About the role
Markham, Ontario is one of the most vibrant, culturally diverse, and fast-growing cities in the Greater Toronto Region. With a population of over 353,000, Markham is Canada’s High-Tech Capital – home to more than 1,500 technology companies and a total of 10,400 businesses, including national and international headquarters for IBM, Aviva, Allstate, GE Energy, Honda and many others. Celebrating over 220 years of history, Markham offers a unique blend of heritage charm, progressive urban planning, and a dynamic, highly educated workforce. This thriving city is defined by its entrepreneurial spirit, pro-business environment, and commitment to cultural excellence.
The City of Markham is seeking a visionary and strategic leader to serve as Commissioner, Development Services. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and working closely with the Mayor and Council, the Commissioner will provide enterprise-wide leadership and strategic direction across the core functions of Planning and Urban Design, Engineering, and Building Standards. This role is central to shaping the future of Markham through integrated service delivery, long-term planning, and the advancement of the City’s strategic priorities.
As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Commissioner will lead the development and implementation of robust multi-year business plans that drive business and financial results, while ensuring a cohesive and inclusive delivery service. A champion of sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence, the Commissioner will guide strategic initiatives in land use planning, infrastructure, transportation, and capital projects—ensuring Markham remains a livable, connected, and future-ready city.
You are a values-driven, inclusive leader who brings a collaborative and forward-thinking approach. With a proven track record in municipal development services, urban planning, engineering, or a related field, you are well-positioned to lead with impact and vision. You bring demonstrated experience in leading high-performing teams, managing complex portfolios, and delivering results in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment. With a deep understanding of planning legislation, infrastructure development, and municipal governance, you are skilled at navigating complexity and driving innovation. You are passionate about building sustainable communities and fostering inclusive growth, and you excel at building strong relationships with Council, staff, community partners, and other levels of government.
To Apply
To fill this position, the City of Markham has partnered with leadership advisory firm Odgers. Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online by August 22nd at https://careers.odgers.com/en-ca/30548.
We thank all those who express an interest, but regret that we are only able to personally contact those individuals whose backgrounds best match the requirements for the role.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The City of Markham is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers and the City of Markham throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
Odgers is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our DEI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.
About City of Markham
Markham, Ontario is one of the most culturally diverse and fast growing cities in the Greater Toronto Region with a population of over 353,000 people. A multiple award-winning municipality celebrating its 220th anniversary, Markham is Canada’s High-Tech Capital anchored by 1,500+ technology companies that generate over 35,000 jobs. Of the 10,400 companies in Markham, there is a high concentration of Canadian head offices located here - including industry leaders such as IBM, Aviva Insurance, AMD, Allstate, The Miller Group, Parsons, Huawei Technologies, MMM Group, Lenovo, GE Energy, Bank of China, Toshiba, J+J, Hyundai and Honda. Defined by its rich heritage, well-planned communities, high quality infrastructure, a talented workforce, and a pro-business environment, Markham’s business community includes outstanding companies and organizations providing globally competitive banking, financing, engineering, design, technical and commercialization services.
For the third consecutive year, we are pleased to be named one of Canada’s Best Employers for 2023 by Forbes and Statista Inc. The City of Markham is ranked in the top three for Government Services.
About the role
Markham, Ontario is one of the most vibrant, culturally diverse, and fast-growing cities in the Greater Toronto Region. With a population of over 353,000, Markham is Canada’s High-Tech Capital – home to more than 1,500 technology companies and a total of 10,400 businesses, including national and international headquarters for IBM, Aviva, Allstate, GE Energy, Honda and many others. Celebrating over 220 years of history, Markham offers a unique blend of heritage charm, progressive urban planning, and a dynamic, highly educated workforce. This thriving city is defined by its entrepreneurial spirit, pro-business environment, and commitment to cultural excellence.
The City of Markham is seeking a visionary and strategic leader to serve as Commissioner, Development Services. Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer and working closely with the Mayor and Council, the Commissioner will provide enterprise-wide leadership and strategic direction across the core functions of Planning and Urban Design, Engineering, and Building Standards. This role is central to shaping the future of Markham through integrated service delivery, long-term planning, and the advancement of the City’s strategic priorities.
As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Commissioner will lead the development and implementation of robust multi-year business plans that drive business and financial results, while ensuring a cohesive and inclusive delivery service. A champion of sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence, the Commissioner will guide strategic initiatives in land use planning, infrastructure, transportation, and capital projects—ensuring Markham remains a livable, connected, and future-ready city.
You are a values-driven, inclusive leader who brings a collaborative and forward-thinking approach. With a proven track record in municipal development services, urban planning, engineering, or a related field, you are well-positioned to lead with impact and vision. You bring demonstrated experience in leading high-performing teams, managing complex portfolios, and delivering results in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment. With a deep understanding of planning legislation, infrastructure development, and municipal governance, you are skilled at navigating complexity and driving innovation. You are passionate about building sustainable communities and fostering inclusive growth, and you excel at building strong relationships with Council, staff, community partners, and other levels of government.
To Apply
To fill this position, the City of Markham has partnered with leadership advisory firm Odgers. Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online by August 22nd at https://careers.odgers.com/en-ca/30548.
We thank all those who express an interest, but regret that we are only able to personally contact those individuals whose backgrounds best match the requirements for the role.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The City of Markham is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers and the City of Markham throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
Odgers is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our DEI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.
About City of Markham
Markham, Ontario is one of the most culturally diverse and fast growing cities in the Greater Toronto Region with a population of over 353,000 people. A multiple award-winning municipality celebrating its 220th anniversary, Markham is Canada’s High-Tech Capital anchored by 1,500+ technology companies that generate over 35,000 jobs. Of the 10,400 companies in Markham, there is a high concentration of Canadian head offices located here - including industry leaders such as IBM, Aviva Insurance, AMD, Allstate, The Miller Group, Parsons, Huawei Technologies, MMM Group, Lenovo, GE Energy, Bank of China, Toshiba, J+J, Hyundai and Honda. Defined by its rich heritage, well-planned communities, high quality infrastructure, a talented workforce, and a pro-business environment, Markham’s business community includes outstanding companies and organizations providing globally competitive banking, financing, engineering, design, technical and commercialization services.
For the third consecutive year, we are pleased to be named one of Canada’s Best Employers for 2023 by Forbes and Statista Inc. The City of Markham is ranked in the top three for Government Services.