Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Position Details:

Employer: Village of Acme

Location: Acme, AB

Industry: Municipal Government

Position Outline:

The Village of Acme is a welcoming rural based community located within Kneehill County, approximately 83 kilometres northeast of Calgary, 112 kilometers southeast of Red Deer, and 58 kilometers directly west of Drumheller.  With just over 650 residents, Acme offers small-community connection, local services, and practical access to Calgary and central Alberta.

Incorporated in 1910, Acme is a service and community hub for the surrounding area.  Its economy is supported by agriculture, agri-business, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, energy-related activity, retail, and local services, with renewed manufacturing investment underway.

Quality of Life & Opportunity

• Strong community connections — Volunteerism, civic participation, and local pride support a welcoming small-town environment.
• Recreation and amenities — Parks, outdoor pool, golf course, ball diamonds, campground, facilities, school, library, community spaces, senior’s resources, and outdoor activities support an active lifestyle.
• Strategic location — Acme offers affordability and space within reasonable reach of Calgary and nearby regional centres.
• Visible impact — Municipal leaders can make an impactful difference for residents, businesses, and the overall community.
• Growth potential — The Village is positioned to attract investment, diversify its economy, and strengthen sustainability.

For further information, please visit our website at www.acme.ca

Due to a recent retirement, the Village of Acme is seeking a confident, grounded, and community-minded municipal leader who can provide sound advice to Council, lead a lean organization, and keep municipal services focused on residents.

The ideal candidate will move comfortably between strategy and operations—working with Council on capital priorities, supporting staff, engaging local businesses, monitoring financial performance, and maintaining strong relationships with residents, community organizations, neighbouring municipalities, and other levels of government.  The successful candidate will bring credibility, integrity, sound judgment, energy, and a commitment to municipal government.

This is a visible, hands-on leadership opportunity in a community where the CAO can have a meaningful impact on service quality, resident experience, and local business success.

The Role

Reporting to the Mayor and four members of Council, the CAO is Acme’s senior administrative leader, responsible for translating Council direction into effective administration, reliable services, and practical results.

The role requires strong municipal governance experience and a leader who can balance long-term priorities with day-to-day operations, coordinate resources effectively, and continually improve municipal practices. The CAO will provide leadership across service delivery, infrastructure, financial sustainability, community development, and quality of life, ensuring the organization remains responsive, accountable, and focused on Council’s priorities and community needs.

The Municipal Organization

Acme operates with a lean municipal team of approximately nine core and seasonal positions and a collaborative culture that keeps the CAO intricately connected to both strategic priorities and daily operations.

This role will appeal to a leader who values accessibility, accountability, collaboration, and practical results and understands that, in a small community, strong relationships are central to effective municipal leadership.

The CAO is responsible for the overall administration, leadership, and effective operation of the Village, with accountability for the following key functions:

