Job Specification

Purpose :

- To lead and coordinate projects, strategic planning, program development and evaluation activities in support of the Ministry of Environment role in protecting drinking water.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Project Leadership and Program Development
- Formulates strategies and approaches to set and achieve restoration, protection, management and sustainability goals and objectives for Ontario's sources of drinking water, water resources and ecosystem.
- Leads and coordinates section and project activities related to the management of the drinking water protection; coordinating/ participating in setting objectives, plans and priorities; monitoring activities, recommending actions/requirements to meet plans and schedules, formulating and recommending performance measures and reporting criteria. Develops and monitors annual work plan of expected results, reports on achievements. - Initiates partnerships for project/program development; develops memoranda of understanding/letters of agreement for partners/organizations requesting project funding.
- Plans and leads multi-stakeholder projects including consultations, implementation, monitoring, ecological and human health risk assessments, research, track-down of contaminant sources, evaluation of remedial options, impacts and results, and direction to staff/members.
- Coordinates and monitors program development processes and the preparation of associated submissions for senior management decision making, ensuring divisional concerns are addressed.
2. Stakeholder Liaison
- Represents the ministry to stakeholders, acts as an advisor with municipalities, community groups,
environmental organizations, federal and other jurisdictions on drinking water protection projects, programs and issues.
3. Advice and Information
- Provides specialized advisory services to branch/division/ministry/government management, external stakeholders, other levels of government, client groups and industrial/municipal sectors on the management of drinking water issues and program development. Coordinates responses and approaches to issues.
- Develops and presents Cabinet submissions, advice notes, House notes, briefing notes; acting as liaison with senior management/central agencies to resolve issues, queries, concerns.
- Identifies, interprets and analyzes emerging issues and trends which have potential impact on sources of drinking water.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Provincial environmental legislation, policies and guidelines that impact on the provincial responsibilities respecting the protection of water in order to ensure program development plans and initiatives support government and ministry objectives such as sustainability.
- Water management theories, principles, practices, to lead, coordinate and monitor action plan activities to protect sources of drinking water.
- Current scientific environmental status of the water resources and associated ecosystem (sediment, biota, priority pollutants, infrastructure, remediation activities) to address ecosystem issues and restoration of impaired ecosystem quality.
- Municipal, provincial, federal and U.S. environmental programs and agreements pertaining to the protection of drinking water to represent provincial interests and collaborate to achieve common objectives.
- Ministry/division core business functions, programs and operations, to lead and coordinate environmental projects, issues, planning and program evaluation activities.
- Issues management to weigh options and recommend most viable option.
- Financial management, budget process, procurement procedures, controllership processes and requirements, to commission RFPs, hire VORs, and manage associated funds.
- Project planning and management to develop work plans, monitor and evaluate work progress, coordinate project activities.
- Communications to respond to inquiries, write briefing notes, status reports, project briefings, work plans.
- Computer operations to use word processing, spreadsheet, presentation software and data bases to prepare reports, conduct research and analysis.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Consultation, facilitation, negotiation and mediation skills to initiate and build consensus/partnerships with internal and external stakeholders; serve as liaison on environment issue analysis and remediation methods; provide guidance on regulatory requirements; promote/gain support for new/existing ministry programs/initiatives; chair/ participate on teams/committees.
- Presentation skills to make presentations on/defend the government/ministry position with respect to protection of drinking water and environmental issues.
- Negotiation skills to develop agreements with various partners for required projects, and to balance interests among ongoing science, financial, implementation and political needs.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem-solving skills to:
- Review and analyze technical reports, consult with technical experts, in order to make recommendations, with rationale, for program/project development.
- Conduct risk analysis related to environmental issues; develop, select and implement option to solve problem.
- Evaluate directions, trends, standards and policies from a broad range of jurisdictions in order to identify program requirements, develop options and make recommendations.
- Monitor drinking water events and issues to determine those that affect ministry interests.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Advice, reports, analyses and recommendations which form the basis of the ministry's program development and strategic directions with respect to drinking water, protection and management.
- Representing the ministry's interests with respect to the drinking water protection on committees/at forums across multiple stakeholders and all levels of government.
- Planning/leading/coordinating/managing strategic program projects and initiatives, while ensuring compliance with statutory requirements.
- Has latitude to make strategic recommendations to move the agenda forward to protect, enhance, conserve drinking water resources; recommend proposals for decisions and / or funding.
- Decisions are guided by Ontario environmental acts, regulations, policies and guidelines as they pertain to the drinking water and protection of water resources, Great Lakes, agreements with other governments and agencies regarding drinking water resource protection.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Other provincial agencies, federal and U.S. governments, to collaborate on development and implementation of provincial and international water management plans, negotiate agreements.
- Multi-stakeholder implementation and technical advisory teams, to represent ministry interests, provide technical input to projects, negotiate and manage funding agreements.
- Ministry senior management to seek endorsement of recommended response/strategy.
- Ministry divisions to consult, collaborate, provide intelligence on areas of concern.
- International Joint Commission, academia, to collaborate on research funding partnerships.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Chairs or co-chairs multi-jurisdictional working/steering committees.
- Leads multi-stakeholder project teams, provides guidance to project staff, monitors activities, recommends actions and budget requirements to meet plans and schedules.
- Provides guidance to project managers on the development of project plans, technical oversight, resources allocation, monitoring and reporting.
- Provides guidance on regulatory requirements to stakeholders/clients.
- Provides technical guidance to public advisory committees.
- Coordinates projects conducted by/through the region.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Monthly requirement to respond to unexpected changes in funding and deadlines.
- Frequent short notice requests for briefing/information from ADM's office and external stakeholders under tight time pressures.
- Weekly conflicting work demands, e.g., internal and external requests demanding responses, competing priorities from multiple geographic areas.
- Occasional limited control over the pace of work, e.g., collaborative projects require accommodating others' schedules.
- Occasional to regular requirement to work beyond normal hours to accommodate priority requests and attend meetings.

Mental / Sensory :

- Weekly periods of reading without interruption to review detailed technical reports, policy documents, legal contracts.
- Weekly periods of intense concentration when developing reports, projects and program proposals and agreements.
- Weekly periods of leading, observing and listening at multi-stakeholder committees, task groups, conference calls
- Weekly giving instructions to persons/organizations who do not report to the position.

Conditions / Environment :

- Work is performed in a typical office environment.
- Periodic site visits/field work in inclement weather.