RESEARCH & POLICY ASSOCIATE

City of Toronto • Toronto, ON

10d • Onsite

About The Position

To support the development, coordination and implementation of programs, strategies and policies to contribute to the continuous improvement initiatives of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Division.

Requirements

• Post-secondary education in Public Policy, Urban Planning, Public Administration, Business Administration or other related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Experience conducting research and analysis and developing and maintaining project tracking and reporting tools.
• Experience in the preparation and drafting of reports, summaries and presentations.
• Experience organizing community and public engagement/consultation activities.
• Excellent ability to use MS Office (e.g. Word, Excel, Power Point, MS Project) including advanced Excel functions (e.g. VLOOKUP’s, pivot tables, visual basic macros) as well as Adobe Acrobat, WordPress, and data management tools to support the collection, organization, analysis, and visualization of electronic and non‑electronic data (e.g., MS Access databases).
• Excellent communication, writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent ability to exercise judgement and tact; ability to communicate clearly and respectfully.
• Highly organized with an attention to detail and ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders/subject matter experts.
• Ability to exercise political acumen, sound judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential operational matters.
• Ability to work out of other locations such as Civic Centres.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of government structure, policies and decision-making processes is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Implements detailed plans and develops options and recommendations for policies/procedures regarding program specific requirements.
• Conducts research into assigned areas ensuring that such research takes into account industry trends, corporate policies and practices, legislation and regulations.
• Provides input into and administers assigned budget, ensuring that expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations.
• Deals with highly confidential and sensitive information affecting divisional operations, assets, human resources and finances.
• Update and maintain web based information related to the work of the division.
• Presents options and recommendations for programs and policies that could impact organization structure re-modelling and staff across the organization.
• Attends strategic meetings with senior management.
• Conducts primary research including stakeholder interviews and staff focus groups and/or surveys to identify and document requirements and to obtain input.
• Conducts secondary research including review of best/promising practices and plans in various industries.
• Conducts research to support the preparation of briefing notes on policy initiatives for senior management.
• Keeps management updated with progress on a regular basis and establishes buy-in for key project milestones.
• Develops options and recommendations for policies, processes and procedures.
• Coordinates consultation activities to gather stakeholder and community feedback in support of policy and program development, including planning and logistical coordination for meetings and engagement sessions.
• Drafts reports for senior staff on corporate and divisional issues, projects and related matters.
• Reviews and analyzes statistical data, external reports and research studies, as well as existing and proposed policies.
• Assists senior staff in identifying options, assessing implications and developing implementation strategies on project work.
• Acts as City representative on various internal and external committees.
• Assists with the development of RFPs and/or RFQs supporting the needs of the Division Head's office.
• Implement data collection instruments and research methods.
• Assist with the collection, analysis and evaluation of data and outcomes of engagement activities.

Benefits

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve.
• Accommodation: The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees