Job Specification
Position Title:
Senior Policy Advsior
Job Code:
6A007 - Policy06
Purpose :
To lead the development, maintenance and enhancement of Ontario's forest policy and legal framework.
Key Responsibilities :
1. Policy Planning and Development
- Leads and/or coordinates multidisciplinary teams developing policy and program development proposals that include risk analysis and impact assessment, and recommend options and legislative/regulatory reform to maintain Ontario's forest policy and legal framework (framework includes strategic directions, legislation, regulations, provincial policy and strategies, manuals, guides, directives and procedures).
- Provides leadership in the efficient transfer of policy and program direction through provision of advice, guidance, interpretation and other tools to resource management specialists, business partners, stakeholders and Aboriginal peoples. Provides advice and guidance to ministry staff, senior management, executive staff, the Minister, other ministries and agencies, boards and commissions on matters related to Ontario's forest policy and legal framework.
Monitors, assesses and evaluates forest sustainability results to recommend if policy, legal and/or institutional change is required.
- Reviews and assesses trends, problems, issues, new information, knowledge, science and technological
advancements suitable for conducting environmental, social, cultural and economic needs analyses as a basis for developing recommendations regarding potential revisions to Ontario's forest policy and legal framework
- Identifies gaps in science, information and knowledge in order to determine needed improvements.
- Reviews and assesses the effectiveness of policy transfer and implementation processes to ensure that the direction being provided is current and appropriate.
2. Stakeholder Relations & Consultation
- Leads and coordinates consultation with ministry staff, other government agencies at all levels, legal counsel, advisory groups, business partners, stakeholders, Aboriginal peoples, environmental organizations, special interests and the public, to ensure that Ontario's forest policy and legal framework is current and relevant to forest communities and resource users and responsive to changing societal values over time.
- Engages, fosters and maintains working relationships and partnerships with business partners, stakeholders,
Aboriginal peoples, and other government agencies at all levels to ensure fair and equitable access and input to the documents that comprise Ontario's forest policy and legal framework, government decision making processes, and to enhance forest resource stewardship.
Knowledge / Skill :
Knowledge of and skills in:
- Ecosystem based resource management theory and principles, international, national and provincial forest
management, concepts and principles of adaptive management, sustainable forest management practices, land and resource management planning processes, to develop provincial forest policy, legislation and programs.
- Ontario government/ministry strategic directions, policy development and decision making processes and
federal/provincial natural resource legislation to develop provincial policy and programs.
- Project management lead multidisciplinary teams.
- Written and oral communications such as preparing reports, policy papers and presentations, to provide information, advice and interpretation.
- Computer operations to use standard office software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, research and communications, and specialized applications.
Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :
Consultation, negotiation, facilitation, consensus building skills to lead consultations with stakeholders who may have conflicting needs/positions, represent ministry on committees/task forces, negotiate funding arrangements.
- Leadership and facilitation skills to engage and work with stakeholders to resolve issues/problems.
- Presentation and advisory skills to provide advice to the Minister, executive staff, ministry senior management, colleagues, stakeholders Aboriginal peoples, resource management staff and other government agencies at all levels to facilitate decision-making.
- Research and analytical approaches and techniques to lead and coordinate studies to analyze/evaluate issues, risks and potential implications of policy and legislative proposals.
- Comprehension and learning skills for the consideration of other views/values to ensure effective and relevant policy and legislation.
Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :
Analyzing and problem solving skills to:
- Identify and define problems and issues.
- Develop and assess options, including risk analysis and impact assessment to ensure forest sustainability.
Decision Making / Responsibility :
Responsible for:
- Leading and/or coordinating projects and major initiatives, with latitude to determine research scope for developing policy options and program development support; and, identify and recommend policy/program options to senior management and executive staff in a timely manner and within budget in a timely manner and within budget.
- Developing draft policy/legal proposals and documents for ministry and government review.
- Recommending the most appropriate means for developing, maintaining and enhancing Ontario's forest policy and legal framwork.
Has latitude to: determine government/external representatives on project teams; request quotations for contract purchases.
Decisions are guided by: government and ministry mandate, Ontario's forest policy and legal framework, professional forestry practices, sustainable forest management practices and protocols.
Contacts / Stakeholder :
- Government and Ministry staff at all levels to seek support for: policy review/development proposals and
interpretation/implementation of directions; to provide information and expertise; and, to identify/resolve issues and problems.
- Advisory committees, stakeholders associations, environmental organizations, business partners, academic/science communities to engage, consult, seek advice; provide information/knowledge on issues, problems, strategies and approaches.
- Certification bodies standards and professional associations and organizations to ensure that approaches adopted are feasible with/complementary to the application of the Ontario's forest policy and legal framework principles.
- Aboriginal peoples organizations to seek advice, share information regarding the management of forest lands and resources.
- National and international organizations cross-province and territory councils and networks, to identify issues and problems, exchange ideas and expertise, identify issues and problems, and contribute to mutual
recommendations/conventions/agreements.
Guidance / Supervision :
- Leads and coordinates multidisciplinary project teams (internal and external) engaged in forest policy development; ensures project requirements, timelines and expectations are met.
- Leads and coordinates multidisciplinary project teams and major initiatives (internal and external) engaged in forest management planning and policy development; ensures project/initiative requirements, timelines, funding and expectations are met.
- Provides policy interpretation, advice and guidance to resource management teams, ministry/government committees and staff.
- Mentors forest interns.
Demands / Pressures :
- Occasional unexpected modifications to deadlines and reviews and approval processes on short notice.
- Frequent unexpected work demands on short notice.
- Frequent tight time pressures and demands such as requests from Minister, executive staff, senior management, key stakeholders and business partners requiring briefings and responses within short turnaround times.
- Occasional conflicting work demands requiring incumbent to reset priorities such as concurrent projects.
- Frequent conflicting work demands, priorities set by branch senior management such as requests to address
immediate issue, problem or need.
- Occasional limited control over the pace of work where projects have overlapping deadlines or other areas have differing priorities.
- Occasional requirement to work beyond normal hours for travel to meetings.
Mental / Sensory :
- Frequent periods of reading and comprehension without interruption. to read reports, journals, scan internet.
- Daily-extended periods of concentrating intently on to review/respond to inquiries, draft policy/legal documents, prepare preparing input to requests for information/analysis/advice.
- Frequently observing when and participating in workshops, conferences and meetings.
- Frequently giving instructions to project/initiative teams, support staff.
Conditions / Environment :
Work is performed in a typical office environment.