DATA SPECIALIST

• Job ID:61488
• Job Category: Engineering & Technical
• Division & Section: Parks & Recreation, PFR Policy & Strategic Planning
• Work Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, M5V 3C6 
• Job Type & Duration: Full Time, Permanent

• Salary Range: $94,905.00 - $128,386.00

  Ideal Hiring Zone: $103,395 - $112,102

• Shift Information: 35 hours per week
• Affiliation: Non Union
• Number of Positions Open: 1
• Posting Period: 02-Feb-2026 to 17-Feb-2026 
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Reporting to the Senior Data Solutions Integrator or Data Analytics Lead, Research and Analytics, within the Policy and Strategic Planning Branch of Parks and Recreation, you will play a key role in advancing the Division’s data analytics and research capacity. The role focuses on building high‑quality descriptive analytics products like dashboards, maps, statistical analyses, and location intelligence that support evidence‑based decision‑making across programs, services, and operations. You will support the Division’s data environment by developing reliable data pipelines and analytical workflows that ensure consistent access to high‑quality data. You will also help the Division explore and develop emerging opportunities in machine learning and AI, applying advanced analytical methods where they can add value to forecasting, optimization, and service planning. support. You will also collaborate cross-functionally with experts in data analytics, data governance, research, evaluation and performance measurement.

Major Responsibilities

Planning and Coordination within the Team

• Develops and manages work plans for analytics and research initiatives, ensuring alignment with divisional priorities and stakeholder needs.

• Supervises, motivates and trains assigned staff, ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, continuous learning and encourages innovation in others.
• Establishes and promotes best practices on the team for documenting analytical methods, data processes, models, and code to ensure transparency and reproducibility.
• Supervises the day-to-day operation of all assigned staff including the scheduling, assigning and reviewing of work.
• Authorizes and coordinates vacation and overtime requests.
• Monitors and evaluates staff performance, approves salary increments, hears grievances and recommends disciplinary action when necessary.
• Provides input into, and administers, the assigned budget, ensuring that expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations.

Data Analytics and Research Leadership

• Leads analytical projects that interpret Divisional and external datasets, including but not limited to facility usage, program participation, asset inventories, service demand and community demographics.
• Designs and produces dashboards, maps, and statistical analyses that support evidence‑based decision‑making across recreation programming, park operations, capital planning, and service delivery.
• Builds and maintains data pipelines, queries, and ETL/ELT processes that enable reliable access to divisional and external datasets for analysis and reporting.
• Identifies opportunities to apply advanced analytics, predictive modelling, and machine learning to Parks & Recreation challenges such as demand forecasting, asset condition prediction, program optimization, and operational efficiency.
• Explores and tests emerging AI tools and methods to support long‑term AI readiness and responsible innovation within the Division and keeps abreast of the latest research in the field.
• Optimizes data workflows and system performance, recommending improvements that enhance data accessibility, computation efficiency, and storage management.
• Evaluates new and emerging datasets—including spatial, sensor‑based, mobile-based, environmental, and community datasets—and advises key staff and leadership on their value, limitations, and potential applications.
• Designs processes to ingest and analyze large or complex datasets, such as transactional data, GPS‑probe data, IoT sensors, and public engagement inputs.
• Conducts peer and literature reviews on current research and advancements in spatial analytics and data science to tackle civic issues.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on data analytics, advising staff and leadership on analytical approaches, data interpretation, and methodological considerations.
• Monitors and evaluates the performance of divisional data tools and applications, recommending enhancements that improve usability, reliability and analytical value.

Effective Stakeholder Collaboration, Knowledge Exchange, and Relationship Management

• Translates project and stakeholder requirements into practical data processes, standards, analysis methods or system configurations.
• Prepares reports and submissions (e.g. briefing notes, staff reports, and other correspondence) for the Division and City Council.
• Works with internal and external partners and private sector collectors, disseminators and analysts to collect and analyze data on behalf of the Division.
• Designs and improves data processes, recommending policies and procedures that support division‑wide data standards and the needs of multiple projects.
• Develops strategies to ensure information is available and accessible for stakeholders, including Council, the public, and staff.
• Contributes to and supports divisional and corporate Data Governance and Data Enablement initiatives related to maintaining and improving the collection, retrieval and access of divisional data.
• Attends and presents at relevant conferences and technical working groups as it relates to data analytics.
• Fosters and maintains effective working relationships and networks with divisional staff, other government agencies, and other staff across the City.
• Ensures compliance with safety and security matters under Occupational Health & Safety legislation and divisional safety and security policies.

Key Qualifications

Applicants are required to demonstrate in their resume/cover letter that their qualifications match those specified below:

1. Post-secondary education in a relevant discipline (e.g. Data Analytics/Science, Statistics, Mathematics, GIS, Environmental or Social Sciences, Computer Science) or an approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Considerable experience applying data analytics techniques (e.g., descriptive analytics, trend analysis, forecasting, segmentation, geospatial analysis, anomaly detection) to uncover trends and support operational/strategic decision‑making.
3. Considerable experience designing and building dashboards with modern BI and location intelligence tools (Tableau, Power BI, ArcGIS, Looker, etc.).
4. Experience in Python or R for data wrangling, statistical modeling, or automation of recurring analytical tasks.
5. Experience supervising or mentoring staff with ability to effectively apply matrixed management approaches.
6. Excellent oral, written, presentation and interpersonal communication skills that are adaptable to a variety of audiences (i.e. technical staff, business staff, senior management, council reports)
7. Familiarity with cloud data‑lakehouse architectures in AWS, or similar, to collaborate effectively with data engineers and architects.
8. Strong SQL skills for querying, transforming, and validating data across multiple data systems and environments, including transactional database environments.
9. Familiarity working with demographic and behavioural data to glean insights about populations in areas of interest (e.g. census data, survey data).
10. Highly developed people leadership skills and ability to coach and support staff development.
11. Highly developed facilitation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills.
12. Ability to exercise discretion and judgement with confidential information.
13. Exceptional ability to seamlessly distill very technical concepts to business users and vice versa.
14. Exceptionally self-motivated and directed approach, with a keen attention to detail and organization.
15. Political acuity with knowledge/leadership in government innovation.

Join Us!

If you are interested in learning more about the Data Specialist role, you can participate in a virtual Microsoft Teams information session with Jia Lu, Manager Research & Analytics and Amy Buckland, Senior Data Solutions Integrator on Tuesday, February 10 from 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm or Thursday, February 12 from 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm. You will have the opportunity to ask questions related to the position, working for the City of Toronto's Parks & Recreation division, as well as the City's application process.

Please register to participate in any of the information sessions using the following links:

Tuesday, February 10 - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/0253da65-dd7a-40c3-ba6b-474cb9576a32@f0bc8ec6-9ed8-4d0c-9189-411ad949cc65

Thursday, February 12 -  https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/10bc71f4-60a9-4ec2-a97b-2cad5705bf51@f0bc8ec6-9ed8-4d0c-9189-411ad949cc65

It is important to note that this is a public information session. To remain anonymous, participants must join through web browser and ensure their login name reflects that preference.

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. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

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. Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.