• Council Support & Municipal Governance
  • Advise the Mayor and Council with objective analysis, options, and recommendations.
  • Prepare Council agendas, reports, bylaws, policies, correspondence, and follow-up actions.
  • Support strategic planning, policy development, priority setting, and decision implementation.
  • Maintain transparent Council–administration relations and regular operational reporting.
• Strategic & Organizational Leadership
  • Translate Council priorities into work plans, objectives, and organizational priorities.
  • Lead planning, continuous improvement, change management, and risk-management initiatives.
  • Set clear expectations, accountabilities, performance standards, and staffing priorities.
  • Coach, mentor, evaluate, recruit, onboard, and coordinate employees, contractors, and municipal partners.
• Financial & Corporate Administration
  • Together with the Director of Finance, lead operating and capital budgeting with clear financial analysis and recommendations.
  • Monitor revenues, expenditures, reserves, debt, taxation, utility rates, grants, and overall financial performance.
  • Maintain financial controls, procurement practices, reporting systems, and corporate safeguards.
  • Oversee audits, statutory reporting, contracts, insurance, records, policies, and compliance.
• Municipal Operations, Infrastructure & Service Delivery
  • In conjunction with the Public Works Foreman, oversee public works, roads, utilities, waste management, parks, recreation, facilities, and services.
  • Support scheduling, prioritization, delegation, project delivery, and operational performance.
  • Plan, fund, manage, and deliver infrastructure, capital projects, renewal, and asset management.
  • Coordinate employees, contractors, consultants, and regional partners for reliable service delivery.
• Planning, Development & Economic Development
  • Working with Palliser Regional Municipal Services, serve as Development and Planning Officer for all land-use planning, applications, approvals, and planning documents.
  • Collaborate with Council, applicants, residents, businesses, and partners to support appropriate development.
  • Advance opportunities that strengthen the tax base, attract investment, and support sustainability.
  • Maintain effective relationships with regional municipalities, provincial agencies, organizations, and development partners.
• Emergency Management, Safety & Compliance
  • Maintain emergency preparedness, response, recovery, bylaw enforcement, business-continuity, and risk-mitigation plans.
  • Oversee occupational health and safety and promote a safe, compliant workplace.
  • Ensure required regulatory, legislative, operational, and certification requirements are met and maintained.
• Community, Stakeholder & Public Relations
  • Represent the Village visibly and professionally with residents, businesses, media, and partners.
  • Communicate priorities, decisions, services, and issues clearly and consistently.
  • Build public trust through responsiveness, accessibility, transparency, and follow-through.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following skills and attributes:

• Leadership & Governance
  • Sound judgement, political acuity, and municipal leadership maturity.
  • Ability to provide objective, confident, and trusted advice to Council.
  • Clear understanding of governance, administration, accountability, and transparency.
• People & Organizational Leadership
  • Strong coaching, mentoring, delegation, performance-management, and team-building skills.
  • Ability to foster a positive, collaborative, calming, and accountable workplace culture.
• Strategic & Operational Leadership
  • Strategic thinking balanced with practical, hands-on implementation.
  • Strong planning, prioritization, problem solving, project-management, and continuous-improvement capability.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively to change.
• Financial & Resource Management
  • Strong financial literacy, fiscal stewardship, and long-term sustainability focus.
  • Knowledge of taxation, utilities, reserves, capital planning, and resource allocation.
• Communication & Relationship Building
  • Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
  • Ability to explain municipal, financial, infrastructure, and policy matters in plain language.
  • Ability to build effective relationships with Council, staff, residents, businesses, government, and partners.
• Integrity, Resilience & Community Focus
  • High integrity, professionalism, fairness, confidentiality, and ethical conduct.
  • Adaptability, resilience, composure, and commitment to public service.
  • Visible community presence and understanding of small-municipality realities.

The ideal candidate will possess the following education and experience:

Education

• Post-secondary education in public administration, business, municipal management, political science, finance, planning, engineering, or a related field.
• Municipal-management credentials, such as Certified Local Government Manager (CLGM), Certificate in Municipal Management & Leadership (CMML), or related certifications are assets.
• Commitment to ongoing development in governance, leadership, finance, legislation, emergency management, or related areas.

Experience

• Ideally five years of progressive leadership and management experience within local government.
• Direct experience supporting elected officials through reports, recommendations, bylaws, policies, budgets, and strategic plans.
• Proven municipal fiscal-management experience, including operating and capital budgets, financial planning, and resource allocation.
• Experience leading employees in a small or mid-sized organization, including mentoring, delegation, setting expectations, and accountability.
• Strong knowledge of Alberta municipal legislation, including the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and related frameworks.
• Experience with, or understanding of, infrastructure, public works, utilities, planning, development, asset management, and emergency management.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, resolve issues, manage change, and improve organizational performance.

A competitive compensation package will be provided, including an attractive base salary, comprehensive benefits, enrollment in the Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP), and ongoing professional development support. Details will be discussed in further conversations.

 

James Davies                                 

Managing Director

DCG Executive Search Services Ltd.

Phone: (780) 758-9796

E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.daviescg.com