Advisor - Public Engagement

Cochrane is located in the breathtaking Bow Valley corridor in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta. With a population of over 37,000 people, and growing steadily every year, Cochrane is a thriving town, surrounded by world-famous ranch country. Our western heritage is reflected in the Town’s architecture and our friendly people. The Town of Cochrane welcomes innovative and skilled individuals to join our team of over 250 employees.

Who are we looking for?

Cochrane is seeking a dynamic and results-driven Public Engagement Advisor to join our team and help shape the future of our vibrant community. In this role, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating innovative public engagement strategies that connect our residents with the decisions that affect their lives. By ensuring that engagement initiatives are inclusive, transparent, and aligned with IAP2 best practices, you will play a key part in fostering a collaborative and informed community.

The successful candidate will work closely with internal departments and external partners, providing strategic advice and guidance to enhance public participation across a variety of projects. From designing inclusive engagement tactics for large-scale community events to managing Cochrane’s digital engagement platform, ‘Let’s Talk Cochrane,’ you will have the opportunity to influence how our community communicates, collaborates and contributes to shaping local policies.

If you are passionate about public engagement, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to make a tangible difference in Cochrane’s future, this is your opportunity to join a forward-thinking team dedicated to empowering our community.

Why build your career with Cochrane?

Our employees enjoy many benefits including competitive public sector pay, comprehensive health and dental benefits package, professional learning and development opportunities and the opportunity to work with other talented municipal professionals.

As an organization, Cochrane has a focus on investing in people. This is not a boring municipality. We are growing into an organization with a focus on transparency, critical thinking, curiosity, reflection and innovation. We support experimentation as part of the growth process and strive for continuous improvement. We are municipal employees, and we are accountable to all the residents of the Town of Cochrane. Want to be a part of this exciting time?

If you want to make a difference in our community and have 3-5 years of experience in a Public Engagement role, we welcome your application for the Public Engagement Advisor.

What are some of the duties of the Public Engagement Advisor?

• Identify, develop, implement and evaluate multi-channel engagement plans that adhere to the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) standards, ensuring meaningful community input.
• Provide strategic advice to support public engagement activities, ensuring alignment with IAP2 best practices, Town of Cochrane policies, and Cochrane’s public engagement framework.
• Work collaboratively with internal departments and external stakeholders to create and implement public engagement strategies for corporate and departmental programs, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.
• Design and implement strategies to increase public participation in engagement activities, identifying and deploying effective tools and approaches to meet engagement objectives and foster broad community involvement.
• Plan, create and evaluate inclusive engagement strategies and initiatives, with a focus on ensuring diverse community representation, including specialized tactics for large-scale community events.
• Gather, analyze and report input from public engagement processes, including the development of ‘What We Heard’ reports, translating community feedback into actionable insights for decision-makers.
• Develop, implement and evaluate communications and marketing strategies that support public engagement activities, ensuring consistency and clear messaging across all communication channels.
• Manage and maintain the Town’s ‘Let’s Talk Cochrane’ platform, ensuring its effective use for community engagement. Provide training to consultants and internal staff on platform functionality and best practices.
• Support the Communications team in executing initiatives that further Cochrane’s strategic goals, including internal communication strategies and the development of associated tactics.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with both internal teams and external partners, fostering partnerships to enhance engagement efforts and support the Town’s public engagement initiatives.
• Monitor and ensure that communication platforms adhere to the Town’s brand and visual identity standards.
• Develop and adhere to internal procedures, communication protocols, and legislative requirements, ensuring that all public engagement activities comply with relevant policies and legal frameworks.

Qualifications, skills and abilities

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations or related discipline.
• Three to five years of experience in an equitable position.
• Experience in developing and executing strategic public engagement campaigns.
• Previous experience working in a municipal setting is considered an asset.

Certifications, Licenses and/or Designations:

Required:

• Valid Alberta Driver’s License.

Still interested?

Here's how to apply:

• Qualified individuals are encouraged to submit a resume detailing how their professional experience matches the required qualifications for this advisory role.
• All candidates will be requested to complete an online suitability survey.
• Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm MST November 15,2026. Please apply at www.cochrane.ca/jobs
• The salary for this position is between $52.36/hr and $57.47/hr and is based on a 35-hour work week.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All applicants must be legally entitled to live and work in Canada.

Land Acknowledgement