Economic Specialist

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Are you a pension specialist with knowledge of policy development? If so, then bring your experience to this wonderful opportunity in the BPS Pensions Branch and join our team!

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About the job

You will:
- provide strategic advice and policy recommendations/options to senior management, the Deputy Minister, and Minister, that may impact Cabinet decisions, the Ontario Budget and the establishment/enhancement of public sector pension programs and policies
- lead research and analysis projects and initiatives, including planning /designing /carrying out economic / pension policy research with respect to public sector pension policies and recommending policy/ program changes and best practices
- identify issues and lead project teams to develop responses within strategic directions and ministry /branch policy / program directions and legislative / regulatory and policy framework
- ensure the accuracy of policy analysis/fiscal estimates in the Ontario Budget by selecting appropriate data, analytical techniques, research methodologies, drawing correct conclusions and appropriate recommendations.

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What you bring to the team

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills:

- you have experience conducting research and providing advice, interpretation and technical expertise to senior management on research findings
- you are able to analyze and evaluate potential legislative and fiscal impacts of existing and proposed policies, programs and initiatives
- you are able to conceptualize, lead and conduct policy relevant research studies/projects and conduct environmental scans to identify emerging social, economic, fiscal and demographic issues, trends and developments that could require either immediate policy response or legislative reforms
- you can interpret and synthesize socio-economic and demographic data and contribute analytical expertise to develop Budget papers/initiatives and Cabinet submissions

Project Management, Communication and Computer Skills:

- you have demonstrated project management skills to lead/participate in assigned projects, to provide guidance, review/edit work of team members to ensure compliance
- you have effective oral and written communication skills to respond to issues, provide recommendations, prepare reports, & contribute to the development of Cabinet submissions, etc
- you have demonstrated presentation/ persuasion skills to provide policy advice, explain policy and/or program recommendations, and convince senior management on most favourable option
- you are an effective facilitator who uses diplomacy to represent the ministry/province & to communicate/advise on the Ministry/provincial policy/position on sensitive, political issues to others
- you have computer applications knowledge and experience (word processing, spreadsheets, graphics databases and scheduling)

Technical Knowledge:

- you have knowledge of Ontario and federal pension policy, programs and issue areas, including governing legislation, regulations, and administrative and operational functioning
- you have knowledge of public policy and program development principles, and methodologies of public sector pension policy, micro/labour economics, public finance/ accounting and associated socio-economic issues
- you have experience with program analysis/evaluation/costing techniques to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new/changed policies and programs, and to provide recommendations on policy and program changes
- you have knowledge of quantitative/statistical methodologies to gather, evaluate, interpret, analyze and extract relevant data and knowledge of research and economic /statistical analysis principles and techniques

Consultation, Partnership Building and Relationship Management Skills:

- you are able to establish key stakeholder linkages across the OPS to work cooperatively on policy development initiatives with other ministries/external stakeholders and to provide analysis in the development of public sector pension policies and programs
- you are able to interact with representatives from various Ontario sectors to provide analysis and interpretation of public sector pension policies and programs, exchange data and information, and discuss the impact of government policies

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Additional information:

Note:

• T-FN-79917/15(2)

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Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.