Job Specification

Purpose :

To provide information and advice to senior ministry officials to support government decision- making processes regarding strategic housing policy initiatives and legislation, through project leadership, advanced policy analysis, research and development, policy evaluation and implementation, and business planning.
To provide related consultation and outreach services.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Policy Analysis and Development
- Undertakes policy development and program analyses of existing legislation, policies, and programs that work to further provincial government housing objectives for a strong efficient and affordable housing market.
- Based on program analysis, formulates, conceptualizes and recommends policy and program options and strategies consistent with ministry strategic policy objectives, that consider factors such as government relations, fiscal costs, collaborative partnerships, and best practices.
- Reviews other ministry/jurisdictional policy proposals and formulates/recommends policy and program options.
Participates in inter-ministry, and/or cross-institutional studies/projects to further strategic and collaborate approaches to provincial housing policy objectives.
- Works in a project team context to develop new policy initiatives and refinements across a spectrum of housing policy areas, from preliminary review and evaluation, through development of policy options and recommendations, financial and impact analyses, and implementation planning.
- Conducts analyses such as environmental scans and trends analyses, evaluation of legislation, planning, development and housing policies/programs/initiatives and central agency submissions to determine and maintain awareness of best practices in the sector, and to identify and make recommendations regarding current and emerging policy issues requiring response, legislative and policy or program reform, or further research and analysis. Develops policy options/responses for strategic planning/decision-making purposes.
- Develops/prepares in-depth reports and analyses, presents policy options and recommendations to ministry senior management, and prepares various documentation (e.g., Cabinet submissions, legislative amendments) for decision-making purposes and to address identified issues requiring response or affecting the affordable/social housing frameworks.
2. Research Analysis and Coordination
- Leads and/or plans, designs and coordinates and / or carries out internal specialized policy research studies/projects in a team context, to further strategic provincial government housing policy objectives.
- Develops/recommends project goals and deliverables, conducts qualitative, quantitative and financial analysis and prepares reports and related briefing materials to support policy and program recommendations (e.g., costing of options, new funding required).
- Develops for external research, terms of reference, requests for proposals, formulates scope of work, establishes timeline and deliverables, manages consultant procurement, selection and contracts, and organizes/reviews work.
3. Consultation / Stakeholder Relations
- Develops consultation processes, consults and solicits input on proposed policies and programs with municipal stakeholders, other ministries and levels of government, agencies and associations, to build stakeholder relationships, gather intelligence, obtain data, develop consensus, and to identify/resolve concerns and issues.
- Serves as key policy contact and articulates Ministry policy positions with partner ministries, on intra and inter Ministerial working committees, and with central agencies to collaborate in developing Ministry and multi-jurisdiction housing-related policies and strategies. Represents the Branch, as assigned, on ministry, cross-ministry or inter- jurisdictional working committees.
4. Program Planning and Implementation
- Develops/recommends operational guidelines/ benchmarks for the implementation of new policies/ programs.
- Assesses the effectiveness of new/changed policies and programs to support further policy development, and recommends changes.
- Works with ministry program areas to develop/issue new/revised guidelines and directives, communication materials, on new/changed policies and programs, for stakeholders including ministry regional offices, other levels of government, service providers and the general public.
5. Information/Advice
- Provides policy expertise to municipal services operations staff and stakeholders on the interpretation of legislation and the application of policy and/or operational guidelines.
- Researches and coordinates information from various sources within own and other ministries to respond to information requests from central agencies (e.g., Cabinet Office), senior ministry officials, staff in own and other ministries, and prepares a range of materials (e.g., briefing notes, correspondence, policy papers, presentations, orientation packages) requested by internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepares, coordinates and delivers briefings for senior ministry officials.
6. Issues Management
- Provides policy expertise to municipal services operations staff and stakeholders on the interpretation of legislation and the application of policy and/or operational guidelines.
- Researches and coordinates information from various sources within own and other ministries to respond to information requests from central agencies (e.g., Cabinet Office), senior ministry officials, staff in own and other ministries, and prepares a range of materials (e.g., briefing notes, correspondence, policy papers, presentations, orientation packages) requested by internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepares, coordinates and delivers briefings for senior ministry officials.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Socio-economic theory, political acuity, decision-making and governance processes; knowledge of the various public and private stakeholders in the housing sector; specific expertise (usually in more than one area) related to stakeholder relations, intergovernmental relations (e.g., policy and program development and related activities with Federal/Provincial/Territorial and with municipalities), social housing legislation, residential tenancy legislation, fiscal and tax policy, mortgage financing and mortgage insurance, land use planning and regulation to provide sound analysis and advice, and to ensure ministry and government objectives and directions are considered in the development of policy, and to provide information and advice to clients and stakeholders.
- Policy and program development principles and techniques and government decision making processes to lead and/or participate in the development of provincial housing policies and programs, strategies and initiatives, from conceptualization through the senior management and legislative approvals process.
- Program analysis, policy development, planning, organizational and research skills to evaluate and develop sound and strategic policy and program initiatives and refinements, to prepare research analyses, reports and recommendations on complex and multi-jurisdictional policy matters and to work to deadlines and provide quality deliverables and service.
- Policies/programs/ governance and infrastructure of municipal governments/ jurisdictions/agencies to evaluate existing policy and programs and to assess impact of provincial market housing policy and program proposals on existing housing stock and on delivery mechanisms for affordable housing.
- Policies/legislation and related funding and program relationships of other ministries/ jurisdictions to assess the impact of policy proposals, policy changes/ new funding proposals/program initiatives, on the affordable housing sector.
- Project management skills to plan project assignments and act as lead analyst/coordinator of project teams engaged in policy-related research and program design projects, and contract and consultant management, government procurement processes, terms of reference and request for proposals to initiate and coordinate research projects undertaken by external consultants.
- Research and financial costing/ modeling techniques to plan/conduct/coordinate policy research studies, environment scans, trends, gaps and needs analysis, undertake qualitative/quantitative analysis, and comparative analysis of options, impacts, and best practices.
- Oral and written communications, consultation, training and presentation skills, to respond to issues, provide recommendations, prepare reports, analyses, Cabinet submissions, briefing materials and correspondence, to represent the ministry/province on cross-ministry and intergovernmental task forces/working committees, and to promote policy initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.
- Standard computer software programs and tools to research and prepare own materials 9 e.g., reports, spreadsheets/charts/graphs, presentations, briefing notes, et al.)

