Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide operational expertise, guidance and advice to the Division within a specified program area (e.g. air, land, water waste) in support of effective program management and enhancement. To promote the continuous improvement, effectiveness, and sustainability of programs by providing ongoing monitoring, assessment, and reporting on performance. To identify operational trends, issues, or gaps in program delivery and to recommend changes to meet program goals; to coordinate responses to contentious and/or complex operational policy/program issues; to provide a point of contact for solutions, advice and interpretation on programs; to provide operational environmental program advice and leadership to project teams involved and to provide leadership in the development, coordination, implementation and evaluation of Ministry legislation, operational policies, programs, and/or projects. To provide operational program expertise in the development and delivery of training programs related to implementation of new or enhanced programs. To provide operational program guidance and assistance for internal regional/branch, divisional and inter-divisional clients.

Duties / Responsibilities :

In the Regional Office under the direct supervision of the Supervisor in the Program Services Section, the position is responsible for providing environmental operational program expertise to internal and external clients in a specified program area (e.g. air, land, water, waste), leading continuous improvement initiatives, and coordinating program issues management to support the Ministry's legislative/program/policy development and delivery agenda, by:
1. Supporting the continuous improvement, effectiveness, and sustainability of specified programs (e.g. air, land, water, waste) by providing ongoing monitoring, assessment, and reporting on performance by developing and implementing procedures to track, report, and review the consistency, efficiency and effectiveness of programs (including tracking the implementation of program changes); monitoring programs by coordinating, compiling and analyzing data related to key program activities and outcomes; preparing reports to summarize program performance in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Identifying operational trends, issues, or gaps in program delivery and developing recommendations for changes to meet program goals; coordinating and/or developing responses to contentious and/or complex operational policy/program issues; conducting research and developing options/recommendations related to the trends, issues, or gaps, in consultation with Divisional program managers and stakeholders as required; preparing briefing materials for presentation to management; providing updates on trends, issues or gaps.
3. Providing a point of contact for solutions, advice and interpretation on specified programs by serving as the defined point of contact in an assigned field of expertise (e.g. air, water, land, or waste); maintaining detailed operational and operational program knowledge in terms of policies, procedures, and legislation, including full understanding of program rationale and precedents; developing and maintaining documentation to collect program information (e.g. Q &A), procedures (e.g. SOPs) and guidelines, and transferring to Divisional knowledge base/repository; providing solutions, operational advice and analysis on Ministry programs/legislation/policies where operational environmental knowledge is required in order to promote compliance, acceptance, and cooperation from abatement and/or investigations field staff and other internal and external clients.
4. Providing operational environmental program advice and leadership to project teams in the development, coordination, implementation and evaluation of Ministry legislation, operational policies, programs, and/or projects involved in program development and/or program evaluation activities by providing expertise in developing program business requirements, processes and statistics; conducting data/trends analyses; researching other jurisdictional approaches to identify best practices.
5. Coordinating operational environmental program input at the regional and/or divisional level in order to support the development or modification of legislation, policies and programs by: obtaining and assessing input; initiating discussion; resolving conflicting views and obtaining consensus; representing and defending branch/regional/divisional positions on working groups/committees, negotiating strategies and serving as a divisional lead by formulating Divisional response for the Ministry.
6. Providing support and coordination for the Division's strategic planning function by: preparing the regional, branch, and/or divisional work plan; providing input on program and region/branch priorities, and providing data in support of ministry/divisional/regional/branch planning and reporting.
7. Providing operational program expertise to facilitate the development and delivery of training plans to implement legislation, policies, programs and procedures and developing/modifications by: analyzing requirements; designing training programs and schedules; participating in delivery; ensuring manuals/materials are updated.
8. Coordinating, compiling and analyzing data and preparing reports that evaluate the effectiveness and performance of existing and new programs within designated time frames. Support the development and maintenance of program-related databases for the Division and region.
9. Monitoring, auditing and assessing program activities within a specified area, including developing and implementing procedures for: reporting and reviewing for consistent delivery, tracking implementation of program changes and recommending improvements to procedures, processes, resource levels and technology availability.
10. Coordinating projects and issues for the region/branch/division by; consulting with internal stakeholders, developing Ministry position on issues and approaches to resolving issues, as well as developing RFP's for consultants to perform various studies and analysis, and monitoring project status to ensure completion of work; providing guidance and instruction to summer staff and divisional initiatives. Promoting the application of quality service standards, principles, guidelines, directives and procedures in order to improve services and communications with internal and external customers.
11. As a Provincial Officer, carrying out field visits and providing testimony at court and at tribunals. Attending and making presentations at public meetings, to professional organizations, public interest groups and other external stakeholders.
12. Other duties: the Supervisor and Program Services Manager have the authority to assign additional duties.

