Job Specification

Purpose :

To plan, lead and coordinate the development of policy and implementation of programs to respond to high priority long-term care policy/program initiatives; to consult with provincial stakeholders to coordinate long-term care system wide initiatives that include the development and implementation of policy frameworks and strategic action plans for the province; to provide an overview perspective and strategic advice to government officials related to policy recommendations, integration, impact and issues management.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Project Management & Team Leadership
- Provides project leadership and management on key files from concept to completion, including the developmentof project frameworks/work plans and governance structures, leading working groups, and providing status project updates for tracking and reporting for management.
- Identifies project parameters, including identification of resources, assessing the need for working groups, managing/facilitating project stages and transitions, monitoring project progress and keeping management apprised of risks or vulnerabilities, negotiation and problem resolution, and review of final deliverables.
- In concert with the Manager and Director, provides strategic leadership and mentorship to staff on strategic policy issues and on preparing Cabinet submissions, briefing notes, correspondence, presentations, and position papers for senior management.
- Coaches junior staff and project team members in determining work priorities and ensuring alignment with overall strategic direction and Ministry/government priorities.
2. Policy Analysis, Research and Development:
- Leads analysis of policy/program development options, provides strategic leadership in conducting research andanalysis of trends and directions and changing priorities, evaluation of existing services/programs and delivery models; identifies issues and addresses unprecedented situations; leads and coordinates analysis and synthesis of research and related materials, stakeholder consultations, impact analysis, development of options and recommendations, and preparation of legislative documentation where appropriate, to formulate recommendations, strategies and policy options for senior decision-makers, while furthering long-term care system goals consistent with the ministry's principles objectives.
- Provides subject matter expertise and influences the creation of tailored recommendations by leading the drafting of policy/research papers, memoranda, and briefing documents on a range of policy topics/issues for review by senior management and ministry executives, and in the preparation of Cabinet submissions and other legislative documents on new or revised policy and programs options, implications, costs, and best practices. - Maintains a heightened awareness and tracking of emerging policy issues by conducting environmental scans and trends analyses to identify and conceptualize directions and key issues, and plans/undertakes/oversees quantitative and qualitative research in support of cross-sectoral policy and program development processes that involves integration of multiple sources of data (socioeconomic, demographic) in order to support division/ministry project initiatives.
- Participates in the development of strategic directions for the Unit/Branch and Ministry by working closely with management team to ensure alignment and coordination of policy projects.
3. Stakeholder Consultation and Liaison
- Identifies, develops and maintains constructive working relationships with key internal and external stakeholder groups and partners to enable consultation and collaboration, to provide/exchange information, to consult on policy options/solutions, and to further long-term care policy development.
- Acts as the lead representative of the ministry for complex and high profile policy/program files, including takinga lead role in establishing and coordinating stakeholder consultations and engagement processes and leading stakeholder consultations that often include negotiations and the need to find consensus between competing / opposing positions including multi-jurisdictional or cross-ministry working groups involved in policy review and development.
- Represents the Division/Ministry on behalf of the Manager, Director and/or Assistant Deputy Minister as a participant on inter-ministerial committees.
- Acts as a primary access point for stakeholders and partners to develop and build relationships, engage on policy development, and ensure mutually beneficial and productive collaborative work.
- Provides advice to other Divisional and government staff to influence decision-making, and to optimize the design and development of strategic policies.
- Establishes and fosters networking, partnership, and working relationships with Ministry colleagues to help advance Branch goals through collaboration, engagement, expertise, input, and securing buy-in.
- Utilizes superior tact and diplomacy when speaking on behalf of the ministry and government on highly contentious and divisive policy issues.
4. Briefings and Information
- Relied upon by Manager, Director and Assistant Deputy Minister to lead/deliver briefings as policy/program file subject matter expert with senior ministry decision-makers (Associate Deputy Minister, Deputy Minister, Minister's Office and Minister) plus Central Agency decision-makers (Cabinet Office and Premier's Office) on complex and contentious policy files.
- Delivers briefings and presentations on behalf of the branch / ministry on high profile and contentious issues often on his or her own without the presence of more senior members of the branch / ministry management team requiring the use of judgement and political acuity to respond to challenging questions from stakeholders, persons with lived experience and members of the public.
- Oversees the development of presentations and briefing materials (e.g., briefing notes, Housebook notes, advicenotes, etc.) for senior management and senior levels of government. Provides interpretation and strategic advice to staff on how to best tailor the materials for the intended audience, and helps staff develop creative solutions and recommendations based on research and stakeholder input, in support of senior level decision-making.
