Champlain Township will be using the services of Gallagher, an executive recruitment firm, to recruit a new senior planner for the municipality.
At the November 23 regular Champlain Township council meeting, Champlain Township CAO Kevin Tessier outlined the various platforms on which the job posting has been done, but said he contacted two recruitment firms to move the process along. Citing a shortage of planners due to the many changes made to the Ontario Planning Act which has created a high demand, Tessier said that the municipality will have to recruit from outside the province. What’s more, Champlain Township is competing against large cities and requires a bilingual planner, which makes the situation even more challenging, according to Tessier’s report.
Each firm contacted said it would charge 25 per cent of the candidate’s first year’s cash compensation for a minimum of $25,000 per position. In this case, the township will pay $25,000. TalentSphere’s proposal included a six-month replacement guarantee if the candidate leaves or is released by the township for performance-related issues. TalentSphere will replace them with a similar qualified candidate.
Gallagher offers a 12-month replacement guarantee if the calendar leaves or is released by the township for performance-related issues, Gallagher will redo the mandate.
The township is currently using the services of J. L. Richards since the departure of former senior planner Jennifer Laforest. The cost of the consulting firm ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 per month. The projected fees for 2024 range from $180,000 to $240,000.
Tessier’s report said that the annual salary, including benefits, of a senior planner at the top of the scale is $140,000, which is significantly lower than using an external firm for this service.
Champlain Township is also looking to hire a Human Resources officer.