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation, partnership building and relationship management skills to establish key stakeholder linkages across the OPS and in federal/ provincial / territorial, and municipal jurisdictions, and to work cooperatively in policy development projects.
- Consensus-building, mediation and negotiation skills to gain support for ministry policy and program initiatives from other ministries and inter-jurisdictional stakeholders, to resolve issues, and to develop a coordinated position of housing and public policy issues.
- Presentation, persuasion and communication skills to prepare, present, and explain ideas/analyses, and to provide policy advice, explain policy and/or program recommendations to facilitate understanding, to clearly develop strategic housing and public policy positions and recommendations to colleagues, senior ministry officials, other ministries, levels of government, and a broad range of external stakeholders.
- Facilitation skills, diplomacy, political acuity and business acumen, to represent the ministry/province on intergovernmental forums, and to communicate/advise/lead the Ministry/provincial policy/position on sensitive, political, issues to working committees, other governments, and stakeholders.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Plan/design/carry out research studies, undertake environmental scans, analyze provincial housing policy/programs, related fiscal policy/programs, and best programs/practices in other jurisdictions, to identify policy gaps and issues, assess impacts, and to provide expert policy advice and make strategic recommendations to senior ministry officials.
- Strategically think, conceptualize, and problem-solve, skills to analyze and develop innovative approaches to address public policy issues, and to effectively communicate and recommend options to senior ministry officials.
- Evaluate a range of factors issues affecting the provincial housing market, and housing/legislative frameworks (e.g., fiscal, economic and tax policy, health and education issues/policy, investment incentives/business climate, mortgage financing and insurance, land use planning and regulation, construction, residential tenancy regulation, social housing legislation/regulations, and consumer practices, and consider cross-sectoral implications of recommended options, implementation issues, and medium and long term impacts of changes.
- Assess both qualitative and quantitative information in developing policy proposals, and modify/make changes to mitigate identified potential risks.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Formulating/conceptualizing the development of, and ensuring effective project management for, research and housing policy and program initiatives that work to achieve strategic housing market objectives, and for the professionalism, accuracy, quality and comprehensiveness of research, analyses of options and impacts, reports, advice and recommendations, briefing documents and Cabinet submissions.
- Providing policy and operational program recommendations/options to senior ministry officials .
- Identifying issues requiring policy response within broad branch policy/program directions and legislative/regulatory and overall government priorities and strategic policy framework.
- Planning/carrying out research on comparative housing market policies/programs, social housing policies /programs, and recommending policy/program changes, and best practices.
- Representing the ministry in consultations with inter-jurisdictional stakeholder working groups/committees that are involved in collaborative issues analysis, and that shape/evaluate policy and programs.
- Assessing proposed policy/funding changes on stakeholder interests, existing housing stock, governance and structures.
Has latitude to identify and recommend policy/program options to senior ministry officials, and to determine research scope for developing policy options and program development.
Decisions are guided by provincial and ministry strategic directions, existing legislative/regulatory and policy framework, best practices and government directives and procedures.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Senior ministry officials, to provide information and impacts analysis, and to respond to issues, present reports and recommendations for approval of policies and programs, communications, and consultation/outreach strategies.
- Policy counterparts in own and other ministries to consult on program and policy development, collaborate on research and issues resolution, develop Cabinet submissions or joint recommendations, and develop integrated recommendations for policies/program.
- Federal, municipal and provincial governments in other jurisdictions to collaborate and share information on inter- jurisdictional policy/programs, principles, policy/program development, and policy research findings.
- Advocacy groups, professional associations and other stakeholders to provide functional advice/guidance, to collaborate on projects, share information and to address the concerns/issues of such groups in policy documents and letters/ reports/media releases.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides information and guidance to other policy analysts when leading/coordinating research and policy development projects: assigns project tasks to team members; ensures that project deadlines and deliverables are met; and provides leadership and guidance.
- Provides instructions/technical/professional and research expertise to team members, professional consultants, interns, new staff and administrative staff.
- Provides advice, expertise and information on current and proposed policy and programs to senior ministry officials and other ministry and government policy counterparts.
- Guides and mentors/coaches professional development of policy advisors and interns.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequently required to respond to requests within short deadlines where time pressures result in the need to occasionally work beyond normal work hours for response to information requests.
- Frequently required to deal with deadlines which are subject to change without notice, priorities that are not anticipated or contentious issues which arise unexpectedly and require quick turnaround for issues management.
- Occasional travel for stakeholder consultations and other branch business.
- Frequently required to deal with highly confidential/sensitive material. t anticipated or contentious issues which arise unexpectedly and require quick turnaround for issues management.

Mental / Sensory :

- Continuous requirement to concentrate when reading materials, analyzing fiscal documents and research, and when drafting reports, briefing notes and policy related materials.
- Requirement to listen intently when attending meetings, seeking input from stakeholders.
- Requirement to undertake complex analysis, on demand, within a tight timeframe.
- Occasional requirement to manage and communicate effectively with irate stakeholders/clients.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.