Chief of Staff to the Mayor

Cambridge is a thriving emerging and modern city with a diverse population of 163,000. It is located within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is a part of one of Ontario's fastest growing and economically prosperous regions. With its perfect position being located along Highway 401, only 45 minutes from the provincial capital of Toronto, Cambridge is well poised to continue to grow and flourish into a prosperous metropolis and one of the best places to live in the Province of Ontario.

The Chief of Staff works directly with the Mayor to coordinate, oversee, and facilitate the execution of the Mayor’s vision and priorities. As a dynamic, strategic and results-driven Chief of Staff, you will effectively manage the Mayor’s office operations, engage with stakeholders, and ensure seamless communication and alignment across the administration. You will facilitate and ensure effective collaboration between the governance and administrative functions of the organization. You will lead intergovernmental relations, and lead and participate in stakeholder relations on behalf of the Mayor. In this position you will assist, advise and support the Mayor in her enhanced role under Ontario’s Strong Mayor Legislation by providing non political, professional guidance to ensure the Mayor fulfills new responsibilities related to budget preparation and priority setting to align with provincial objectives.

The Chief of Staff will act as a key advisor to the Mayor, providing both tactical and strategic guidance while managing day-to-day activities in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. You will analyze data and content to provide strategic advice and counsel to the Mayor. This position requires a strong communicator, skilled at building relationships with internal teams, government officials, and community leaders. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional leadership, strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities with a strong ability to adapt to the constantly changing political landscape.

The ideal candidate is a politically astute leader with post-graduate education in Political Science, Public or Business Administration, or a related field. A background in communications or media relations is an asset. They bring at least five years of leadership experience in government or political office settings and have a deep understanding of municipal, provincial, and federal environments.

The ideal candidate excels in issues management, legislative interpretation, and strategic planning, with strong communication skills across written, verbal, and public platforms. The candidate has experience managing staff, navigating complex priorities, and building strong relationships with government, business, and community stakeholders. Proven ability to lead strategic projects and support policy development through research and analysis is essential.

DOWNLOAD Full Candidate Brief (PDF)

If you wish to be considered for the role, please email your cover letter and resume in PDF format to Kartik Kumar at careers@lesp.ca by July 10th, 2025.

Please be assured that any information shared with Legacy Partners will be treated with the strictest confidence and shared only with the client for the purposes of this search.

Thank you once again for your interest.

Thank you once again for your interest. Legacy Partners and the City of Cambridge are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and recognize that a diverse staff is essential to organizational excellence. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and encourage women, members of racialized communities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity to confidentially self-identify at the time of application. In accordance with provincial legislation, accommodations will be provided by Legacy Partners and the organization throughout the recruitment, selection, and/or assessment process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If you would like to self-identify during the recruitment process, please fill out the IISD’s Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire and submit it with your application.