- Leads the development of communication strategies for the dissemination of information to other
ministry/jurisdictional stakeholders, and oversees the drafting of correspondence in response to public inquiries regarding legislation, regulations, policies and proposed policies and initiatives.
Other
The Manager retains the right to assign additional duties.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Program/policy analysis and development theories, principles and practices; analytical and strategic
management skills to research, analyze and formulate policy, to integrate corporate policy objectives, to analyze information addressing unprecedented long-term care policy issues and to anticipate and evaluate the impact of changes to strategic planning, policy, guidelines and legislation.
- Ontario's long-term care system, objectives, mandate, relevant legislation/regulations, and policies; emerging trends and challenges in the long-term care system/sector; government/ministry long-term care priorities, directions and key objectives; Division/Branch mandate; models of service/program delivery, funding, and governance; and, ministry principles and objectives for long-term care to: lead and propose the development of large-scale strategic long-term care policy and ensure that policies align with established direction and fulfill public commitments with respect to long-term care.
- Government priorities, policy development/approval processes and procedures, to develop TB20s and Cabinet submissions.
- Ministry strategic focus/direction, specific sections of relevant Federal and Provincial long-term care legislation;the goals and objectives of the Ministry and Division, to lead program delivery and influence the develop and implementation of policy proposals and legislation.
- Project management skills and ability to produce high quality results on time through team-based approaches.
- Strategic planning skills to anticipate and absorb complex, large scale issues, and to recognize the interdependencies of policy implementation.
- Oral and written communication skills to provide strategic advisory services to executive management, to present policy proposals and recommendations, to prepare issue notes and position papers, as well as reports, proposals, submissions and draft legislation for consideration by senior management.
- Software applications include word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email and internet, in order to prepare reports, conduct research and analysis, and maintain contact with colleagues and stakeholders.
- Knowledgeable with respect to approaches to negotiation to: identify the different and potentially opposing positions and interests of stakeholders and key project partners and to find and build consensus in order to advance key government policy / program priorities and to resolve roadblocks to project success.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Regularly works in the absence of formal responsibility for project teams and without human resource responsibility for staff that otherwise report to his or her own manager requiring excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to find and build consensus on the next steps for a project and/or specific deliverable.
- Team-building and leadership skills to provide technical direction, leadership and guidance to staff, and to lead working groups on a project basis.
- Advisory, consultation and leadership skills to provide strategic long-term care system policy expertise in support of ministry/provincial policy directions and to lead/participate in ministry, cross-ministry and interjurisdictional work groups engaged in collaborative policy development and issues resolutions.
- Consultation and consensus building skills to discuss and resolve diverse and competing policy and program related issues with inter-jurisdictional stakeholders and to promote consistency in policy approaches.
- Facilitation and leadership skills to gain support for ministry policy and program initiatives from other ministries and various stakeholder groups, to identify and mitigate risks, and to develop/mediate implementation/delivery parameters.
- Partnership building, influencing and consensus building skills to develop effective linkages and consultation frameworks with inter-jurisdictional stakeholders in the provincial, federal and municipal governments, and with professional stakeholders.
- Presentation skills to explain program policy positions and promote policy/strategic initiatives to ministry executives and internal/external long-term care stakeholders.
- Self-awareness and the ability to understand the impact of own actions on others to regularly works in the absence of formal responsibility for project teams and without human resource responsibility for staff that otherwise report to his or her own manager.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Identify and prioritize issues for ADM, Director, Manager or staff's attention, managing a number of issues concurrently.
- Research, investigate and assess relevance of information and identify key issues be addressed.
- Identify research issues; determine issues that may be contentious and recommend appropriate response.
- Evaluate directions, trends, standards and policies using multiple sources of information to identify and develop options and recommendations.
- Analyze current processes and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and the resulting impact on key performance measures, resource allocation and cost benefit to make improvements.
- Identify emerging issues and their political implications to contain/resolve issues locally or alert others when such issues may not be able to be contained/mitigated.
- Subject matter expertise and political acuity in determining when/if issues identified in policy analysis, researchand policy/program development warrant raising concerns to Manager, Director, Assistant Deputy Minister and/or ministry issues management and communications team.
- Political acuity and sensitivity to issues being faced at the Minister, DM, Associate DM, ADM and Director levelsand the impact on the recommended decisions affecting Ontario's long-term care system

