Job Specification

Purpose :

To provide ministry-wide expertise, leadership and coordination in the field of data science and advance analytics in order to support policy and program development, strategic planning, and evidence-based decision making.

To support and advance ETD's analytics strategy, data-driven culture, and business-led reporting and analytics.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Analysis
- Support the development and delivery of ministry-specific analytics projects to support evidence-based decision making and produce actionable insights.
- Design methods to capture, structure, transform, and process data from structured and unstructured sources to be used to generate models.
- Build data models to discover patterns, and provide information that are accurate, easy to understand, and unbiased.
- Identify and act upon opportunities for program transformation and continuous improvement.
- Lead the development and implementation 'of advanced analytics ministry clients over their life course through the application of AI and predictive modelling in order to inform greater integration, consistency and effectiveness among ministry programs.

2. Data Science Exploration
- Research and stay current to latest developments in the field of data science including but not limited to applications and best practices in the use of big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, segmentation, predictive modelling, neural networks, and natural language programming.
- Recommend and lead adoption of tools, systems and processes in line with the cutting-edge practices for the ministry.
- Provides leadership, expertise, and strategic consultative advice regarding the introduction and development of relevant analytic tools and methodologies
- Lead the development of structured and unstructured data mining algorithms and predictive models and implement results through a compelling visual analytic graphics showing results in a variety of ways to ensure important insights are presented effectively to compel action.
- Develop interactive dashboards and data presentation layers allowing the end-user to immerse themselves in the data and discover insights independently.
- Foster innovation through regular information-seeking (e.g., gathering and analyzing information on best practices).
- Recommend new data sources and ongoing improvements to methods and algorithms that lead to new findings.
3 Consultation and Advice
- Provide interpretation, advice, and expertise to internal and external stakeholders, including direction on how to transform data into actionable insights that improve program effectiveness and value for money.
- Acts as ministry access point and work closely with client groups to assess current data analytics and reporting capabilities, gather future-state requirements, and identify further opportunities for improvement.
- Make strategic recommendations on data collection, integration, and retention requirements incorporating business requirements and knowledge of best practices.
- Work closely with clients, data stewards, analysts, managers, and others to turn data into critical information and knowledge that can be used to make sound organizational decisions.
- Advise on how to build strong programming skills in the areas of big data (e.g., Hadoop MapReduce), statistical and predictive modelling (e.g., SAS, R, SQL), and data visualizations (e.g., Tableau, SAS visual analytics, Python, Power BI) in a large capacity amongst colleagues, depending on organizational need

4. Project Management
- Lead or participate in the ministry's major project initiatives in the area of using data to improve program effectiveness, service quality, access, and value for money.
- Integrate disparate data and legacy systems from across the ministry and create usable data sets and systems from various sources.
- Facilitates concurrent project teams, working groups and committees comprised of multi-disciplinary staff (e.g. program, policy, IT) to define data needs, business requirements
- Leads all phases of projects including scoping, planning, tracking milestone and deliverables;
- Represents the needs of the ministry with the I and IT Cluster in the development of business solutions to meet the ministry's diverse policy and program development and analytics needs.
- Participates in ministry policy/program evaluation teams to provide expertise and advice on data analysis and interpretation.

Knowledge / Skill :

1. Theories, principles and best practices in the field of data science and advance analytics, predictive modelling, data system designs and exploration, data mining and evidence-informed decision-making to support the development of capacity and rigour in the ETD's data analytics and information management framework.

2. Specialized data software applications to perform advanced analytics, predictive modelling and visualization function using ministry data existing in different formats and quality.

3. Policy research, development and analysis principles, practices and methods, and government/ministry decision making/approval processes

4. Performance measurement principles and methods and logic modeling methodologies, tools and qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques to analyze data methodologies, metrics, processes and standards.

5. Project management theory, methods and techniques to plan, strategize and lead assigned projects/ initiatives from concept to implementation.

6. Verbal and written communications to conduct client and stakeholder consultations; provide subject matter expertise and advice to clients; prepare a range of reports, briefing materials, and make presentations to management, clients and other stakeholders.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

1. Consultation, influencing and relationship management skills to explain and promote the implementation of improved data analysis and business intelligence into business practice

2. Negotiation skills to discuss and resolve issues to meet the diverse data needs, and gain support of policy and program subject matter experts across the ministry.

