Job Information
City of Toronto PROJECT OFFICER DEVELOPMENT PF&R in Toronto, Ontario
PROJECT OFFICER DEVELOPMENT PF&R
Job ID: 46413
Job Category: Project Management
Division & Section: Parks, Forestry & Recreation, PFR PPSI Parks Planning & Strategic Init, Planning, Parkland Acquisitions
Work Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street
Job Type & Duration: Full-time, 2 Permanent Vacancies
Salary: $102,155.00 - $135,815.00, Wage Grade 7
Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
Affiliation: Non-Union
Number of Positions Open: 2
Posting Period: 03-Sept-2024 to 18-Sept-2024
Reporting to the Manager and/or the Senior Project Manager in the Parkland Acquisitions or the Parks Planning Section, in the Parks Planning and Strategic Initiatives Branch, the Project Officer will take a leading role in the coordination and delivery of complex projects to plan for and deliver new parkland and recreation facilities, helping to achieve the City's parkland objectives and enhance the liveability of the City of Toronto's neighbourhoods and communities.
Major Responsibilities:
Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
Lead, assess and co-ordinate complex parks and facilities plans and strategies and/or parkland acquisitions and transfers in accordance with City Council direction and City legislation and policies.
Work with the Manager or Senior Project Manager to initiate and advance studies, projects and legal agreements that are consistent with the vision of Council, implement the Parkland Strategy, Parks and Facilities Master Plan, Ravine Strategy and Official Plan, address parkland and recreational priorities city-wide and advance innovative solutions.
Lead, review, evaluate and/or implement local parks plans and area studies and parkland acquisition opportunities to ensure that Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s and the City’s interests are addressed, including the identification of parks and facilities need and/or the delivery of land for park purposes.
Coordinate with partners within the branch, across PFR and in other City Divisions (e.g. City Planning, Corporate Real Estate Management) and agencies (e.g. CreateTO) and beyond to align planning and implementation activities.
Manage multi-stakeholder parks planning projects from inception through to implementation, including project scoping, procurement, and leading project teams, including external consultants.
Contribute to ongoing strategic planning and development of city-wide service direction, policies and procedures to ensure that City Council parkland and recreation objectives are achieved.
Negotiate solutions and strategies that achieve the Division's parkland and recreational facility objectives in collaboration with stakeholders.
Engage the public and other stakeholders in the parks planning process and represent the City's interests in a variety of public forums as a champion of parks planning initiatives.
Prepare for and serve as an expert witness at tribunals or judicial proceedings for matters related to the Official Plan, Municipal Code By-law and the Planning Act as it relates to parkland and recreation facilities planning.
Represent the Division at Community Councils, Standing Committees and meetings with Members of Council, community groups and other stakeholders (e.g. landowners, developers) by providing leadership and technical expertise.
Provide input to the development of the division/branch/unit's capital budget for land acquisition and/or parks planning and development and assist in managing the assigned budget by analyzing financial data and ensuring that expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget allocations.
Lead a variety of land use planning analysis to support evidence-based decision-making and due diligence, including but not limited to: geospatial analysis, Official Plan policies and zoning/land use designations, plans of survey and parcel information, demographic information, environmental and physical conditions, growth patterns and parkland and facility use and condition.
Advise and report on planning issues related to parkland and recreation, including assessing demographic and societal trends which impact long range planning, and coordinating research and analysis activities and surveys.
Develop briefing notes, reports, and correspondence for senior management, Councillors and others as requested to support strategic decision making related to parkland and recreational matters.
Establish and maintain effective partnerships with City Divisions, Agencies, Boards and Commissions and serve as the Division's representative to consult with Members of Council, their staff and stakeholders.
Mentor, motivate and train staff to ensure effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, and continuous learning, and contribute towards a progressive culture of innovation and excellence.
Demonstrate a high level of ethics and professionalism.
Ensure work is undertaken in a manner that meets corporate and divisional standards and relevant legislative requirements, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), Ontario Building Code, Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), etc.
Key Qualifications:
Post-secondary education in planning, urban geography, environmental studies or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Extensive experience with parks and open space planning, recreation planning, and/or land use planning delivering complex projects with minimal direction while balancing political, community and other stakeholder interests.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate and/or manage multiple diverse projects involving multi-disciplinary staff teams and a range of stakeholders using a high level of critical judgement and analytical thinking.
Considerable experience applying planning methodologies, report writing, data and financial analysis, plan review, and use of scientific and technical information. A focus on Parks, Forestry and Recreation planning initiatives is preferred.
Considerable experience applying public consultation principles and techniques and negotiation skills, acting as an effective liaison between stakeholders e.g. elected officials, internal and external clients, members of the public.
Must be a member, or eligible for membership in the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (RPP) and/or the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP).
You must also have:
Excellent presentation, communication and interpersonal skills, to communicate effectively at a professional level both orally (e.g. presentations and team meetings) and in writing (e.g. staff reports, briefing notes).
Advanced political acuity, consulting, conflict resolution and negotiating skills to interact with the community, developers and landowners, City divisions and public and private agencies in complex development, planning and realty situations.
Strong ability to review maps and geospatial data, plans, surveys, technical drawings, and environmental and other technical reports.
Ability to leverage various web and mapping applications to guide analysis and present information.
Excellent project management skills, and ability to scope project assignments, manage and meet critical timelines for processing pertinent work assignments.
Familiarity with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and all relevant regulations that apply to the job duties.
Advanced knowledge of Provincial Policies and Legislation related to land use planning and the use of land for parks and recreation purposes.
Knowledge of the City’s Official Plan, Municipal Code, and PFR Strategic Documents is considered an asset.
Knowledge of the City’s or public sector realty processes is an asset.
Note To Current City of Toronto Employees
City of Toronto employees are eligible to apply for the posted job opportunity, but cannot hold two different jobs. To be considered for this job posting, you must indicate that you are a "Current City of Toronto employee" on the on-line application form, and provide your "Employee Number".
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 toemployment equity (https://jobs.toronto.ca/jobsatcity/content/Hiring-Policies-and-Statements/?locale=en_US) .
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’sHiring Policies and Accommodation Process (https://jobs.toronto.ca/jobsatcity/content/Hiring-Policies-and-Statements/?locale=en_US) .