Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide food safety data quality, analytical, documentation, education and reporting services to branch scientists, program areas and information management specialists in support of the programs, services and operations of the Food Inspection Branch.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Within the unit which provides scientific, information management and compliance support to several Food Inspection Branch programs, and advisory services on food safety issues and intervention programs to internal and external clients, such as food industry associations, the position:

1. Works with the Manager in the development and management of the Data Quality Assurance and Information Management Strategy for the Food Safety Decision Support System (FSDSS). Maintains and monitors the comprehensive and complex Food Safety information database ensuring integrity of data; oversees the collection of data and reporting of complex, related program, operational and food safety information to all levels of users of the program and FSDSS; monitors and develops specifications for data capture/input and output to ensure the integrity, authenticity, reliability, accuracy, completeness, redundancy, consistency and timeliness of the data being entered or extracted by staff.

2. Acts as primary liaison with FIB business areas on information requirements; assists program operations and science/policy areas in designing and developing data requirements/needs in FSDSS by collecting, interpreting and defining business areas information needs; acts as primary contact for contributing to the design or setup of existing or new data definitions or structures for the collection of program, food safety and operational data; assuring compliance to Corporate data quality and modeling standards and investigating opportunities to understand and potentially conform to national information/data standards related to Food Safety or Public Health.

3. Organizes, summarizes and analyses data from program and operational activities (e.g. audit and inspection, issues management, compliance); interprets data and draws conclusions regarding their impact on operational policies and programs and provides information and recommendations to support decisions. Prepares reports and summaries of data from data quality audits, monitoring computer and data entry guideline compliance; using Crystal reports and other tools to extract data from the FSDSS databases.

4. Provides support to information system personnel on issues related to the collection of data or future development; troubleshoots food safety, program or operational issues arising from compromised data collection as requested by the database administrator and technical staff; liaises with business area personnel and internal/external stakeholders to resolve data collection/reporting conflicts and related problems and acts as conduit between program areas and the systems staff; participates in testing and implementation of new applications and/or enhancements and modifications to existing systems when necessary; develops alternate designs to resolve problems in input, storage, or retrieval of information.

5. Plans and leads concurrent projects to support the implementation of the Data Quality Assurance and Information Management Strategy including determining project methodologies, resources and deliverables and overseeing all phases of project from concept to implementation. Works with various branch management and staff (e.g. manager, program staff, project and information management staff) during project phases to collaborate on efforts and ensure project success.

6. Implements and maintains a data/information quality assurance compliance plan to constantly monitor, audit, identify problems, issue corrective action requests and recommend solutions in support of the Food Inspection Branch business areas, FSDSS, business records and documentation.

7. Develops and maintains process related diagrams/documentation, business rules, system related manuals/documents, standard operating procedures and provides document and information management expertise to ensure data integrity in both paper-based and electronic documents, including storage (electronic), version control and archiving.

8. Maintains and validates FSDSS Metadata, system data dictionaries and database, and ensures that data collected in the field and documented on operational transactions are accurately reflected and positively contribute to accurate performance measures and sound business metrics for Food Safety programs.

9. Participates in the development and support of the FSDSS units training, technical writing and software development initiatives including preparing RFQs, RFPs, manuals and other system related paperwork; designs, develops and delivers training and presentation materials on the use, capabilities, and operations of the Food Safety Decision Support System (FSDSS) including system changes and advances to branch staff (e.g inspectors, program managers, area managers) and partners.

10. Provides technical assistance and training to department personnel in the use of personal computers, standard software packages, on-line information systems; maintains a broad knowledge of state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and/or systems; makes recommendations for on-line program enhancements; assists in testing and implementation of modifications and enhancements.

11. May sits on the various committees adn working groups dedicated to building an information management/ data quality and business process improvement framework for the FSDSS, FIB and associated Food Safety business partners; identify and implement changes to the database program or operations to create efficiencies in data capture and management.