Staffing and Licencing :

Position requires a valid Ontario driver's licence in order to operate motor vehicles to conduct field visits and attend meetings across the Region and beyond the Region.

Knowledge :

Position requires knowledge of the application of federal and provincial environmental protection legislation (e.g. Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Water Resources Act, Pesticides Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Fisheries Act), related regulations, policies and guidelines and regional programs as a Provincial Officer in order to: coordinate regional/branch and or divisional operational program input into proposed changes to legislation (e.g. MISA Municipal Regulation, Vehicle Emissions Regulations, Enhanced Environmental Enforcement, private sewage program), regulations, programs, policy and guidelines by obtaining and assessing input; resolving conflicting views and obtaining consensus and formulating regional/branch and or divisional position; and leading in the development, implementation and assessment of regional/branch program delivery. Position requires knowledge of the application of environmental protection and management theories, techniques and methods, industrial processes, and pollution control systems, practices and techniques, procedures and standards as they apply to air, land and water issues by: resolving conflicting regional views and legislative, regulatory and policy/program changes providing advice to abatement and/or investigations and enforcement field and other internal and external clients, formulating divisional consensus, and participating in negotiating final strategy for changes; and providing operational interpretation for internal and external clientele. Position requires knowledge of regional/branch/divisional initiatives and priorities and the Ministry business plan to ensure that programs are consistently delivered by tacking progress and ensuring management goals and priorities (e.g. Mid-year adjustment to Air Programs in work plan) are incorporated in Divisional and Ministry work plan. Position requires knowledge of program development and project management methods/techniques, operational planning and program delivery methods and practices in order to prepare regional/branch work plans by consolidating input from regional/program managers, resolving inconsistencies, coordinating responses to issues, and justifying activity/resource levels. Position requires knowledge of developing and coordinating the delivery of cost effective training plans to implement legislation, policies, programs and procedures and developing/modifying by; analyzing requirements; designing training programs and schedules; participating in delivery; and ensuring manuals/materials and updated for region/branch and division; knowledge and training techniques and methods to develop and deliver training (e.g. analyzing training requirements and preparing training material). Position requires knowledge of principles and guidelines for program evaluation to audit and evaluate the effectiveness, appropriateness and relevance of existing or new Ministry programs by conducting branch or divisional and inter-divisional program evaluations by using questionnaires, personal interviews (internal and external) and actual client visits to determine resource effectiveness, proper working environment, productivity, achievement of intended results, identify impacts and make recommendations to improve program delivery in accordance with Ministry direction and priorities and reporting and reviewing for consistent delivery, tracking implementation of program changes and recommending improvements to procedures, processes, resource level and technology availability; (e.g. evaluation of the inspection program resulted in a more cost/resource effective delivery for both internal and external clients). Position requires knowledge of software to design, prepare and provide: reports, graphics, determining user requirements for the development and participation to update or keep current database of interest to the division and region/branch and analysis as well as presentation software for training purposes. Position requires knowledge of OPS Quality Service Standards as well as Ministry requirements for dealing with and providing appropriate customer service to a variety of client groups.

Skills :

