Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide technical leadership for and participate in land use and resource management planning, compliance monitoring, auditing and implementation of resource management programs. To provide customer services to internal and external clients.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Job requires:
1. Planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring technical/operational forestry, fish and wildlife, lands and waters and aggregate program activities in the district by participating in work program activities (e.g. forest operations inspections, nuisance animal management, work permit inspections, dam operations), organizing field projects (Crown road maintenance, Crown dam maintenance), controlling budget expenditures, monitoring progress and results of projects, reviewing local plans and administering the compliance processes.

2. Providing technical/operational/group leadership, guidance and advice through consultation, negotiations, and conflict resolution with staff, resource industries, Aboriginal peoples, clients and interest groups, providing education, training and transferring knowledge/information and ensuring consistent application of legislation, regulations, policies and procedures.

3. Leading the preparation and implementation of compliance plans in the district by assessing multi program priorities based on risk and by coordinating and/or conducting field inspections and investigations, auditing annual resource reports, comparing actual harvest levels to planned harvest levels and providing testimonial evidence in court and legal tribunals.

4. Supporting long range planning teams by providing technical input to land use and resource management planning decisions regarding forestry, fish and wildlife, and lands and waters matters. Reviewing various planning documents such as Prescribed Burn Plans, Aerial Herbicide Plans, Road/Bridge Abandonment Plans, Water Management Plans, Fisheries Plans, Wildlife Plans, and Official Plans for alignment with broader program direction and work plans.

5. Communicating resource management program information to the public, clients, partners, resource industries and Aboriginal peoples by making presentations, attending meetings, speaking to the media, drafting media releases, preparing technical reports, correspondence, briefing notes and Minister's letters, and responding to information and data requests.

6. Supporting the development of partnership arrangements and alternate delivery mechanisms to deliver public programs in a cost effective manner.

7. Leading the technical and operational aspects of water management program activities including the operation and maintenance of water control structures, flood and emergency response and erosion control.

8. Other duties: Management has right to assign additional duties.

The incumbent shall, work in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations and any workplace practices as directed by the employer. The incumbent shall take precautions to protect the health and safety of themselves and others by complying with such acts, codes, policy, procedures or accepted workplace practices as may be appropriate. The incumbent shall advise workers of actual and potential dangers in the workplace and the required precautions.

Staffing and Licencing :

Valid Ontario Class “G” Driver's License to visit sites, usually in rural or remote settings.

Knowledge :

General knowledge of forestry, fish and wildlife, lands, waters, and aggregate resources related legislation and regulations (e.g. Crown Forest Sustainability Act, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Federal Fisheries Act, Public Lands Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Beds of Navigable Waters Act, Aggregate Resources Act, Green Energy Act) and objectives/procedures related to these programs to participate in long-range planning processes, provide technical leadership, advice and training to staff, resource industries, Aboriginal peoples, clients, interest groups and the public, , respond to requests for assistance and information on matters such as legal requirements for mandatory resource related reports, compliance standards and penalties, land ownership and tenure including Crown Land surveys processes.

Knowledge of ministry policies, procedures, guidelines, and manuals (e.g. Forest Operations and Silvicultural Manual, Public Lands Policy manual, Provincial Aggregate Standards Manual, Forest Compliance Handbook) to ensure various resource operations (e.g. forest harvest, works on Crown land, aquaculture operations) comply with provincial standards and ecological sustainability; to review applications and legal submissions; to review site plans/amendments and to recommend approval of licenses and permits.

Knowledge of field operations and techniques (e.g. forest harvest; population surveys/inventories, habitat indices, fish collection; title administration, surveys, appraisals) to design, organize and audit field projects and operations by attending site inspections, consulting with partners/stakeholders and reviewing progress and results to meet resource sustainability objectives.

Knowledge of enforcement and compliance procedures to conduct operational audits of individual clients and resource industries by determining level of adherence to operating approvals, investigating infractions and providing technical information as a witness in cases of non-compliance.

Knowledge of administrative practices, policies, and procedures (e.g. contract administration, partnership agreements) to initiate, draft and audit contracts (e.g. Crown road maintenance contracts) and partnership agreements (e.g. community hatcheries), including attending meetings to identify needs, developing terms and conditions and monitoring contractor performance (e.g. lake surveys, silvicultural operations).