Decision Making / Responsibility :

This position is responsible for:
- Providing an overview perspective and expert policy advice in the development of strategic policy and the implementation of programs to support equity and inclusiveness within Ontario's long-term care system.
- Providing research and analysis, proposing alternatives, identifying implications and making recommendations and policy submissions in relation to policy options and the ministry's strategic plan, for cabinet consideration.
- Providing policy recommendations with a potential impact on ministry spending, and developing estimates to reflect policy changes resulting from proposed new initiatives or the creation of new policy.
- Providing advice and information to a range of staff positions, including Senior Policy Advisors, Policy Advisors and project teams.
- Has latitude to be self-directed, and make decisions in the absence of parameters or precedent, and to provide authoritative policy advisory services and materials to senior management in order to support the implementation of an integrated strategy. Leads task groups and committees involved in the implementation of new/revised policies and programs, provides strategic advisory services with respect to multi-year planning, outcome measurement, and develops, recommends and drafts changes in policy or legislation/regulations.
- Assisting Manager in assigned policy development projects by coordinating work assignments for project team and reviewing of work quality and providing coaching/mentoring to assigned resources.
- Work is performed under the guidance of the Director and relevant Manager, and within the strategic framework of ministry goals, corporate objectives, relevant legislation, regulations, ministry policies, practices, directives, standards and guidelines.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Branch management and colleagues regarding specific initiatives, policy issues and portfolio responsibilities.
- Assistant Deputy Minister, and occasionally other senior officials and the Deputy Minister, as well as senior management committees to discuss issues and propose system level strategy, and to provide advice and policy expertise on long-term care policy/program issues and strategies.
- Policy counterparts in other ministries/agencies/jurisdictions to consult on Ontario's long-term care system policy/program implementation matters, and to resolve issues.
- Stakeholder groups, including other jurisdictions, sector and provider associations, patients, family members and others with lived experience, to provide information and advice on program and policy related matters, and to discuss/resolve issues impacting stakeholders and to build consensus.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides team leadership to multi-disciplinary team resources involved in the development of policy and research, related to high priority long-term care policy/program initiatives; organizes/supervises teams, assigns work, reviews progress, provides guidance, advice, and mentoring.
- Provides advice/expertise to senior management on a range of policy and program issues related to high prioritylong-term care policy/program initiatives.
- Provides advice to other ministry staff on the interpretation of policy, on the implications of new proposals, or the implementation of new policies as requested.
- Acts for the Manager, during absences, as required.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequently required to respond to requests within short deadlines where time pressures result in the need to work beyond normal work hours for response to information requests.
- Frequently required to deal with deadlines which are subject to change without notice, priorities that are not anticipated or contentious issues which arise unexpectedly and require quick turnaround for issues management.

Mental / Sensory :

- Frequent requirement to concentrate when drafting reports, briefing notes and policy related materials.
- Frequent requirement to listen intently when chairing/participating in policy development meetings and client consultation sessions.

Conditions / Environment :

- Work is performed in a typical office environment.