Knowledge :

(Technical)
Position requires knowledge of agriculture and food safety and an understanding of scientific principles to provide data quality analysis and data standards management in support of a range of programs and operations in the Food Inspection Branch and other Branches/Divisions. Knowledge of the implementation and maintenance of data standards and analysis, quality assurance and data capture theories, methods, and techniques to oversee the collection of data and reporting of complex, related program, operational and food safety information to all levels of users of the FSDSS; to design and document data definitions and structures, and to analyze and interpret data from food safety program and operational activities (e.g. audit and inspection, issues management, compliance). Knowledge of the mandate, directions, legislative authorities, programs and policies of the Food Inspection Branch including meat inspection, dairy plant inspection, raw milk quality, foods of plant origin and general food safety to recommend data requirements for linkages between program and system needs. Knowledge of the national information/data standards related to Food Safety or Public Health to ensure standards are met. Knowledge of information management processes and systems including classification/taxonomies/metadata and functional requirements and understanding of information architecture, records, knowledge and information management to oversee the collection of data and reporting of complex, related program, operational and food safety information to all levels of users of the FSDSS. Knowledge of current technologies, theories and strategies behind ETL (Extract Transform and Load), data mining, warehousing, archiving and partitioning to design and support the linkages between FSDSS and external broader based Food Safety Information Management Environments. Knowledge of state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and/or systems database management systems, their capabilities, design and maintenance to maintain and monitor the Food Safety information database. Knowledge of data quality assurance methods to implement and maintain a data/information quality assurance compliance plan and to conduct data audits. Knowledge of government procurement process to prepare RFPs and RFQs. Analytical skills to interpret and analyze a range of Food Safety and operational data. Planning, organization and coordination skills to organize, collect, manage data for a number of complex programs. Knowledge of project and change management principles and practices to plan and manage a number of concurrent projects. Oral communication and consultative skills to maintain ongoing liaison with program areas to define data requirements, consult with program areas, internal and external clients/stakeholders and facilitate information flow. Food safety business knowledge and relationship skills to act as a primary liaison with FIB business areas to resolve data related problems. Written communication skills to prepare reports and summaries of data and their interpretation and to prepare diagrams/documentation, business rules, system related manuals/documents and standard operating procedures. Training skills to develop and deliver training and presentation materials on the use, capabilities, and operations of the Food Safety Decision Support System and to provide technical assistance and training to department personnel in the use of personal computers, standard software packages, and on-line information systems.

Judgement :

Position works under the general direction of the Manager of Food Safety Information Mangement. Guidelines are available in the FSDSS reference manual, Regulations and Policy & Procedure manuals for the inspection programs, individual project descriptions and Information Technology Management Branch standards. Judgement is exercised in monitoring and developing specifications for data capture/input and output to ensure the integrity, authenticity, reliability, accuracy, completeness, redundancy, consistency and timelines of the data being entered or extracted by staff; in collecting, interpreting and defining business areas information needs; investigating opportunities to understand and potentially conform to national information/data standards related to Food Safety or Public Health. Judgement is exercised in providing information management support to information system personnel on issues related to the collection and resolving data conflicts and related problems. Judgement is exercised in implementing and maintaining a data/information quality assurance compliance plan; in determining data needs and the impact of new or existing programs on data and the system. Judgement is exercised in organizing, summarizing and analyzing data from science, program and operational activities (e.g. audit and inspection, research); in interpreting data and drawing conclusions regarding their impact on operational policies and programs and providing information and recommendations to support decisions.

Accountability - Programs :

Provides scientific support and analytical services to branch scientists, program areas and information management specialists in support of the programs, services and scientific studies of the Food Inspection Branch. Works with the Manager in the development and management of the Data Quality Assurance and Information Management Strategy. Implements and maintains a data/information quality assurance compliance plan to constantly monitor, audit, identify problems, issue corrective action requests and recommend solutions in support of the Food Inspection Branch business area, FSDSS, business records and documentation. Sits on various committees dedicated to building an information management/data quality and business process improvement framework for the FSDSS, FIB and associated Food Safety business partners.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Maintains and monitors the comprehensive and complex Food Safety information database (i.e. Food Safety Decision Support System).

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Failure to analyze, interpret and resolve a range of data collection and maintenance issues would have a critical impact on the quality and availability of data to support the programs of the Food Inspection Branch and stakeholders and may result in poor decisions resulting from the use of the data, with potential health risks to consumers.

Contact - Internal :

Frequent contact with colleagues within the Food Safety Science Unit and FIB business areas to act as the primary liaison on all information needs and requirements related to food safety; provide food safety and program data standards support; provides food safety documentation, content and technical assistance and training to department personnel in the use of personal computers, standard software packages, and on-line information systems; with systems specialists to provide support and define branch data needs; with business area personnel to resolve data conflicts and related problems and act as conduit between program areas, scientists and the systems staff. Regular contact with other ministries (e.g. Health and Long Term Care) to provide data as requested.

Contact - External :

Frequent contact with other government agencies and stakeholders (Sheep Marketing Agency, Ontario Independent Meat Processors, Beef Improvement Ontario, etc.) that have a stake in the data collected and generated by the FSDSS.