Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To promote economic renewal, investment and job creation and retention in rural Ontario by communicating (in French and English) and facilitating the development and implementation of regional economic development strategies, action plans, and initiatives with agriculture economic development
clients.
To assist Provincial Specialists and Program Leads in the delivery of agricultural strategies, policies and programs related to livestock, crops, environment and farm business management.
To provide input to the Ministry on program and policy development initiatives that impact rural Ontario.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Within the Economic Development Division, the Branch's core purpose is to strengthen Ontario's agriculture and food sectors and rural communities by coordinating, marketing and delivering regionally relevant leading edge economic development programs, resources and services that lead to stronger
rural economies, wealth creation and align to ministry priorities.
Within this context, under the direction of the Regional Manager, and working as part of a team, this position is responsible for:
Agricultural Economic Development
Foster economic renewal and job creation and/or retention by facilitating the development and implementation of regional economic development strategies, action plans, and initiatives specific to the agriculture and food sector. Works with agricultural and rural leaders to develop strategies and
action plans to further the stakeholder's capacity to undertake agricultural economic development initiatives.
Develops and delivers agricultural economic development programs and services by:
Developing and maintaining knowledge of assigned areas agricultural economic base and facilitating the development of specific initiatives which respond to local needs;
Developing in conjunction with Ministry colleagues, practical and responsive initiatives and recommendations to support agricultural economic development in rural Ontario;
Devising and implementing effective consultative mechanisms to gather information and ascertain the views of stakeholders on specific issues and/or options to ensure the practicality of program design and delivery practices;
Developing and maintaining indices to measure the effectiveness of Ministry initiatives and results reporting;
Providing regional data and information which measures the achievement of the Division's agricultural economic development goals;
Preparing analysis, interpretations, recommendations and reports from the regional data.
Contributing to meeting ministry performance measures by proactively linking activities to agricultural economic development outcomes.
Client Relationship Management and Community Interaction
Establishes and maintains strong working relationships with agriculture economic development clients such agri-business and agricultural organization leaders and other government agencies.
Develops, implements and maintains client account management plans and determines the appropriate approaches to meet priorities and agricultural economic development objectives.
Develops coalitions and networks with partners to address regional/local issues and to facilitate the delivery of policy and program initiatives by analyzing the relevance and impact of Ministry and other government policies and programs to the needs of the partners and the issues that face them
and their communities;
linking the partners with policy and program representatives of the respective agencies;
and mediating problems and concerns related to the delivery of the initiatives.
Initiates and maintains a strong communications network within the Ministry, with other ministries and government agencies and agricultural economic development organizations to promote information sharing and develop a proactive and coordinated approach to the delivery of agricultural economic
development services, to ascertain trends and maintain an awareness of existing or potential issues which impact on agriculture initiatives/programs.
Works in cooperation with team members and clients to monitor and assess the readiness of agricultural stakeholders within an assigned area and to participate in developing regional plans to promote and support agriculture development initiatives, assess potential impediments, and determine trends, potential barriers, and other development issues Marketing & Education
Using French and English, markets information, services, resources and training programs to client groups by:
Coordinating the provision of information services, resources and programs to client groups;
Providing information and communications services such as processes, products and activities to support and strengthen the rural economy;
Preparing articles and press releases;
Giving presentations at meetings of regional/local client groups;
Planning and implementing forums highlighting issues, policy and program initiatives that promote division and ministry objectives;
Providing information and communications services in French and English to support and strengthen the agricultural economy by ensuring effective communication processes, products and activities are implemented and monitored so that client groups receive timely, accurate and relevant information;
Preparing, developing and conducting educational workshops and seminars in French and English pertaining to agriculture development and production practices in conjunction with Ministry Program Leads, other government agencies, and private sector partners.
Developing educational resources and communications materials in conjunction with other Ministry staff and delivery partners; planning, conducting and/or participating in seminars, conferences, etc, related to agriculture development for marketing and providing technical information to agricultural
clients; training clients and mentoring new staff in the use of various agricultural economic development tools, models and approaches;
Participating and/or initiating inter and intra-ministerial and inter-agency committees to coordinate the implementation and delivery of agricultural development initiatives and programs.
Identifying and promoting new or modified educational and training opportunities by consulting with formal and informal leaders in the sector, other government agencies, and monitoring media, studies and reports.
Business and Business Organization Advisory Services Provides business advisory services for agricultural stakeholders, producers and organizations; develops recommendations and advice focusing on the establishment and growth of viable, competitive agricultural and related businesses by:
Providing business organization information and advisory services, including agricultural production and economic best practices, to agriculture stakeholders in the planning, developing and operating of their businesses within rural Ontario to support job creation / retention and economic activity;
Serving as a Ministry liaison with other agencies in the government sector that could provide support to agricultural organizations and businesses;
Providing interpretations regarding appropriate legislation and regulations (following consultation with Legal Services Branch if necessary) in the development of business group activities;
Providing support and guidance to individuals and groups during initial business start-up period; monitoring progress of businesses after establishment;
Support for Policy & Program Development and Regional Delivery
Develop and deliver Ministry programs and services and to flexibly respond to changing priorities.
Identifying emerging issues and areas of concern/potential problems noted in on-going program delivery;
Conducting regulatory inspections including the provision of recommendations on best management practices to limit future losses and /or environmental impacts;
Communicating agricultural policies and regulatory requirements to stakeholders;
Working with key internal clients and external stakeholders to respond, assess response and implement best practices for agriculture related emergencies.
Provides support for the Ministry's policy and program development by:
Facilitating consultations with stakeholders on proposed policies and programs (new and / or revised);
Providing input to Ministry policy specialists regarding potential impacts on client groups of proposed policy changes,
Communicating to policy and program staff of other agencies regarding the issues facing and needs of client groups in the area/region;
Developing in conjunction with Ministry colleagues, practical and responsive initiatives and policy recommendations to support agricultural economic development in rural communities;
Developing, maintaining and interpreting local/regional sector summaries, trends related to the specific area, for use with groups such as agricultural and municipal organizations, economic development groups and other ministries and agencies;
Preparing detailed reports, studies and briefings based on knowledge and experiences in developing initiatives and strategies for agricultural development; preparing regional intelligence to support Branch objectives.
Other duties:
The Regional Manager has the authority to rotate duties and/or assign additional duties.

