Social Planner

Are you a collaborative change-maker dedicated to shaping a safer, more equitable, and vibrant city? The City of Edmonton is looking for a Safe & Healthy Communities Social Planner to join our Social Development branch. In this vital role, you will champion systemic change, dismantle barriers, and build powerful networks to ensure every Edmontonian feels secure and supported. If you excel at navigating complex social landscapes and turning data into meaningful community action, we want you on our team. 

The Safe & Healthy Communities Social Planner is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and maintenance of frameworks, action plans, and policies that actively promote safe and healthy environments across Edmonton. Operating within the Social Development branch, you will work alongside community partners to align localized initiatives with the city's broader Community Safety and Well-Being and Anti-racism Strategies. This position requires a sophisticated blend of relationship brokering, public engagement, and thorough research to address system-level challenges. You will be instrumental in translating complex social data into accessible reports for executive leadership, designing robust evaluation frameworks, and establishing formal project agreements. Ultimately, you will help cultivate a respectful, inclusive, and integrated work culture that proactively responds to evolving community needs. 

What will you do?

• Lead the creation and delivery of major social policy frameworks and strategic plans in close alignment with external organizations
• Manage multi-sectoral initiatives from scope to completion, ensuring clear communication and timely updates to all collaborators and leadership
• Establish formal relationship parameters by crafting Charters, Memorandums of Understanding, and Terms of Reference
• Design and execute comprehensive public engagement processes in collaboration with internal communications teams and Indigenous Relations
• Conduct qualitative research, environmental scans, and trend analyses to identify emergent system-level issues and propose leading-edge solutions
• Develop repeatable performance indicators, dashboards, and logic models to monitor, evaluate, and report on program access and inclusion
• Provide strategic data analytics and policy advice to senior management to guide operational direction and continuous improvement
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

A degree in Business Administration, Social Sciences, Political Studies, Criminology or a related  discipline as required by area of specialization is required

• Minimum of five (5) years of related experience in working with and implementation of strategy and/or policy development
• OR
• Masters Degree in Social Work, Business Administration, Sociology or a related field and a minimum of three (3) years professional experience in area of specialization

Assets

• A Masters degree in a related field
• Experience working with government and/or large organizations
• Experience working in community and with political leadership; understanding the political landscape and political systems
• Demonstrated increased responsibility in managing complex projects and issues management
• Experience developing and supporting high performance work teams
• Experience facilitating and chairing meetings and tracking results
• Experience analyzing, compiling and making recommendations regarding strategic or operational issues
• Experience in the public sector and volunteering will be considered as assets
• Understanding of intersectionality and how to apply it in government, policy and community work

Skills required for success

• Deep, practical knowledge of anti-racism, anti-oppressive frameworks, and cultural diversity best practices
• Strong understanding of intersectionality, historical realities, and cultural protocols, particularly concerning Indigenous communities
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to write clear Council reports and executive briefing notes
• Outstanding interpersonal and diplomacy skills to successfully navigate competing priorities and manage multi-party interests
• Knowledge of the social determinants of health, crime prevention strategies, and strategic foresight approaches
• Proficiency with the Google Workspace platform and digital tools used to elevate public collaboration, research, and analysis
• Alignment to our Cultural Commitments and Leadership Competencies (https://bit.ly/4brRrXm)
• Embracing a culture of equity, diversity, reconciliation, and inclusion

Conditions of Employment

• Hire is dependent on a Criminal Records Check (CRC) that is satisfactory to the City of Edmonton, and there may be a cost associated with this requirement
• Applicants may be tested

Work Environment

• This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with the flexibility to work from both home and the worksite as per the Letter of Understanding between the City of Edmonton and Civic Service Union 52
• The weekly hours of work for this position are currently under review and may change at a future time. Any changes will be made in accordance with the City of Edmonton/Civic Service Union 52 collective agreement, and the incumbent will be notified in advance
• This is a public-facing role and requires engagement and interaction with diverse people from various backgrounds with different needs, expectations and emotional states

The City of Edmonton values applicants with a diverse range of skills, experiences and competencies, and encourages you to apply. We strive to provide reasonable access and accommodations throughout the recruitment process. To request an accommodation, please contact employment@edmonton.ca. Learn more about our benefits https://bit.ly/COEbenefits

Up to 2 permanent full-time positions

Up to 1 temporary full-time position for up to 18 months in accordance with Article 18.02 of the Collective Agreement 

Hours of Work:  33.75

Salary Range: $51.611 - $65.218 (Hourly); $90,925.680 - $114,897.810 (Annually)

Recruitment Consultant: PC/SB

Edmonton rests in the heart of Treaty Six territory in Alberta and the homelands of the Metis Nation.

Classification Title: Social Planner
Posting Date: Aug 07, 2026
Closing Date: Aug 21, 2026 11:59:00 PM (MDT)
Number of Openings (up to): 3 - Permanent and Temporary Positions Full-time
Union: CSU 52
Department: Community Services
Work Location(s): 18th Floor Edmonton Tower, 10111 104 Avenue Edmonton T5J 0J4