Municipality of Pictou County
Municipality of Pictou County
Introduction:
The Town of Pictou (Town) and the Municipality of Pictou County (MOPC) are the local governments servicing approximately 25,000 citizens in the Pictou County region. The Town’s Department of Public Works and MOPC’s Department of Public Works & Development administer each municipality’s public works, environmental, and GIS services portfolios.
The Role:
The Town and MOPC are seeking qualified applicants to join our growing teams. The purpose of this document is to provide a job description and advertisement for this role which may be reviewed and revised upon the program’s evolution.
Reporting to the Town Engineer (Town) and Director of Public Works & Development (MOPC), the successful candidate will have the responsibility of supporting each department's execution of environmental and climate coordination initiatives.
The role will be responsible for completing a comprehensive risk assessment for both the Town and County, engaging stakeholders and identifying climate adaptation actions, developing tailored climate adaptation plans for the Town and County, and preparing a final project report to summarize findings and provide recommendations for future climate work.
Furthermore, for MOPC, this will include planning and executing water and wastewater sampling, testing, and reporting in accordance with the requirements of relevant authorities such as the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSE) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Other duties shall include environmental and sustainability initiatives such as grant research and applications, project planning and execution, and policy development and execution. It may also include attendance at municipal and inter-governmental committees and other organizations. Environmental field reviews, technical calculations, and preparation and execution of directives will also be required.
The successful candidate must have strong written, verbal, and technical communication skills and be a self-starter able to work in a fast-paced work setting to provide optimal levels of service to the public. They must develop a thorough environmental compliance program and strictly adhere to reporting schedules according to regulatory requirements.
This position may require training, which may include the completion of coursework and certifications in the areas of water treatment and distribution, sewer collection and treatment, erosion and sedimentation control, watercourse alterations, wetland delineation, and coastal protection, among other fields. The successful applicant must be willing and able to obtain qualifications within the timeframe set out by the Municipality and in keeping with industry standards. They will be committed to meeting all ongoing educational and training requirements as required by the Town Engineer and Director.
Additional duties will include:
Climate Risk Assessments
· Develop a new, comprehensive climate risk assessment for Pictou County, identifying current and future climate hazards and vulnerabilities faced by the region such as coastal flooding, extreme weather events, and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
· Update the Town of Pictou’s existing climate risk assessment, integrating recent data and emerging climate trends to refine understanding of climate risks and adaptation opportunities within the community.
Stakeholder Engagement:
· Engage key stakeholders, including Pictou Landing First Nation, local government departments, community groups, healthcare workers, seniors, local businesses, environmental organizations and youth to identify and prioritize climate adaptation actions tailored to the unique needs of each community. This will include both immediate and long-term strategies aimed at reducing climate risks and improving resilience. The engagement process will ensure that adaptation measures are inclusive and provide tangible benefits to equity-deserving groups.
Climate Adaptation Plans
· Develop/modify tailored adaptation plans for both the Town and County, providing clear, actionable recommendations for addressing climate risks and improving resilience. The plans will integrate with existing municipal frameworks, such as asset management or emergency preparedness, ensuring cohesive implementation.
Final Reports and Recommendations
· Deliverables will include risk assessment reports, prioritized adaptation action plans, and a final project report summarizing findings and recommendations to guide both the Town and County in future resilience efforts.
The responsibilities of this role shall in all cases be consistent with the Town’s and Municipality’s existing bylaws and policies, relevant legislation, and industry best practices. Furthermore, the successful applicant will work with other groups of the organization including, but not limited to, Building Services, Bylaw Enforcement, Financial Services, Communications, Development, GIS, Internet Services, and Recreation, to best serve our residents.
Additional duties may be assigned to this role by the Town Engineer and Director further to those noted above.
Qualifications:
The successful applicant for this position must possess a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution (university) in a related field such as environmental science, environmental technology, climate science, sustainability, geography, urban planning, public policy, or a related field.
The ideal candidate shall have 1-2 years of practical related experience climate adaptation, environmental planning, sustainability, environmental science, engineering, or a related field or an acceptable combination of education and work experience. Preference may be given to candidates with existing relevant certifications, a proven track-record of technical writing, experience in presenting technical information, and experience in community consultations; candidates are encouraged to outline such qualifications and experience in their application. The Municipality may consider applicants with less experience than that noted above if considered to be in its best interests. Demonstrated experience working with local governments, Indigenous communities, or community-based organizations on climate or resilience planning would also be considered an asset.
Other preferred qualifications include;
· Experience incorporating Indigenous perspectives and knowledge into climate adaptation.
· Familiarity with urban and rural climate planning dynamics.
· Experience with project management or public sector reporting.
Additional Requirements:
Technical Knowledge:
· Knowledge of climate science, including climate risk modelling and scenario planning.
· Understanding of local and regional climate hazards (e.g., coastal flooding, storm events, wildfires).
· Knowledge of municipal planning processes, asset management, and emergency preparedness frameworks,
· Familiarity with tools such as GIS, climate vulnerability indices, or risk assessment software.
Community Engagement and Equity:
· Skills in community consultation and participatory planning, especially with equity-deserving groups and Indigenous communities.
· Facilitation skills.
Analytical and Planning Skills:
· Ability to synthesize complex climate data into accessible reports and recommendations.
· Competencies in developing and prioritizing climate adaptation actions.
· Experience preparing detailed, actionable, and policy-aligned plans.
Project Management:
· Strong organizational and time-management skills to meet deadlines across multiple deliverables.
· Ability to work both independently and collaboratively across departments and organizations.
Communication:
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
· Experience preparing formal reports, executive summaries, and public-facing materials.
· Ability to translate technical information for non-technical audiences.
Union:
This role is a non-union-based position.
Hours and Overtime:
This role will generally consist of 35 hours per week during regular working hours. Overtime and/or stand-by work will be required from time to time and shall be subject to approval by the Director. Hours of work are primarily Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Diversity:
The Town and Municipality are equal-opportunity employers. We encourage applications from all underrepresented communities.
Application Requirements:
Applicants must provide the following documents in support of their application:
1. Cover Letter
2. Resumé
3. Three (3) representative samples of technical writing
4. Three (3) references, of which two (2) or more must be in a professional capacity
Conclusion:
We invite all qualified applicants to apply for this position. However, only those chosen for interviews will be contacted. To apply for this role, please forward the required documents noted above to Kyle Slaunwhite, Chief Administrative Office (Town of Pictou), by email at kyle.slaunwhite@townofpictou.ca.
CC.
Logan McDowell, P.Eng., PMP, B.Eng, Director of Public Works & Development, MOPC (logan.mcdowell@munpict.ca)
Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 24 months
Pay: Up to $60,000.00 per year
Flexible language requirement:
• French not required
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 2025-06-25
Expected start date: 2025-07-21