Job Specification

Purpose :

- To provide business planning support and advice through all phases of the business planning process for a specific portfolio within the ministry, including analysis, interpretation and advice to senior management regarding business planning requirements, procedures and processes, and responses to complex business planning issues.
- To develop or assist in the development of strategic planning resources, business cases, and integrated approaches to business planning.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Business Planning Support and Coordination
- Coordinates the business planning process; develops Management Board submissions and Results Based Planning notes; develops business planning reports and supporting documentation.
- Makes presentations to senior management, including the Deputy and Minister's staff, to gain key approvals; holds briefings with central agencies to negotiate funding requests and resolve issues related to submissions.
- Consults with counterparts/managers of other ministries to address issues where initiatives impact their operations and ensure adequate consultation and coordination of shared/joint initiatives.
- Supports the development of other ministry submissions such as Printed Estimates, Quarterly Reports and Cabinet Submissions; conducts analysis and determines appropriate content to meet ministry and central agency reporting requirements.
- Prepares a range of business planning reports, correspondence and briefing materials to support ministry business initiatives; conducts analysis and provides recommendations on appropriate courses of action.
2. Analysis and Advice
- Conducts analysis (e.g. policy analysis, risk analysis, legal analysis) of business plan submissions and other initiatives to ensure they are sound and reflect ministry and government key business directions.
- Provides analysis and advice to the Minister, Deputy Minister and central agencies; negotiates with central agencies to support approval of ministry submissions; develops financial models with complex variables; and justifies forecasts to central agencies.
- Responds to ad hoc questions from central agencies, the Minister, Deputy Minister, program areas and Policy Branch regarding funding/other issues related to specific submissions; advises regarding the interpretation and application of business planning procedures, directives and processes.
3. Strategic Planning Support
- Develops strategic planning resources for ministry use (e.g. resource materials) to support planning and performance measurement activities; assists other ministry areas in the development and implementation of performance measures.
- Develops expertise in business strategy development that reflects government/ministry policy/program directions; research and analysis into new business planning/performance issues/processes, assesses suitability for ministry use; promotes ministry business plans to all levels and key stakeholders.
4. Project Leadership and Management
- Acts as project lead in coordinating submissions that cross program areas; includes developing project plans and critical paths, scheduling activities and providing technical support/expertise.
- Negotiates with program managers to adopt courses of action appropriate to the fiscal climate; develops and presents reports and recommendations to senior management for specific business planning options.
- Maintains liaison with various corporate support areas (e.g. human resources, policy, communications, legal services) in the development of business cases to create presentations and submissions.
- Tracks projects in the business plan; follows up and provides alerts when critical milestones have been missed.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Ministry/government business planning and approval processes to co-ordinate business plans and submissions.
- Economics, business and accounting principles, and financial planning and management - business planning and financial information systems and databases to develop financial models with complex variables; track business planning projects; develop financial reports.
- The interpretation and application of business planning procedures, directives and processes, including the preparation of reports for senior management to gain approvals and decisions, development and preparation of business cases and Management Board submissions.
- Conducting financial research and analyses (e.g. policy analysis, risk analysis) and presenting financial data to support understanding and approval, or to provide clarification in resolving specific submission issues.
- Negotiation to persuade central agencies and program areas to adopt certain courses of action in relation to business planning.
- Project management and performance measurement skills to lead/coordinate business planning submissions that cross program areas; develop project plans and critical paths; schedule activities and provide technical support/expertise; track projects and assesses if milestones have been met.
- Oral and written and communications to provide instructions, advice, options and reports.
- Standard computer applications (word processing, spreadsheets, presentations).

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Negotiation skills to negotiate courses of action with program areas and promote/negotiate approval within the ministry and with central agencies, often having impacts on other ministry areas and partner ministries.
- Persuasion and influencing skills to advise management and staff on the preferred approach to gain support for business planning submissions (e.g. program reductions); and to get agreement from the Deputy Minister and/or Minister on specific business planning issues, or to advocate for additional funding or continuation of programs.
- Communication skills to liaise with various corporate support areas (e.g. human resources, policy, communications, legal services) in the development of business cases and to create presentations and submissions.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analyzing and problem solving skills to:
- Identify trends and potential risks (e.g. financial, political, operational, legal) for new programs and operations.
- Synthesize complex financial models and formulas into understandable summaries.
- Analyze and interpret financial requests, research options and identify best course of action from conflicting alternatives.
- Identify potential problems and develop mitigating strategies.
- Determine instances where additional expertise is required (e.g. legal, human resources, legal, communications).
- Review business plan submissions and other initiatives to ensure they reflect ministry and government key business directions.
- Provide technical advice to senior management and prepare complex reports and recommendations.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Coordinating the business planning process for a ministry area and providing financial and business planning advice and direction.
- Managing business planning projects under the direction of a senior manager and in accordance with functionally- related legislation, financial, accounting and business planning policies, procedures and approval processes to ensure the soundness of business plans and adherence to key government and ministry business directions.
- Assessing program needs and recommending courses of action for specific submissions.
- Recommending funding and resource levels to justify program initiatives.
- Anticipating and defining funding problems resulting from constraints or other emerging issues (e.g. over expenditures).
Has latitude to:
- Develop strategic planning resources for ministry use (e.g. resource materials) to support planning and performance measurement activities.
- Develop financial models to justify budget forecasts and conducts research and analysis into new business planning and performance issues and processes to assess suitabiity for ministry application.
- Assess the feasibility of ideas raised in senior management sessions and with political staff.
Decisions are guided by the framework of established government/ministry policies, relevant legislation, and protocols.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Managers of other ministries and central agencies to respond to specific requests for information; to maintain liaison regarding contentious issues; to negotiate and defend funding requests and assumptions; and to address issues where ministry initiatives impact their operations and ensure adequate consultation and coordination of shared/joint initiatives.
- Stakeholder representatives to discuss/advise on ministry business plans and activities.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Project leads teams in coordinating submissions within the program area or that cross program areas including developing project plans and critical paths, scheduling activities and providing technical support/expertise.
- Provides financial and technical advice to senior ministry staff and managers to develop/negotiate recommendations.
- Assists ministry program areas in the development and implementation of performance measures.
- Provides advice to program areas on the interpretation and application of business planning procedures, directives and processes.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Occasional requirement to work longer hours to meet deadlines or travel to out-of-town meetings.
- Constantly deals with unexpected changes to deadlines, tight time pressures and conflicting work demands and priorities and demands from multiple contacts/clients/supervisors.

Mental / Sensory :

Frequent requirement to concentrate when negotiating funding issues or making presentations, listening intently in meetings or discussing/obtaining complex financial data and information.

Conditions / Environment :

Work is performed in a typical office environment.