Mayor’s inner circle approves selection of new CAO

Joseph Dunford is pictured in this supplied image. (Province of Manitoba)

The City of Winnipeg is one step closer to finding its new chief administrative officer.

On Tuesday, the city’s executive policy committee confirmed that Joseph Dunford has been nominated for the role.

Dunford is a professional engineer with decades of experience in the public sector. He is currently the deputy minister of public service delivery for the Manitoba government and has held senior leadership roles in three different provinces.

According to the city, he has led major transformation efforts throughout his career, and managed large-scale capital investment and infrastructure projects, including a $5 billion hospital in Halifax.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said Dunford has the kind of experience the city needs to lead the public service.

“He has a deep understanding of infrastructure, service delivery, and the inner workings of government,” he said in a news release.

“Just as importantly, he’s shown he can lead large teams, manage big budgets, and drive results that improve people’s lives.”

If approved by council, Dunford will begin the role on Aug. 4.

Sherwood Armbruster has been serving as the city’s interim CAO since Michael Jack resigned last year.