POLICY & RESEARCH CONSULTANT

Amendment#1 01/09/2025 - Revised Key Qualifications, additional permanent vacancy added and extended posting date until 01/23/2025

Job ID: 51770

• Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research
• Division & Section: Social Development, Finance & Admin, Community Safety & Wellbeing
• Work Location: City Hall, 100 Queen Street West
• Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent
• Hourly Rate and Wage Grade: $48.49 - $53.14 (2024 Rate)
• Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
• Affiliation: L79 Full-time
• Number of Positions Open: 2 
• Posting Period: 06-JAN-2025 to 23-JAN-2025

Job Summary:

The City of Toronto's Social Development, Finance & Administration Division, Community Safety & Well-Being Section is holding a 60- minute Information Session for the Policy & Research Consultant on Monday, January 13th, 2025, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm details available below. All applicants interested in this position are encouraged to attend this session, during which the Managers of TO Wards Peace and CCRP will provide insights regarding the positions. There will also be a Q&A period.

Info Session Link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=md49eaccce0a21e27c768d1d83a229c62

The Social Development, Finance and Administration division (SDFA) drives transformative change to achieve stronger, safer, and more resilient and equitable communities and neighbourhoods in Toronto. SafeTO, the City of Toronto's 10-year Community Safety & Well-being Plan was unanimously adopted by City Council to drive 26 actions across 7 strategic goals. To advance SafeTO's objectives and the SafeTO lmplementation Plan, the Community Safety & Well-Being Section is hiring two Policy & Research Consultants to support TO Wards Peace and the Community Crisis Response Program.

The Policy Research Consultants will:

Conduct robust data analytics and insights of the Community safety & Well-being Programs, monitor effectiveness, identify trends, prepare, and deliver summary reports, program evaluation, funding applications and best practices to enhance program effectiveness, work in partnership with TWP and CCRP, other Community Safety and Well-being programs and community stakeholders including Violence Prevention Toronto (VPTO) and the SafeTO Collaborative Analytics & Learning Environment (SCALE)

Support the following programs:

1. TO Wards Peace is an integrated risk-driven, violence interruption model that was co-designed with residents to build the capacity of grassroots organizations to lead teams of Violence Disruption Workers, to intervene in incidences of violence, interrupt escalations or potential retaliation and support the development of community-based solutions within a Public Health Approach. 

2. The Community Crisis Response Program (CCRP) works across Toronto providing support and resources to communities impacted by violent and traumatic incidents. By providing immediate supports, the CCRP mobilizes local resources to address individual/group needs, coordinates community debriefings and facilitates information sharing. Long-term supports offered by the program include establishing training and education sessions, facilitating community safety audits, and fostering the development of innovative, community safety projects.

3. Reporting to the Manager of Toronto Community Crisis Service, you will be part of a team that develops strategic, evidence-based policies and programs that support divisional priorities and are responsive to emerging needs. This involves supporting the development of collaborative risk driven intervention programs, monitor program standards, performance measures and coordinate the inter-sectoral evaluation, validation and identification of emerging issues and best practices using a variety of applications, including data visualization software (Power BI, ArcGIS).

Major Responsibilities:

Plans, conducts, interprets, and evaluates data, processes, research, and policy studies, including joint projects within the Community Safety & well-being Programs, city divisions, taskforces and committees, other levels of government and other external groups or agencies.

