The City of Winnipeg has officially opened applications for its new chief administrative officer (CAO). On Wednesday, the city announced it launched the next phase in its search for a CAO – a position that involves overseeing city operations, managing the budget, and ensuring high quality services. The city adds that over the last several months it has formed a CAO hiring committee, selected People First HR to lead the recruitment and refined the job description. In the job posting, Winnipeg said it’s looking for a CAO with “innovative strategies focusing on transformative change, customer service excellence and forward-thinking solutions.” It also says the CAO should have a proven track record leading large, unionized organizations, adding that the role requires someone experienced in “fostering a collaborative culture focused on innovation, responsiveness, and continuous improvement, while empowering employees to deliver efficient, high-quality services and challenge the status quo.” The CAO is expected to work with city council, other governments, the non-profit sector and the business community to deal with key issued like infrastructure, economic development and public safety. This news comes eight months after Winnipeg’s former CAO Michael Jack resigned. The full job posting and application details can be found online. The deadline to apply is March 10.