Competition ID: J0926-0907
Job Title: Senior Development Officer
Job Type: Permanent Full Time
Job Category: Planning and Development
Open Positions: 1
Department: Planning & Development Services
Date Posted: September 25, 2026
Closing Date: October 12, 2026
Hours per Week: The Senior Development Officer is responsible for the independent review, coordination, and disposition of complex development applications in accordance with the Municipal Government Act, Subdivision and Development Regulation, Land Use Bylaw, statutory plans, County policies, and other applicable requirements. Acting as a delegated Development Authority, the position determines review requirements, coordinates technical input, and renders decisions with minimal supervision.The position serves as the primary municipal contact and case manager for assigned major development applications from pre-application review through decision, condition implementation, appeal, and transition to compliance or subsequent permits. It coordinates multidisciplinary review, prepares decision rationale and conditions, and supports consistent interpretation and application of development regulations.This position provides advanced technical advice, peer support, and mentorship but has no formal supervisory responsibilities.This position is eligible for a
hybrid work model, whereby employees can work both remotely and from a Sturgeon County office location. Specific in-office expectations will be discussed during the recruitment process.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESComplex Development Review and Case Management (55%) - Acts as delegated Development Authority and principal municipal case manager for assigned major and complex development applications, including industrial, commercial, institutional, resource-related, utility, agricultural, intensive-use, and other significant proposals.
- Provides sustained file ownership from pre-application discussions through completeness review, circulation, technical analysis, issue resolution, decision, condition implementation, appeal, and transition to compliance or subsequent permitting processes.
- Determines the applicable regulatory pathway, required technical information, internal and external referrals, professional review needs, statutory timelines, decision authority, and matters requiring escalation.
- Interprets and applies the Municipal Government Act, Subdivision and Development Regulation, Land Use Bylaw, statutory plans, intermunicipal instruments, County policies, legal agreements, prior decisions, and administrative-law principles in complex or non-routine circumstances.
- Reviews and synthesizes substantial and technically detailed application records, plans, studies, drawings, modelling, legal instruments, agency requirements, and stakeholder submissions.
- Renders approval or refusal decisions and prepares clear, proportionate, enforceable, and defensible reasons and conditions, including variances where authorized.
- Assesses cumulative impacts, land-use compatibility, access, servicing, drainage, environmental constraints, emergency access, site design, phasing, nuisance impacts, off-site implications, and implementation risks.
- Leads pre-application, technical review, and issue-resolution meetings with applicants, landowners, engineering and planning consultants, architects, general contractors, utilities, agencies, and internal County departments.
- Negotiates practical compliance solutions without compromising legislative requirements, public interest, decision integrity, or the delegated authority of the position.
- Determines the need for development agreements, encroachment agreements, memorandums of understanding, restrictive covenants, easements, caveats, securities, and related approval instruments in consultation with legal and technical specialists.
- Maintains complete, organized, and auditable records for complex applications and actively tracks commitments, revisions, conditions, milestones, outstanding information, and follow-up approvals.
- Conducts site inspections and coordinates implementation or compliance matters associated with assigned complex approvals.
Regulatory Interpretation and Quality Assurance (20%) - Provides advanced technical advice on development regulation, delegated authority, procedural fairness, statutory timelines, notice requirements, conditions, variances, enforcement interfaces, and municipal decision-making.
- Identifies interpretation issues, regulatory gaps, inconsistent practices, emerging risks, and implications for future applications; documents recommended interpretations and escalates policy or corporate-risk matters to the Program Lead.
- Develops and maintains decision templates, interpretation guidance, conditions libraries, checklists, procedures, service standards, file-management practices, and quality-control tools.
- Performs peer review of selected complex applications or decisions when requested, while preserving the accountability of the assigned Development Authority.
- Provides technical advice internal and external stakeholders
Appeals, Compliance Support, and Public Advice (15%) - Prepares evidence, application records, reports, affidavits, orders, presentations, and recommendations for Council, the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, the Land and Property Rights Tribunal, courts, and other regulatory or quasi-judicial bodies.
- Represents the Development Authority at hearings and meetings and explains regulatory requirements, decisions, conditions, and appeal rights in a clear and professional manner.
- Provides expert interpretation and file support for complex compliance and enforcement matters in collaboration with Development Compliance Officers, Protective Services, legal counsel, and other departments.
- Manages sensitive or contentious interactions professionally and supports voluntary compliance while maintaining the County's regulatory position.
- Advises on the interface between development approvals, the Safety Codes Act, and the County's Quality Management Plan, including permit sequencing, site readiness, and matters requiring review by accredited safety codes professionals.
Mentorship and Program Support (10%) - Provides structured mentorship, technical coaching, file consultation, peer support, and knowledge transfer to Development Officers and related staff, without formal supervision, performance management, or disciplinary authority.
- Monitors legislative, tribunal, and municipal-practice developments and translates relevant changes into operational guidance and training.
- Leads or participates in regulatory improvement initiatives, Land Use Bylaw implementation work, procedure updates, audits, and workflow or technology improvements related to development review.
- Assumes lead responsibility for urgent, sensitive, or technically complex files and related special projects as assigned.
- Supports a collaborative team environment through knowledge sharing, consistent regulatory interpretation, and professional coordination.
- Adheres to applicable responsibilities and accountabilities as outlined in the County's Health and Safety Management System.
KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND EXPERIENCE The following are required in this position: - In-depth knowledge of Alberta's municipal planning and development framework, including the Municipal Government Act, Subdivision and Development Regulation, related provincial legislation, administrative-law principles, and delegated-authority practice.
- In-depth knowledge of land use bylaws, statutory plans, development agreements, appeal processes, compliance tools, technical plan review, and municipal decision-making.
- Knowledge of industrial, commercial, institutional, rural, resource, utility, and other major development considerations, including land-use compatibility, infrastructure, servicing, access, drainage, phasing, conditions, agreements, and implementation requirements.
- Working knowledge of the Safety Codes Act, building-permit processes, and Quality Management Plan interfaces relevant to development review, permit sequencing, site readiness, and project implementation.
- Post-secondary diploma or degree in land-use planning, urban and regional planning, public administration, municipal government, legal studies, architecture, engineering technology, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of education, training, and directly related senior-level experience may be considered.
- Eligible for membership in the Alberta Development Officers Association.
- Valid Class 5 Driver's Licence.
- Ability to independently analyze complex, non-routine, contentious, or high-impact files and exercise delegated authority with minimal supervision.
- Ability to interpret legislation, review technical documents and plans, write analytical reports and decisions, negotiate requirements, facilitate meetings, resolve conflicts, assess risk, coordinate projects, and manage stakeholder relationships.
- Ability to synthesize extensive technical records into clear issues, requirements, decisions, reasons, and enforceable conditions.
- Ability to serve as principal case manager for large, evolving, multidisciplinary applications; maintain complete records; coordinate competing requirements; and meet statutory and service timelines.
- Ability to recognize when legal, engineering, planning, environmental, infrastructure, or safety-codes expertise is required and engage the appropriate resources.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the preparation of reports, decisions, orders, briefing materials, evidence, and presentations to Council, boards, tribunals, applicants, and the public.
- Ability to mentor colleagues and support consistent regulatory practice without formal supervisory authority.
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