Knowledge of watershed based resource management planning, watershed hydrology, flood forecasting warning systems, flood emergency response procedures, dam operations, natural channel design, and regulatory requirements for activities in or around water bodies to provide technical advice to staff and stakeholders, communicate current information and recommend preventative action.

Knowledge of personal computers/software including word-processing, data base, electronic mail, internet and spreadsheet applications to prepare correspondence and reports, input and retrieve data, prepare budgets and track expenditures; use internet and e-mail.

Good working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and those Regulations made under the act that apply to the workplace and the work being performed.

Skills :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to review and analyze data (e.g. field inspection reports, allocation approval documents and harvest reporting information) in order to inform resource management decisions which will impact on long term (5 - 20 year) program success or failure; identify resource sustainability and/or compliance issues, establish resource management priorities and recommend management and allocation actions.

Evaluation, interpretation and problem-solving skills to evaluate information from staff and resource industries, confirm adherence to legislation/policy or, in the case of non-compliance, take corrective action such as establishing additional monitoring or referring to the District Enforcement Manager or appropriate District Supervisor; review and interpret forest management variables (e.g. time of year for operations, need for specific habitat requirements) used to design management prescriptions for habitat protection or to minimize site disturbance; evaluate and develop training plans and compliance strategies by reviewing annual project/program implementation, identifying shortfalls and/or deficiencies in target achievement and determining corrective action.

Analytical and assessment skills to analyze data to determine the nature and extent of operational audits required by understanding and interpreting the variables associated with resource plans (e.g. economic, social, ecological) in order to identify, measure and analyze the degree of success in application (e.g. effectiveness of road use strategies) and make adjustments to current work schedule; and to make revenue and expenditure projections to ensure program funding needs are met (e.g. forecasting equipment/supply purchases, costing of contracts, and preparing budget estimates).

Interpersonal, oral and written communication skills to provide technical input to land use and resource management planning processes; to make presentations; participate in public meetings and public consultation processes as a ministry representative (e.g. sharing information, initiating partnerships); conduct media interviews; respond to public inquiries; prepare briefing notes; draft Minister's letters, press releases and write technical reports; interact and deal effectively with staff, industry, local citizen's committees, resource users and the general public to promote understanding and discuss sensitive resource decisions, facilitate resolution of resource management conflicts (e.g. forest infractions, Area of Concern prescriptions); and to work with external clients/partners (e.g. community advisory groups, forest industry, local roads boards) in the decision making process requiring facilitating meetings and establishing partnerships/contracts with groups holding conflicting views while promoting an understanding of ministry resource management policies.

Planning and coordinating skills to plan and coordinate project expenditures, staff, equipment and transportation for resource inventory and survey projects; ensure the timely review, assessment, approval and audits of ministry, individual/business and agency projects, initiatives, proposals, licenses, permits and plans (e.g. forest resource licenses and harvest approvals) requiring the coordination of several processes/projects occurring at the same time; and to ensure contracts and agreements are completed to standard by coordinating the staff and equipment to perform site inspections, contractor performance reviews and audits at appropriate intervals during field operations.

Freedom of Action :

Job works within the procedural controls of ministry/government policies, legislation, associated manuals, guidelines, directives related to resources management and established practices and procedures. Results are formally reviewed in an annual performance appraisal where target achievement is set based on mutually agreed upon performance measures. Targets and progress are regularly reviewed with the supervisor and adjusted due to unforeseen priorities and workloads but little direct supervision is received.

Job works in a team environment and is required to accept responsibility for actions taken and work carried out.

Job requires making decisions on resource management program activities (e.g. Fish and Wildlife, Lands and Waters, Forestry, Aggregates) and work program planning matters by identifying standards, establishing resource needs, production targets and arranging for the programs to be monitored/evaluated. Job represents the ministry in court and legal tribunals by providing testimonial evidence and by communicating/responding to issues and concerns from the public, clients, partners, resource industries and Aboriginal peoples.

Situations that are not covered by ministry policies or normal operation procedures are reviewed and recommended course of action is submitted to supervisor (e.g. level of penalty of non-compliance, or divestment of ministry programs).