Project Lead, Count Planning & Oversight

at  City of Edmonton

SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS:

• Working knowledge of local government processes, the Municipal Government Act, Local Authorities Election Act, and Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong presentation skills, including the ability to present to leadership for decision and direction
• Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly, in diverse areas such as policy and legislative analysis, business process development, and project management
• Strong research and analysis skills including the ability to effectively transfer ideas, concepts and information into effective and efficient strategies and business processes
• Knowledge of human resources functions, including recruitment, coaching, performance development and management, and conflict resolution
• Experience scheduling and supervising relatively large operational teams
• Solid understanding of customer service and the ability to work with a diverse range of people in a helpful and positive manner
• Able to work under pressure and meet strict statutory deadlines, and sometimes stressful environment
• Alignment to our Cultural Commitments and Leadership Competencies (https://bit.ly/4brRrXm)
• Embracing a culture of equity, diversity, reconciliation and inclusion

Qualifications:

• An undergraduate university degree in public administration, political science, business administration, urban planning, human geography or a related field
• 5 years of progressively responsible related experience in a complex and highly legislated environment, including experience with policy, research, analysis, and the implementation of operational project streams
• Experience in understanding and applying federal, provincial, and municipal legislation and regulations, e.g., MGA, LAEA, and FOIP Act is require

PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE UPCOMING 2025 EDMONTON ELECTION!

The Edmonton Election is a large-scale, multi-stakeholder, complex, and highly legislated civic project that occurs every four years with very tight and legislated timelines. The Edmonton Election enables Edmontonians to vote for Mayor and Council and Edmonton Public or Edmonton Catholic school board trustees. The Project Lead, Count Planning & Oversight will oversee the development of brand new, legislatively compliant hand counting processes across 200+ voting stations. They will also manage the setup and operations of the count centre and results centre, ensuring staff readiness, security, transparency for media and scrutineers, and adherence to legislative requirements governing the electoral processes. The Project Lead will also provide supervision and oversight to the Count Centre Lead, Results Centre Lead and their teams, and ensure all election operations align with relevant legislative requirements.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

• Develop new manual hand counting and results reporting processes for over 200 voting stations in accordance with the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA), allowing observation by candidates and scrutineers
• Implement systems to ensure the security, integrity, and effective management of hand count and results reporting processes, coordinating with Voting Opportunities and Election Readiness to integrate roles and accommodate stakeholders, and supporting the training team in developing comprehensive election worker training
• Enhance Count Centre processes for the counting of Special Ballots, Institutional Voting, and Advance Vote ballots, ensuring compliance with election procedures and legislative requirements
• Coordinate the setup and layout of the Count Centre to optimize efficiency and accessibility, accommodate media, candidates, scrutineers, and the public, and collaborate with Supply Management and Information Systems to secure necessary equipment and supplies. Additionally, support the training team in developing comprehensive training for Count Centre workers and implement systems for managing issues escalation on Election Day related to counting and results reporting processes
• Enhance and align Results Centre processes with legislative requirements and electoral procedures to ensure secure consolidation, QA testing, and accurate public release of voting results
• Collaborate with Election Planning and Operations and the Information Systems and Voting Technology Lead to establish robust systems for timely and accurate results communication, implement quality control measures for verifying unofficial results, and coordinate the setup and logistics of the Results Centre. Additionally, ensure readiness to manage issues escalation on Election Day related to results reporting processes
• Supervise the Count Centre Lead and Results Centre Lead and approximately 200 staff working in the count centre and results centre by overseeing hiring, training, role expectations setting, guidance, coaching, and performance evaluation to ensure effective operations
• Empower staff with the necessary skills and competencies, ensuring they feel equipped for their roles; assign tasks, review project progress, timelines and provide feedback and coaching as needed

Qualifications:

• An undergraduate university degree in public administration, political science, business administration, urban planning, human geography or a related field
• 5 years of progressively responsible related experience in a complex and highly legislated environment, including experience with policy, research, analysis, and the implementation of operational project streams
• Experience in understanding and applying federal, provincial, and municipal legislation and regulations, e.g., MGA, LAEA, and FOIP Act is required