Engagement Specialist/Planner

Are you someone with strong leadership and technical capabilities?  Do you enjoy working collaboratively in a team environment and building both internal and external relationships? Are you a thoughtful leader, a trusted advisor and a problem solver? Are you interested in community engagement and outreach and want to design and facilitate better ways to engage people in real conversations about the future? If you enjoy entrepreneurship and innovation in a flexible work environment, this opportunity is for you! As someone with excellent communication skills and business acumen, you will thrive in our fast-paced and agile environment.

Your opportunity

Dillon’s Community Planning (Central and Eastern Ontario) operating team is looking for a Engagement Specialist/Planner to join our multidisciplinary team of planning and stakeholder engagement professionals in our Toronto (North York or Downtown), or  Kitchener, offices.

We are looking for someone who wants to help lead community-based consultation programs for high-profile, planning and infrastructure projects that will shape the future of our cities and neighbourhoods.

The ideal candidate has the interest, technical background, and skills needed to be able to help design, facilitate and lead a wide range of meetings and consultation activities with organizations, agencies and the public. With a desire to take a leading role in project delivery, they enjoy team work and want to support junior staff in their technical growth. As someone with excellent communication skills, a genuine passion for community engagement and a solid sense of business acumen, the ideal candidate will thrive in our fast-paced business environment.

We work in a collaborative team environment where a diversity of opinions and thoughts are welcome. As a consulting firm, we are always looking for new opportunities to connect with clients and communities. We welcome applicants who also enjoy entrepreneurship and innovation in a flexible work environment.

What your day will look like

• Lead or support the delivery of the stakeholder engagement programs for planning and  infrastructure projects
• Develop engagement plans demonstrating knowledge of stakeholders and project issues
• Prepare communication and engagement materials
• Plan, attend and facilitate engagement events of various sizes and complexity
• Leverage digital tools and technologies in the delivery of engagement activities
• Prepare consultation summary reports based on analysis and synthesis of input
• Evaluate engagement programs and identify areas for continuous improvement
• Support project management activities (e.g., coordination, preparation and/or review of project budgets, expenditure reports, invoicing, etc.)
• Collaborate with technical and professional staff from across the company and sub-consultants
• Support client relationships and business growth in Ontario, including proposal writing
• Travel for business to project locations in the GTA or other Dillon offices upon request
• Support the career development of junior staff

Please note that the this role will require in-person attendance at meetings or events held at various locations across Ontario.

Learning and Development

• Commit to self-development and ongoing learning and professional development
• Input to the career development of junior staff, including technical direction, training recommendations, coaching and mentoring
• Contribute to Dillon’s corporate profile through active participation in professional associations and committees

What you will need to succeed

• A bachelor’s or graduate degree in planning from a planning program accredited by the Professional Standards Board is preferred, however related technical fields will be considered
• Full membership in the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), or eligibility to achieve full membership within two (2) years of accepting the position
• Five (5) to eight (8) years of professional experience in stakeholder engagement or communications, preferably in the consulting environment

• Experience in the successful delivery and management of project-based work as a project manager or project coordinator (or equivalent role)
• Experience leading the development and implementation of communications and engagement programs for a range of audiences and project types
• Experience in the design and facilitation of meetings, workshops, and advisory group sessions
• Experience in the application of online and virtual engagement methods including social media, remote engagement tactics, survey design, and more
• Experience working with online engagement tools including SurveyMonkey, Mentimeter, Engagement HQ, Social Pinpoint, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx
• Experience working with or for government clients
• Demonstrated understanding of the land use planning framework in Ontario
• Strong written skills, with particular emphasis on report writing and external communications
• Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to think critically and strategically
• Responsible, organized, accountable and committed to excellence
• Able to work in a self-directed, multidisciplinary team setting
• Experience with Indigenous community engagement is an asset
• Experience working with Adobe Creative Cloud applications (InDesign and Illustrator) is an asset
• IAP2, CPRS, IABC membership or certification is an asset

Dillon offers competitive salaries, health benefits, flexible work arrangements and a generous retirement savings plan. Our work week is 37.5 hours.

Why choose Dillon

Dillon is powered by people who are technically proficient, passionate about socially important projects, and motivated to deliver superior, tangible results. We strive to remain at the forefront of technology and innovation, and are empowered to continually grow and develop. 

We live our core values:

• Reliability: words result in actions that build trust;
• Achievement: do the work to hit the target;
• Continuous development: always learning; always adapting; always growing;
• Creativity: discover new possibilities;
• Courage: do the things that matter, especially when it’s hard;
• Inclusiveness: enabling belonging to draw strength from our differences.

 In addition, we offer:

• Employee share purchase plan
  • Dillon is 100% employee owned and share ownership is open to all employees.
• A competitive compensation package
  • Comprehensive health benefits
  • Generous retirement savings plan
• Flexible work hours and remote working options
  • We offer a variety of flexible work options to help balance the competing demands of work and personal life. 
• Learning and Development opportunities
  • As a knowledge-based business, the organic growth of our knowledge and skills occur through our work performance and roles. The creation and sharing of knowledge allows us to take local knowledge to scale, capture lessons learned through experience, and continuously improve service delivery. The development of self and others is an evident and measured core behaviour within our organization.
  • We use a composite approach to development including coaching to build the how, mentoring to share lessons, advising to round out perspectives, and co-creation of knowledge through internal, learning opportunities.
• Focus on Innovation
  • The ability to anticipate, examine, and adopt new and innovative solutions is a crucial driver for the continual and progressive advancement of our business performance. In our culture, people are empowered to reflect and question current practices and seek forward looking solutions to today’s problems and tomorrow’s opportunities.

• Employee and Family Assistance program
  • A variety of EFAP tools and online resources to support well-being are available to all employees.
• Goodlife Fitness Corporate Membership
  • Our employees can take advantage of reduced annual membership fees.

About Dillon

Dillon is a proudly Canadian, employee-owned, professional consulting firm specializing in planning, engineering, environmental science and management. We partner with clients to provide committed, collaborative, and inventive solutions to complex, multi-faceted projects. With 20 offices and more than 1,200 employees across Canada, Dillon offers a wide range of services related to building and improving facilities and infrastructure, protecting the environment, and developing communities.

Now operating for over 78 years, we continue to strive for excellence in everything we do. Dillon has been listed as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the past 14 years and has the distinction of having achieved Platinum Club member status in this program.

Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Dillon:

Dillon is committed to the principles of employment equity, inclusiveness, and diversity within our organization. We strive to achieve a workplace where opportunities are based on skills and abilities and that respects and values differences. 

Inclusion is more than a word to us, it is the way we choose to run our business. 

We encourage you to connect with us at accommodation@dillon.ca if you require accommodation in the interview process. 

We would love to hear from you!