Staffing and Licensing :

Advanced proficiency in French and English for both oral and written communications skills.

Position requires ability to travel extensively; ability to travel frequently to areas not accessible by public transit to meet with clients and to conduct site assessments on varied terrains.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of agricultural industry, and its economic significance and social importance in the rural community in order to provide consultative advice and support to agricultural businesses as well as to assess and implement new policies, program initiatives and practices.
Good knowledge of practices in more than one of the following areas:
Agrology, business management, agricultural technologies, livestock, crops and related issues, trends and developments in primary production, agribusiness and rural communities in order to provide practical advice and guidance to agricultural and related clients regarding best practices, compliance
with legislation, and access to the Ministry's program resources and products.
Broad understanding of rural Ontario and its relationship to the agri-food industry and the ability to demonstrate effective use of the consultative process.
Good knowledge of agricultural production management, economic development, program planning and techniques and methods of adult education and training to participate with the team in developing educational and training materials and management tools for clients, and to deliver training and
technical information to agricultural clients and related rural communities/groups.
Strong knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles, and best practices of economic development - including economic analysis to support agricultural development strategies that lead to economic development outcomes;
Significant knowledge and understanding of the economic development needs and issues of Ontario's agricultural industry.
Knowledge of community and organizational decision making, societal change and the role of government.
Good knowledge of economic development programs and services provided by both the private and public sector, including related programs and services provided by other ministries, government agencies, organizations and the private sector to which the clientele could be referred.
Good knowledge of Ontario government and OMAFRA policies and programs related to the agricultural sector in order to provide program/administrative information to clients/stakeholders, and to support them in preparing program applications.
Awareness and understanding of economic development regulatory framework and provincial, national and international affairs and their impact on the local economy and individual stakeholders/clients.
Understanding of government, its policies and role in economic development including agriculture organizations and their ability to influence sector growth (e.g., agriculture and food) and sustainability.
Knowledge of communications and training techniques, planning methods and processes in order to provide clients with timely, accurate and relevant
information and educational services.
Strong understanding of consultation and group facilitation techniques, as well as needs assessment and program evaluation methods to consult with clients on programs and information needs, to select appropriate training and information presentations, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the
initiatives, policies, and/or programs in meeting client needs and Branch objectives.
Knowledge of the Branch's office computers and software applications