• Plans, conducts, interprets, and evaluates data, processes, research and policy studies, including joint projects within the Community Crisis Response Program city divisions, task forces and committees, other levels of government and other external groups or agencies.
• Researches issues and develops policies and recommendations in order to provide divisional and corporate leadership in violence prevention, intervention, response and recovery efforts, collaborative risk driven approaches, policy, program delivery models, advocacy and community safety and well-being strategies in collaboration with the SafeTO Collaborative Analytics and Learning Environment.
• Provides lead project management support in the development and implementation of city-wide policies for all aspects of community safety and well-being strategies for vulnerable populations in the City of Toronto.
• Conducts research and analysis into assigned policy areas, conveys information and policy implications to senior staff, external stakeholders and Council, taking into account trends and developments in the field of collaborative risk driven approaches, Community Safety and Well-being strategies, corporate policies and practices, legislative requirements, initiatives by other service providers/funders and other levels of government.
• Supports the analysis of e-business solutions and databases to identify emerging trends and opportunities to support the development of targeted investment.
• Designs, undertakes, and advises on research projects and analyses including data from Community Safety and Well-being initiatives, surveys, sector analyses, trend and comparative analyses and economic impact analyses with other divisions, external organizations, and other sector clients.
• Promotes the use of information and its application to decision making within Community, Safety and Well-being through collaboration, the development of linkages, and capacity building initiatives.
• Consults and/or works collaboratively with external groups, including the development of contacts with other jurisdictions, at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, non-governmental organizations and interest groups, other agencies and the private sector.
• Leads the development and maintenance of a variety of communications and information products (web-based and print).
• May conduct speaking engagements, workshops and information sessions for the public, community, and media, in collaboration with staff, answers inquiries on research and policy issues.
• Researches, organizes, and writes briefing materials, discussion papers, policy proposals, reports and correspondence on various issues.
• Prepares reports on complex subjects for consideration by City Council, its Standing Committees, Steering Committees, city divisions and external stakeholders.
• Develops and implements project plans for work assignments, ensuring deadlines for such assignments are met.
• Support development of dashboards for program areas.
• Support requests for data from Community Safety & Well-Being program areas as required.
• Participates in and/or chairs internal and external committees.
• Reviews literature, studies and reports produced by other governments and research agencies to determine potential impact on policy, research and programs.
• Coordinates meetings and works collaboratively with internal program partners and wide range of external stakeholder groups, including contacts with local agencies and grassroots organizations, other jurisdictions, at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, non-governmental organizations, through various networks.
• Acts as a consultant to identify and service policy, research, evaluation, and program needs.
• Identifies issues, assesses the required resources, and develops strategies.  Research current and projected needs and makes recommendations for meeting those needs including implementation strategies.

Key Qualifications:

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to:

1. Post-secondary education in Social Policy, Public Policy Administration, non-profit sector management or related discipline, and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Considerable experience in quantitative methodologies and advanced analytical techniques, and analytical tools such as SAS, SPSS, Stata, R, PowerBI or Tableau.
3. Considerable experience with business process analysis and development and writing reports for senior management audiences.
4. Considerable experience in project management from inception to implementation including conducting preliminary research and information gathering, planning project phases, coordination, and achieving deliverables within set timelines.
5. Experience in leading complex social research, community/policy development projects in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
6. Experience working with community groups or residents in the formulation of social policy, analysis and/or research.

You must also have:

• Ability to research, identify, gather, analyze, conceptualize, and interpret policies and other multifaceted information from a variety of sources and develop recommendations.
• Ability to analyze, interpret and synthesize quantitative and qualitative research and complex information and write detailed/complex reports and proposals.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to develop effective working relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Advance knowledge of community well-being approaches.
• Knowledge of program development, planning and budgeting, municipal resource management and funding business processes.
• Excellent project management, problem solving, leadership and facilitation skills.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing to convey multifaceted process and policy issues to a variety of audiences.
• Strong knowledge of Community Safety and Well-being Strategies (e.g. Collaborative Risk Driven Approaches, Situation Tables, Community Crisis Intervention and Prevention).
• Ability to prioritize and manage diverse activities.
• Knowledge of Human Services and Cultural Services sector information sources and issues.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
• Ability to utilize a variety of software packages and database applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Visio, Project & SAP).
• Ability to support the Toronto Public Service values to ensure a culture that champions equity, diversity, and respectful workplaces.

NOTE TO INTERNAL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME CITY OF TORONTO EMPLOYEES:

City of Toronto employees must apply to full-time or part-time employment opportunities posted on the City's Internal Job Posting Portal.

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.