Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Policy and Planning

General Accountability

Is accountable for providing leadership in planning and managing scientific activities by directing the conduct of research related to science governance and science planning and by developing and updating a framework for science in order to identify and address the Department's science requirements and priorities.

Organization Structure

This is one of three positions at the second managerial level reporting to the Chief Scientist. The other two are Director, Science and Research Capacity and Excellence; and Executive Director, Health Research Secretariat and Administrative Services.

Specific functions of the positions reporting to the Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships, are as follows:

Science Policy Coordinator (staff of 3) is responsible for supporting and enhancing internal coordination and cooperation on strategic science policy issues and initiatives intra- and interdepartmentally.

Senior Policy and Planning Officer (staff of 1) is responsible for developing and updating a framework for science and a forward-looking departmental science plan that identify the Department's science requirements and priorities, and fostering and developing internal partnerships to maximize the effectiveness of scientific activities.

Senior Manager, Secretariat, (staff of 3) is responsible for identifying issues for consideration, and providing operational and secretariat support to the Department's Research Ethics Board and the Minister's Science Advisory Board.

Special ad hoc unit (staff of 6) is responsible for addressing specific challenges, and high-level corporate and horizontal projects and initiatives that involve interactions with the Department's executive, science and policy communities.

Nature And Scope

The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) provides leadership in and promotes awareness of the Department's science and research activities. It champions excellence and innovation in science and research both within and outside the Department; and ensures its capacity to perform, harness and interpret sound science and research for evidence-based decision making. Working with the Department's science and policy communities, the OCS supports the Department's roles in Canada's health research and information system.

It is in this context that the Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships, identifies and builds a coordinated approach to science-related challenges and opportunities of common interest in the Department, through the development of a framework for science and a forward-looking departmental science plan that identify the Department's science requirements and directions. The challenge for the incumbent is to ensure a balanced portfolio of science activities. The incumbent promotes, facilitates and evaluates departmental adoption of and adherence to the Framework for Science and Technology Advice (a government-wide policy on the use of science advice in government decision making); and directs the provision of secretariat support to the Department's Research Ethics Board and the Minister's Science Advisory Board.

The Director leads the development of new innovative models for science and research that move away from vertical, internal approaches to more horizontal ones (across government and health research systems), and for competitive and multi-stakeholder approaches to performing science and technology activities. As the champion of science, the incumbent facilitates partnerships and dialogue with industry, academia, non-governmental organizations and the international community to ensure that the Department has access to the sound science that it requires for evidence-based decision making and to engage these organizations in addressing emerging science issues of strategic importance to the Department, the federal government and Canadians.

The Director manages various special ad hoc and temporary units created to address specific challenges and high-level corporate and horizontal projects and initiatives that involve interactions with the Department's executive, science and policy communities. The incumbent also establishes priorities and objectives for those units.

The Director provides advice and support to the Chief Scientist to assist in determining the strategic directions for that office, and to develop operational plans and set priorities that ensure that the Department positions itself strategically as a key player in a complex network involving national and often international agencies, government institutions, universities, non-government organizations, and private and not-for-profit research institutes. A challenge for the Director is to ensure that the Department has the capacity to perform and the ability to harness and interpret sound science and research and that it plays a key role in Canada's health research and information system.

Another challenge is the requirement to plan and provide leadership to a secretariat that provides advice and guidance on the coordination, planning and organization of meetings to the Minister's Science Advisory Board and the Department's Research Ethics Board.

The Director provides functional advice and guidance on horizontal policy issues, science and research planning, and ongoing collaboration and partnerships to a wide variety of policy, planning and other professional research and scientific staff to further develop scientific and research capabilities and effectiveness.

Specific Accountabilities

1. Provides management support to the Chief Scientist in the development and review of the Department's policies, practices and operational priorities related to scientific and research activities and in planning and monitoring the activities of the OCS.
2. Develops, implements and monitors a framework for science and a comprehensive long-term science plan to maintain the focus of science activities in support of the Department's mandate and priorities.
3. Provides expert advice to senior management on horizontal partnerships in order to improve collaboration on and management of science activities across the Department.
4. Develops extensive intelligence and consultative linkages with other government departments and agencies and with external organizations in Canada and internationally (e.g. universities, and private and not-for-profit organizations) in order to enhance and promote the understanding of departmental research activities, and to identify concerns and priorities; advocates strategic directions and interests on major issues and initiatives; harmonizes and coordinates scientific research activities; and works with the international community to identify areas where partnerships could be developed.
5. Directs special units created to address specific challenges, high-level corporate and horizontal projects and initiatives that involve interactions with the Department's executive and science policy communities (e.g. the current Framework for Science Secretariat Unit).
6. Directs a Secretariat that provides advice and research services for and guidance on the coordination, planning and organization of meetings in support of members of the Minister's Science Advisory Board and the Department's Research Ethics Board.

Evaluation Rationale

Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships

Know-How

F

Extensive knowledge of the Department's mandate, organizational structure, programs, priorities and objectives; the priorities and policies of the federal government related to science and technology; and the activities, programs and objectives of other science departments, nationally and internationally, and the scientific community in the private sector and academia. Professional knowledge and expertise is required of the planning function at the strategic and operational levels, including its management, development, monitoring and evaluation.

III

Operational and managerial coordination of planning involving all science-related activities across the Department; monitoring its effectiveness and identifying the Department's science requirements and priorities.

3

Critical level required in dealings with departmental branches with science-related activities to develop consolidated and collaborative efforts in the Department on science governance and science policy and on planning issues and initiatives with science-based departments, agencies, industry, universities, non-government organizations and the international community.

608

High number reflects the breadth of expertise required to coordinate all departmental science policy and planning activities to ensure a comprehensive long-term science plan, and the critical level of human relations skills required to develop collaborative efforts in health science policy and planning activities across a vast network of stakeholder groups.

Problem Solving / Thinking

F

Thinking within the broad mandate of the Office of the Chief Scientist, the position develops science-related operational and strategic plans in the Department.

4

Interpretive, evaluative thinking in the development of a framework for science and a departmental science plan, identifying science requirements and priorities to ensure that science is reflected fully and appropriately in departmental programs and planning.

(50) 304

Solid percentage reflects the thinking environment carried out within broad departmental and established objectives and the thinking challenge required to deal with variable situations requiring interpretive and constructive thinking.

Accountability / Decision Making

F

Reporting to the Chief Scientist, the position is subject to general direction, recommendations and impact on the direction of departmental scientific responsibilities and activities.

4C

Contributory impact through operational and strategic planning impacting on the departmental science and research budget of $38 million (constant).

350

High number reflects the position's latitude in determining science requirements and directions and the significance of the impact on departmental science activities and approaches.

Summary

Figure: 6 – I – 1 - Text version

Benchmark Number: 6 – I – 1

Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships

The subject position is at the second managerial level reporting to the Chief Scientist, and there are 2 peer positions at the same reporting level.

Reporting to the Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships are 1 Coordinator, 1 Officer, 1 Senior Manager and 1 Special ad hoc unit.

Linear organisation chart:

Chief Scientist

• Director, Science and Research Capacity and Excellence
• Executive Director, Health Research Secretariat and Administrative Services
• Director, Policy, Planning and Partnerships
  • Science Policy Coordinator
  • Senior Policy and Planning Officer
  • Senior Manager, Secretariat
  • Special ad hoc unit