Skills :

Strong strategic-thinking skills in order to perform critical analysis of resource data and interpretation for regional agricultural economic development planning and for providing guidance to stakeholders/clients;
Good skills in diplomacy, tact, and consensus building, problem solving; effective business acumen and political acuity in order to deal with stakeholders and officials. Good project management skills, including project planning and execution;
good ability to track agricultural economic development outcomes based on performance metrics.
Good organizational and strategic planning skills to plan and coordinate activities in consultation with clients and stakeholders to identify time and resource requirements and to develop policy and program options for Ministry and clients to address agriculture and rural issues.
Good analytical and evaluative skills to identify and investigate issues, new trends and developments related to agricultural production/management, market development, and promotion of information and programs. Effective analytical and problem solving skills to assess and provide information, services and alternate innovative strategies/solutions.
Excellent written and presentation skills to prepare and present information, outlining options and recommendations on how technologies, policies, and programs can be applied to facilitate understanding and promote acceptance by others.
Good ability to communicate concisely, professionally and effectively in writing through the compilation and preparation of technical reports, briefing notes, articles and electronic media.
. Good communications, marketing, training and adult education skills together with interpersonal, networking and consulting skills to establish credibility and promote agricultural development in Ontario.
Strong and pro-active skills in strategic account management, relationship building, collaborative and consultative information sharing; ability to understand the needs of Ontario's diverse population, including Aboriginal sensitivity.
Good relationship building skills to identify, develop, establish and maintain effective regional/local partnerships, coalitions and networks to facilitate delivery and sharing of information, education and training.
Strong facilitation, organizational leadership, and strategic planning skills to organize own workload, meet established workplan objectives, and perform duties in a team environment where team members would exercise cooperative leadership in their individual areas of expertise.
Good skills in the use of office technology and computer operations to prepare client relationship materials, social media approaches, statistical analysis, internet research, presentations and reports.

Freedom of Action :

Position requires working under the direction of the Regional Manager in a team environment with limited off-site supervision in a geographically disbursed environment, and working within the Ministry's legislation and regulations, as well as the practices, policies, standards and objectives of the
Ministry's agricultural business and rural community programs.
Position exercises latitude in making decisions in determining effectiveness of the Branch's services and the relevance of local/regional issues, and in making recommendations on necessary changes, new areas/issues which should be covered; providing advice to Ministry staff and to clients individually or in groups.
Position exercises judgement in working with colleagues in a team-work structure within the Branch in order to develop challenging client and community-focused initiatives that would implement the Branch's program objectives related to strengthening the agricultural economy and supporting
clients/stakeholders in rural Ontario.
Position requires exercising judgement in delivering programs and services within established guidelines, and discretion and sensitivity in dealing with client's personal information, such as financial assets and income, and other requirements of program criteria.
Position requires freedom of action and judgement in managing projects, deadlines, and managing stakeholder program relationships.
Freedom of action and judgement are required in providing advice, consultation, training, and encouragement to clients and community organizations, consistent with Ministry policies and programs.
Position requires judgement in referring the more complex problems, issues, and situations to the Regional Manager.