Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide technical leadership for and participate in the issuance of local allocations, permits and authorizations, and supporting the delivery of resource monitoring, inspections, compliance and audit activities for the district lands and waters resource management program. To provide customer services to internal and external clients.

Duties / Responsibilities :

1. Administering land tenure, license and permit processes such as Work Permits, Land Use Permits, Crown land sales and for planning, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring technical/operational lands and waters program activities in the district, including participating in work program activities (e.g. land title administration, land appraisals), organizing field projects (Crown waste management site closures and Crown dam replacement), controlling budget expenditures, monitoring progress and results of projects, reviewing local plans.

2. Providing technical/operational/group leadership, guidance and advice through consultation, negotiations and conflict resolution (e.g. land title and survey disputes, unauthorized occupation of Crown land) with staff, resource industries, Aboriginal peoples, clients and interest groups, providing education, training, transferring of knowledge/information and ensuring consistent application of legislation, regulations, policies and procedures.

3. Supporting the preparation and implementation of compliance plans in the district by assessing priorities based on risk and by conducting field inspections and investigations, and providing testimonial evidence in court and legal tribunals (Mining and Land Commissioner).

4. Supporting long range planning teams by providing technical input to land use and resource management planning decisions regarding land tenure matters such as land ownership, property appraisals and survey information. Reviewing various planning documents such as Water Management Plans, Municipal Official Plans, land use plan amendments and various program audits to identify issues and recommend resolution (e.g. where there may be multiple landowners involved in a boundary dispute involving private/Crown land interface or where the owner of a dam may be flooding land outside the lease area).

5. Communicating lands and waters program information to the public, clients, partners, resource industry, and Aboriginal peoples by making formal 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. Participating in the delivery of other district resource management programs (e.g. Fish and Wildlife, Forest, Aggregate).

7. Supporting 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 prevention.

8. Other duties: management has the 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 Licence to travel to rural or remote sites.

Knowledge :

In-depth knowledge of lands and waters legislation (e.g. Public Lands Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Beds of Navigable Waters Act, Green Energy Act) and general knowledge of forest, fish and wildlife, and aggregate resources related legislation and regulations (e.g. Crown Forest Sustainability Act, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Federal Fisheries Act, Aggregate Resources Act) and objectives and 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 licensing, mandatory resource related reports.

Knowledge of ministry policies, procedures, guidelines, and manuals (e.g. Public Lands Directives) to ensure various resources and land use operations (e.g. water control structure, land acquisition and disposition transactions such as sales, leases and permits) 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 public lands and waters management operations and practices (title administration, surveys, appraisals) to design, organize and audit lands and waters field projects and operations by attending site inspections, consulting with partners/stakeholders and reviewing progress and results to meet resource sustainability and to maintain land title integrity.

Knowledge of enforcement and compliance procedures to conduct, or participate in, operational audits of individuals and industries by determining level of the level of adherence to operating approvals, investigating infractions and providing technical information as a witness is cases on non-compliance.

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 by communicating current information and recommending preventative action.

Knowledge of administrative practices, policies and procedures (e.g. contract administration, partnership agreements) to initiate, draft and audit contracts (e.g. Crown waste management site monitoring), partnership agreements (e.g. Crown waste management site maintenance), including attending meetings to identify needs, developing terms and conditions and monitoring contractor/partner performance.

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; and 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. deeds, surveys, original patents and Crown reservations) to determine ownership and rights to resources and to identify authorized uses or occupation of Crown land; independently review data and variables of land ownership (e.g. tenure, type, boundaries, reservations, corporate status) to resolve disputes and conflicts between property owners and the Crown (e.g. land use conflicts, boundary and survey disputes, disagreements over the application of policy) by determining the nature and extent of claims and rights (e.g. legal, implied, entitlements) and recommending solution to the Resource Operations Supervisor/District Manager and/or developing a ministry position.

Evaluation, interpretation, assessment and problem-solving skills to evaluate information from staff and stakeholders, confirming adherence to legislation/policy (e.g. Exemption Order MNR 26/7 for the Disposition of Rights to Crown Resources) or in case of non-compliance, taking corrective action (e.g. researching background information, obtaining necessary senior management approvals, establishing additional monitoring of terms and conditions of tenure or partnership agreements) before referring to Enforcement Manager to proceed with legal action such as legislative charges; evaluate and establish training plans and compliance strategies by reviewing annual project/program implementation; identifying shortfalls and/or deficiencies in target achievement and determining corrective action; estimate property and improvement values by performing appraisals within assigned dollar value limits and making revenue and expenditure forecasts from the sale of Crown land; and to review dam operations and maintenance plans and recommend changes or improvements including divestment or decommissioning strategies.

Interpersonal, oral and written communication skills 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 with staff, industry, local citizen's committees, resource users and the general public to promote understanding and discuss sensitive land and resource decisions, facilitate resolution of land management conflicts and disposition of Crown resources; work with external clients/partners (e.g. community advisory groups, municipalities, law firms, surveyors) in the decision making process requiring facilitating meetings and establishing partnerships/contracts with groups holding conflicting views while promoting an understanding of land management policies.

Planning and coordinating skills to provide technical input to land use and resource management planning processes, 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. work permits, land use permits, licenses of occupation) 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 requires working within the procedural controls of ministry and government policies, legislation and associated manuals, guidelines, directives related to resources management and established policies and procedures. Work 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 supervisor and adjusted due to unforeseen priorities and workloads but little direct supervision is received.

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

Job requires making decisions on lands use and resource management program activities (e.g. Lands and Waters, Forestry, Fish and Wildlife and Aggregates) and work program planning matters by identifying standards, establishing resource needs, production targets and arranging for the program 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, divestment of a dam at negotiated value, contentious issues requiring enforcement action).