3. Consultation and collaboration skills to consult with colleagues, clients/IT groups to identify requirements and recommend solutions; to advise on data-related issues and requirements to support evidence -based decision making.

4. Facilitation skills to lead or participate on project teams; identifying and proactively seeking to resolve risks, conflict within and between projects.

5. Advisory skills to act as an expert corporate resource on evidence-based decision making, performance measurement, program evaluation, accountability, government effectiveness and efficiency, and results-based management.

6. Presentation skills to convey complex ideas to colleagues, other program areas, ministry senior executive and Minister's Office staff as necessary, and trigger appropriate decisions.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

1. Strategic thinking to develop long term objectives, strategies and goals and to think in future oriented terms.

2. Analyzing large, complex, multi-dimensional datasets with a variety of tools to discover patterns and identify opportunities.

3. Manipulate and analyze complex, high-volume data from structured and unstructured sources.

4. Creative thinking and propose innovative ways to look at problems by using data mining (the process of discovering new patterns from large datasets) approaches on the set of information available.

5. Assess both qualitative and quantitative information to evaluate the implications and impact of proposed policy and service delivery changes.

6. Process and distills information from a range of sources, including research and scientific data, trends analyses, independent research, and other sources to identify issues and discern salient points.

7. Proficient in statistical analysis, quantitative analytics, forecasting/predictive analytics, and multivariate testing.

8. Accomplished in the use of statistical analysis environments such as R, MATLAB, SPSS, or SAS.

9. Strong programming skills in the areas of big data (e.g., Hadoop MapReduce), statistical modelling (e.g., SAS, R), and visual analytics (e.g., Tableau, SAS visual analytics, Python, Power BI).

10. Ability to utilize machine learning techniques using tools such TensorFlow.

11. Proficient with desktop analysis software including Microsoft Excel, Access, VBA.

12. Analyze information on service delivery models in other jurisdictions and determine their feasibility and cost benefits for Ontario.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Providing leadership and expertise for the design, development, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of data science and analytics initiatives
- Supporting the development and delivery of ministry-specific analytics to support evidence-based decision making and produce actionable insights.
- Providing subject matter expertise on key trends and analyses on social program outcomes at the national and international levels which impact ministry's policies and programs.
- Identifying and advising on existing and potential strategic and service delivery issues.
- Determining research and analytical techniques, the extent of stakeholder consultation required during research, and the effective use of project resources.
- Providing technical advice and guidance to staff in the branch, and providing technical leadership to external contractors on a project basis.
- Working with manager and director to assess advanced analytics capabilities of the Division and the Ministry.
- Decision making which are guided by provincial and ministry strategic directions, priorities, current and future legislative/regulatory and policy framework.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

Works with staff and managers across the Division, policy and program staff across the ministry, service delivery partners, other levels of governments as well as other stakeholders inside and outside of the OPS.
- Manager, Director, ADM and senior ministry officials to provide specialized expertise and act as the ministry's expert resource in the field of data science; with branch/division/ministry colleagues to provide project leadership and advice on the subject matter
- Stakeholders to exchange information on issues lead or participate in work groups or forums.
- Other jurisdictions to lead/participate in consultations, exchange information/advice.
- Academia and broader research and analytics community to develop and nurture effective relationship through exchange of information

Guidance / Supervision :

Will report directly to Manager in the Analytics Unit in FASSB. Works with Analytics Unit Team Lead to coordinate projects.

Provides technical guidance, and project leadership to staff managed by other positions when leading/coordinating projects, including assigning work, establishing priorities, tracking progress against timelines.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

Will report directly to Manager in the Analytics Unit in FASSB. Works with Analytics Unit Team Lead to coordinate projects.
Provides technical guidance, and project leadership to staff managed by other positions when leading/coordinating projects, including assigning work, establishing priorities, tracking progress against timelines.

Mental / Sensory :

Frequent requirement to concentrate when conducting research, drafting reports, and conducting due diligence of materials to ensure the accuracy and reliability of information, in addition to ensuring that the final product is compatible with government/ministry strategic directions and objectives.

Frequent requirement to listen intently when chairing/participating in meetings and client consultation sessions.

Continuous requirement to concentrate when reading materials, analyzing documents and research, and when drafting reports, briefing notes and policy related materials.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment, with allowance for flexibility.