Reporting to the Manager, Corporate Initiatives - Strategic Planning and Organizational Performance, the Policy Advisor plays a key role in developing strategies and policies that support the effective delivery of Durham Region's 2025-2035 Strategic Plan. This role serves to strengthen the organization's ability to develop, adapt, and deliver on strategic priorities. The Policy Advisor enhances organizational performance at the Region through the development of performance measurement frameworks, evaluation plans, and dashboards to ensure progress towards achieving effective and efficient Regional programs and services.
The incumbent will:
- Lead initiatives and establish collaborations across departments to drive strategic priorities through the design and implementation of corporate programs and performance management.
- Support all aspects of strategic planning and organizational performance processes, drawing on jurisdictional trends, research, relevant data, and analysis of implications and risks to construct options and recommendations for senior leaders.
- Support corporate alignment to the Region's Strategic Plan and supporting 2025-2028 Action Plan, including enhancing processes to gather program updates and performance data; providing advice to departments in aligning Action Plan priorities with departmental and divisional plans; and synthesizing information into clear reports and materials that demonstrate progress and outcomes to both Council and the community.
- Build strategic and business planning capacity within the organization through knowledge exchange and developing learning tools to enhance the knowledge of internal staff (enterprise-level initiative development, delivery, and outcome evaluation).
- Lead corporate-level performance management systems, including metric design, data collection and analysis, and delivery of dashboards, to drive accountability, evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Liaise effectively with Regional departments and external agencies to build strong relationships that improve information sharing and coordinated action toward shared goals.
- Plan, organize and deliver workshops, meetings, forums, and presentations to support the development and implementation of strategic priorities and organizational performance.
- Prepare and manage briefing notes, presentations, and reports.
- Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.
- Model Durham Region's corporate values.
The successful applicant will possess:
- A post-secondary degree in Public or Business Administration, Political or Social Science or a related discipline or
equivalent combination of education and experience.
- A Master's degree in a related discipline is considered an asset.
- A Project Management Professional and/or Change Management Certification (considered an asset).
- Demonstrated ability to analyze complex information, assess risks and implications, and provide clear, strategic advice.
- Strong knowledge of strategic planning and evaluation methodologies including logic models and performance measurement frameworks.
- Demonstrated experience supporting corporate reporting, performance measurement, metric and dashboard development to inform evidence-based decision-making and accountability.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, shifting timelines, and confidential materials.
- Experience supporting complex, cross-departmental initiatives or corporate programs involving senior leadership and governance structures.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and an ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of staff, senior leaders, partners, elected officials, and community members.
- An open and respectful approach to engaging colleagues with diverse perspectives.
- Strong report writing and presentation skills, including experience preparing confidential briefing materials for senior leadership or elected officials.
- Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across departments and with external partners.
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, Power BI, etc.) and accessible document practices.
