Job Specification

Purpose :

To provide project leadership, consultative expertise, research and analyses to support Ministry business needs for high quality information, and methodological support that enables health system evidence-based decision making.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Research and Analysis
Undertakes product development including needs assessment, analysis and synthesis of research material; design, production and delivery of end products (e.g., summary files, tables, contextual reports and other data related products).
Researches, develops and implements analytical methods, indicators, and statistical applications which meet analytic requirements and requisite interpretations. Conducts comparative analyses of alternate methodologies, and performs complex integrated data retrievals. Reviews, synthesizes and provides critical appraisal of scientific literature.
Identifies and resolves issues around the use and interpretation of data.
Develops performance measurements within the Ministry's health system operations performance measurement framework. Produces and validates metrics reports on health system performance relative to performance metrics at provincial, LHIN and individual program/portfolio levels.
2. Project Management
Provides project leadership and co-ordination on small and large scale health analytic and product development projects and participates on work teams comprised of branch/division/ministry colleagues, LHINs, other ministries and levels of government.
Identifies project parameters including negotiation of resources and collaborative working groups, managing/facilitating project stages and transitions, monitoring progress, negotiation, problem resolution, and review and final deliverables.
Identifies project parameters including negotiation of resources and collaborative working groups, managing/facilitating project stages and transitions, monitoring progress, negotiation, problem resolution, and review and final deliverables.
3. Information and Advice
Works with clients to identify their health analytic needs and project requirements for data products, reporting and analysis to support evidence-based decision making capabilities and the evaluation of health system operations.
Provides health analytic expertise and consultation regarding information needs, products, reports and tools for internal and external clients (e.g. Ontario Hospital Association, LHINs).
Provides expertise and advice to ministry clients and colleagues on rules, regulations, and licensing agreements governing use and access to data files and ensures compliance.
4. Client and Stakeholder Relationships
Maintains working relationships with clients and stakeholders (e.g. LHINs and hospitals, Statistics Canada, ICES), and advises committees or working groups. Prepares/contributes to reports, papers, and communications materials that further knowledge and understanding of the Ministry's funding policies .
Leads/participates on policy initiatives including issues identification and analysis, the synthesis of ministry and external research, and policy development and recommendations. Identifies information analysis and interpretation of strategic options.
Develops and implements consultation, communication and training strategies to ensure information and product needs are understood by branch colleagues and clients.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
Theories and concepts of one or more of: epidemiology, health economics; health geography, biostatistics, population health, health system performance measurement, health status assessment, and understanding of analytic methods, statistical techniques and modeling, quantitative research design, to provide expertise and consultative advice on health system information products, reporting capabilities and tools, and to lead product development projects and work teams.
administrative and population health databases and statistical software to design and conduct complex integrated data retrievals to meet health information and knowledge requirements; the health system, current and emerging trends in health analytics, health planning and policy to ensure client needs are met in support of critical health system planning, policy and strategy decisions within Ontario.
legislative authorities, regulations, corporate standards, policies and guidelines in the areas of IT, privacy, and information access and distribution to provide expertise and advice and ensure compliance; government/ministry directions and priorities, Division mandate, and ministry stewardship principles.
Project management skills to provide project planning and leadership on concurrent small scale and large long-term analytic and product development projects.
Oral and written communication skills to promote open communication and to present complex comparative and statistical analyses, and reports for both professional and non-professional audiences.
Computer proficiency to access resources, conduct research, conduct analyses and prepare materials.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultative skills to provide expertise and advice to clients on health system information products, reporting capabilities and tools, and to elicit cooperation from and share project data/information with stakeholders, client management, program staff, and personnel from other jurisdictions.
- Facilitation and negotiation skills to lead consultations with stakeholders who may have opposing needs and positions with regard to ministry policies.
- Relationship management, persuasion and advisory skills to advise clients and stakeholders in addressing quality assurance and quality control issues for project deliverables, and to ensure a focus on results to ensure objectives are achieved.
- Interpersonal and presentation skills to develop and maintain effective relationships with clients, stakeholders and colleagues and to participate in an advisory capacity on committees or working groups.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Conduct needs assessments, analyses and syntheses of research material; design, production and delivery of end products, for clients and stakeholders.
- Research, investigate and assess relevance of information, e.g., emerging health information trends and methodologies; identify, prioritize and evaluate key issues or risks; provide options analysis.
- Interpret and apply recognized methods, standards and protocols to develop, evaluate and create quality health information products.
- Align system thinking with other organizational approaches and planning systems within the ministry, the health care system and the OPS.
- Assess and interpret multiple functions and processes, conduct in-depth analysis, determine priorities, plan and organize work.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for
Providing project leadership and consultative expertise in the analysis and provision of health system information to support evidence-based decision making in health system planning, policy and strategy decisions within Ontario.
Providing health analytic expertise and consultative advice regarding health system information products, reporting capabilities and tools to meet the needs of clients (e.g. Health System Strategy Division, LHINs and other external clients).
Developing potential performance measurements within the Ministry's performance measurement framework used to evaluate health system operations.
Providing project leadership and co-ordination on concurrent small scale and large long-term health analytic and product development projects and/or work teams comprised of branch/division/ministry colleagues, LHINs, other ministries and levels of government.
Has latitude to:
identify and define client health analytic needs and project requirements; conduct needs assessments, analyses and syntheses of research; and to develop and implement methodologies, indicators, and statistical applications to analyse and interpret health data.
conduct comparative analyses of alternative methodologies; identify, analyze, and resolve issues related to the use and interpretation of relevant data and measures, and identify issues related to the interpretation of health data.
determine and implement strategies to ensure information and product needs are clearly identified and understood and that deliverables are understood by clients.
Position works under the general direction of the Manager and within the broad strategic framework of ministry stewardship principles, the Division and Branch mandates and ministry/government directions for Ontario's health system.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Stakeholders, clients and staff to provide advice and guidance to exchange information, and ensure information and product needs are understood by branch colleagues and clients.
- Ministry managers and staff, partners, client managers and staff to provide technical guidance and advice, and manage expectations concerning health analytics project management issues.
- Ministry program and policy areas for consultation and assessment of client needs and identification and determination of project specifications, deliverables and timelines.
- Other ministries, external agencies, Statistics Canada, Health Canada, Ontario Medical Association, OHA, other health-oriented provincial agencies, and municipal agencies (public health units) to liaise with and share and exchange information on emerging and relevant issues.
- Data Providers in various Ministry units to advise on data content, exchange data, and report on data limitations and discrepancies.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides guidance and leadership concerning data/information management to project team members.
- Provides technical guidance and advice on the access and use of health analytics data to colleagues, management, clients and stakeholders.
- Provides leadership and coordinates the work of project staff (team analysts); delegates work assignments and monitors its completion; provides technical advice; establishes priorities; reviews work; and provides training and mentoring.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Occasional unexpected work demands, changes to deadlines on short notice, tight time pressures.
- Frequent conflicting work demands from multiple sources.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent periods of concentration to analyze, document and map diverse business processes; write and test computer programs; evaluate methodologies; analyze data; review detailed reports and prepare briefing notes and reports.
- Regular requirement to review technical documents, project and research proposals, literature reviews and other documentation.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.