Position requires analytical skills to assess input from various regional/branch/Divisional sources, resolving conflicting views and developing regional/branch/divisional consensus on proposed modifications to legislation, regulation, policies and programs through negotiation and discussion at regional/branch/ministry level. Position requires analytical and problem solving skills to assess and resolve issues and problems brought forward by abatement/investigations and enforcement field staff (e.g. interpretation and provision of advice on appropriate waste management compliance practices) and develop solutions. Position requires analytical skills to: identify and recommend procedural changes in program directions; develop changes to program delivery activities; and analyzes training, resources and practical requirements related to training initiatives, and design strategies to ensure effective implementation. Position requires analytical and evaluative skills to prepare regional/branch/divisional reports such as regional/branch work plan by consolidating input from Ministry staff, resolving inconsistencies, analyzing in relation to short and long term program activities and plans, developing explanations and supporting arguments for activity/resource levels and ensuring work plan reflects reasonable expectations. Position requires researching, evaluating and interpreting skills to develop and implement means of delivering the Ministry's mandate (e.g. development of guidelines and standard operating procedures). Position requires evaluative skills to develop and implement strategies to monitor program delivery, (e.g. developing program evaluation procedures, reporting strategies and recommending performance assessment criteria), and requires analytical skills to develop strategies for improvements, such as changes to procedures, processes, resource levels and technology. Position requires written communication skills to: prepare letters, memos and reports outlining regional/branch/divisional position on proposed changes to legislation, regulations, policies and programs, prepare papers and training materials which cover operational and policy content when implementing training plans; prepare information reports, briefing notes, Minister's House Notes and correspondence for management; preparation of Letters and Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) and draft regional/branch reports, manuals and guidelines documents pertaining to program delivery, activity and performance. Position requires oral communication skills to make presentations on highly technical or complex information to promote compliance, acceptance and cooperation from internal and external clients; provide testimony in areas of expertise on Ministry Legislative, policy issues related to environmental protection and management when coordinating development of divisional position on outreach and training on new/changed procedures, program activities; and resolve program and resource issues with the Supervisor and/or Manager. Position requires interpersonal skills to: work in a team environment, deal with the public as required, facilitate discussion and teleconferences, resolve conflicting views and develop consensus on region/branch/Divisional input to proposed legislative, policy, program changes, develop and present rationale which supports resource strategies in regional/branch work plans and training plans developed to meet changing program requirements; and present regional/branch/divisional perspective on committees and working groups.

Freedom of Action :

Position requires working within legislation, regulations, standards, policies, and program directions and procedures relating to environmental protection; and within recognized scientific techniques and methods of environmental management. Position requires working, both pro-actively and reactively, with internal and external clients (e.g. district, regional, branch, or inter-divisional, interministerial, corporate, municipal/industrial including associations) to identify, assess and resolve operational issues relating to policy/guidelines, program delivery such as application and operational interpretation of legislation and resolving any conflicting opinions/comments and make recommendations directly to clientele and to ensure consistent delivery of Ministry mandate. Position exercises latitude in decision making by planning and conducting work; identifying and resolving practical/operational/procedural problems in the field and in situations which require immediate response (modification for procedures to prevent delay in schedule of project). Position requires analyzing problems brought forward by abatement/investigations and enforcement field staff (e.g. appropriate waste management compliance practices) and determining solutions consistent with Ministry legislation and policies. Position requires decision making in situations as a regional/branch representative as chair on committees responsible for the development and delivery of divisional programs for the protection of air, water, and/or land. Position requires making decisions by initiating activities to achieve consensus and support regional/branch/divisional position on proposed changes to legislation, policy, program direction. Position requires determining regional/branch/divisional implementation strategies for introducing approved changes to legislation, policy, program activities, directing delivery of training program; preparing regional/branch work plan for management review, amendment and approval. Position requires recommending changes to management on program procedures, processes, resource levels and technology to improve program delivery and performance. Position requires reviewing strategies for action and draft plans/recommendations with the Supervisor and/or Manager prior to finalization and implementation. Position requires representing the Ministry position at public meetings, and at outreach sessions. Position requires review of work for accuracy and completeness in content in ad hoc or as required meeting with the Supervisor and/or Manager only at the employees discretion and at; milestone regarding problems and issues which are complicated by legal or political considerations, (e.g. delivery of programs/services which receive public attention, issues which involve freedom of information concerns such as proprietary issues); and at the point after the task has been completed in terms of operational and political content has incorporated all information that could be considered from the standpoint of the region/branch/division or ministry depending on the task, if the task is of a divisional/ministry nature (e.g. interpretation of hazardous waste regulations implemented by the Ministry and to be used by external clients). Position requires the referral of work to the Supervisor and/or Manager only for issues whereby information required will have an affect on policies/guidelines or procedures that impact the Ministry/divisional or regional/branch staff and the external clients (e.g. divisional recommendations to modify the Ontario Drinking Water Objectives).