and build the network to support innovation.

The Lab is driven by its mission to support The City and its employees to innovate - collaboratively tackling big challenges, designing better services, and building capacity & culture - to create a more resilient Calgary, together.

As the Team Lead, Innovation Practice and Projects, you are responsible for the development, delivery and sustainment of the Innovation Lab's Professional Practice, including knowledge, skills and processes to deliver high quality innovation projects, and provide oversight of a portfolio of projects that span The City of Calgary. You will bring a wealth of knowledge in design-based innovation, including human centered design, service design, systems thinking to lead a team of designers on a portfolio of concurrent cross-Corporate projects to support Calgarians, businesses and internal City services. You are results driven and seek to create impactful change for Calgarians through innovation. Primary duties include:

• Champion the Innovation Lab's Vision, Mission and Goals across the organization to develop service delivery opportunities.
• Lead the continuous development of innovation methodologies and associated processes for the Innovation Lab service offerings (Projects, Professional Learning and Innovation Networks), including:
  • Evaluation and implementation of new innovation tools, processes and frameworks.
  • Set internal practice targets and related goals for Innovation Lab staff and measure, track and align ensuring alignment with City needs.
  • Build and maintain strategic relationships within The City to support project delivery. Advocate for, and coach to influence Leaderships across The City to drive implementation and impact.
  • Build and sustain external networks in innovation design with other government and private sector organizations.
    Maintain portfolio oversight of the concurrent Corporate-facing services including:
  • Review strategy, metrics and Key Performance Indicators, progress monitoring and reporting.
  • Maintain an up-to-date status of both current and emerging projects, including progress, reporting milestones, and potential risks/mitigation steps.
  • Develop and manage a team of Innovation Lab staff for the delivery of services to across the organization including:
• All aspects of recruitment including business cases development, validate and/or secure funding, recruitment competitions, and ensuring successful onboarding, integration, and training of new team members. Staff oversight including:
  • Building staff's capacity and capabilities, identifying both independent and on-the-job/project learning opportunities.
  • Guiding and coaching in the appropriate selection and implementation of innovation tools and methodologies.
  • Performance management and conflict resolution, as appropriate.
  • Monitoring and adjusting budget and human resource to support delivery of services.
  • Collaborate with the Team Lead, Innovation Partnership & Impact and Leader, to ensure a strong practice of experienced innovation professionals to deliver services directed by ELT, SMT, Mayor and Council, CMT, and staff within The City.
  • Provide specific direction on change leadership within the Innovation Lab Program, and with Senior Leadership on projects related to innovation best practices.
     

• A degree (e.g., Science, Arts, Social Science, Public Administration, Business, Design, Planning or related) with a combination of at least 10 years of relevant innovation design & progressive leadership experience, working in highly complex environments.
• A graduate degree will be considered an asset.
• Experience may include, but is not limited to, a combination of progressive leadership (formal and informal), service design, strategic planning, customer experience, systems design, human-centred design, management consulting, change leadership, project management, and performance measurement.
• Equivalent combinations of experience and education may be considered.
• Strong assets include:
  • Either experience in a complex, multi-union environment or experience of City processes, culture, and existing networks.
  • Excellent leaderships and management skills including:
    • developing strategies, workplans and assignment of work to staff;
    • inspiring and motivating staff;
    • supporting project execution and implementation;
  • Excellent communication skills, influencing, relationship building and political acumen.
  • Excellent facilitation, coaching and mentoring skills.

• Applicants will be tested for appropriate skills.
• Successful applicants must provide proof of qualifications.