Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Policy and Planning

General Accountability

Is accountable for the design, management and evaluation of the Sector's integrated business planning, reporting and accountability framework; leading the implementation of new legislation, regulations and systems; and managing processes that collectively contribute to and influence departmental priorities, policy direction and program delivery.

Organization Structure

This is one of ten positions at the second managerial level reporting to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations. The other positions are Director General, Intelligence; Director General, Case Management; Director General, Medical Services; Director General, International Region; and five Regional Directors General (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and Northern Territories, and British Columbia and Yukon).

Specific functions of the positions reporting directly to Director, Strategic Operations Planning, are as follows:

Manager, Priorities and Issues Coordination, (staff of 4) is responsible for the analysis of the Department's legislative policy, program and process, and the provision of related advice, guidance and recommendations; and leading sector-driven initiatives on departmental priorities and issues, such as the implementation of new legislation, regulations and systems.

Manager, Planning and Reporting, (staff of 4) is responsible for the development of a performance measurement framework, performance measurement indicators and the production of strategic reports and information on the Sector's operations.

Manager, Client Services Initiative, (staff of 4) is responsible for developing networks and partnerships with external organizations involved in citizen-centered service delivery, alternate service arrangements, and client-focussed programs and approaches, with a view to sharing and importing client-service approaches, techniques, tools and best practices.

Nature And Scope

The Department's core objective is to ensure that the movement of people into Canada and membership in Canadian society contribute to Canada's social and economic interests and its cultural enrichment, while protecting the health and safety of Canadians and meeting international humanitarian commitments.

Worldwide population growth, globalization, and political, economic, social and environmental developments are the underlying trends and events that affect the Department. Trans-nationalism, growing economic disparity between and within nations, and the transformative power of advanced technology are rapidly changing the way in which people move around the world. They are also influencing who chooses to emigrate, whether on a temporary or permanent basis. These developments have made immigration a matter of growing importance for many countries around the world, with increasing focus on the competition for those migrants who can contribute to the global economy, renewed attention to humanitarian responsibilities and continued commitment to protecting the sovereignty of all nations against migrant smugglers and traffickers, war criminals and international criminals of all kinds.

The Operations Sector is responsible for the domestic and international implementation of citizenship and immigration legislation and regulations. It develops and implements operational policies, strategies, plans, guidelines, standards, processes and procedures for the delivery of the Department's citizenship, settlement, selection, integration, enforcement and refugee programs.

Within this environment, the Director sets strategic directions for the Sector; develops and manages the Sector's integrated business planning framework and processes; leads exercises to establish objectives and to identify operational priorities and goals for the Sector; establishes linkages to resource needs and to the budget cycle; develops clear support for goals and commitments through an accountability framework; ensures that expected results, established time lines and success indicators are identified in detailed work plans; enhances program integrity and program delivery, through the performance measurement framework and development of indicators; and establishes and leads a systematic process for reporting on goals and commitments and the related performance data.

The Director serves as the advocate for the Operations Sector and maintains a solid and credible presence at the national and regional level to ensure that priorities are successfully presented and promoted. The incumbent must ensure that direct linkages are established between national planning frameworks and regional-level priority and planning activities. Critical to this success and central to the Director's mandate is the creation and management of a clear and systematic reporting process and an integrated planning function. From this framework, the Director is expected to develop strong relationships, participate in national fora and exploit all opportunities to present Operations Sector goals and interests.

The Director provides advice and recommendations to senior management with respect to complex legal, policy and operational issues and recommends options to resolve what are often highly charged and politically sensitive program issues. The Director leads policy, program design, development and evaluation initiatives in direct support to the Operations Sector in the resolution of complex issues; the conduct of studies, special projects, audit reviews and monitoring processes; the identification of areas of risk and development of action plans; and direct involvement in national policy reviews and new legislative initiatives. These activities are undertaken within the context of an Operations Sector planning framework that aligns program activities with departmental goals and priorities through proactive consultations and feedback mechanisms that engage managers, staff, key stakeholders and client groups.

The Director must anticipate gaps and proactively identify and address needs in a manner that supports the Assistant Deputy Minister in executive level for a, and ensure that operational commitments to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, are met. In fulfilling this role, the incumbent manages a process of regular internal and external environmental scanning and strategically manages partnerships departmentally, interdepartmentally and with other levels of government and the private sector. The work requires an extensive and intimate understanding of the full range of departmental programs, as well as national fora and relationships, to achieve results.

Some major challenges for the Director are the evaluation of national and regional intelligence; the identification of areas of potential vulnerability and risk; and the development, promotion and implementation of planning and programming strategies that fall within the spirit and intent of the Department's broad legislative and policy framework. In meeting this challenge, the incumbent must analyse and synthesize a myriad of environmental factors, including trends and developments in rising immigration levels; labour shortages in the different service fields; increasing client expectations for service and timeliness; and increasing volume demands in an environment of limited resources.

The Director works in partnership with senior officials from various departments, agencies and stakeholders, including Health Canada, Foreign Affairs Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service; other governments and international organizations; and provinces, municipalities, private sector and non-government organizations (NGOs); to resolve multi-jurisdictional policy and program issues. The Director participates with senior officials of other federal departments and provincial ministries in a number of formal steering committees and working groups.

Specific Accountabilities

1. Maximizes sector, program and operational effectiveness through management of strategic planning, performance management and indicators, and reporting frameworks.
2. Makes recommendations on new initiatives and amendments to program policies and procedures to ensure that the Department adopts and implements consistent, standardized national processes.
3. Provides intelligence and perspectives on sector priorities, objectives and issues.
4. Guides the design and management of internal and external consultative and negotiation processes in the identification and resolution of complex and controversial operational issues.
5. Establishes and maintains strategic linkages with other government departments, provincial government organizations and NGOs to discuss issues of particular interest and importance to the Operations Sector.
6. Contributes to the development and establishment of corporate directions and priorities and to the improvement in the standards and criteria for best management practices governing the delivery of programs and services.

Evaluation Rationale

Director, Strategic Operations Planning

Know-How

F

Extensive knowledge of all aspects of immigration program activities in order to develop the Department's strategic operational plans for the Sector's business planning exercise; and extensive experience in managing planning frameworks.

II

Operational focal point for the Sector in the development and management of all operational planning frameworks for the Department in order to consolidate operational plans, measure performance and report on results.

3

Successful achievement of objectives requires dealing with officials of own and other federal government departments and provincial governments to discuss issues of particular interest and importance to the Operations Sector.

460

High number reflects the breadth of specialized and managerial knowledge and skills required for the position and the responsibility at the sector level for the Department's strategic operational planning of a related activities program.

Problem Solving / Thinking

F

Thinking is done within broadly defined governmental and departmental policies and objectives to develop and manage the operational planning frameworks for the Department.

4

Evaluative and constructive thinking is required in adjusting plans and frameworks to maximize the Sector's program and operational effectiveness, to make recommendations on new initiatives and program policy and amendments to procedures, and to reconcile conflicting requirements of various stakeholders and partners.

(50) 230

Solid percentage reflects the requirement for the position to work within the Department's policy guidelines and corporate strategic directions and priorities.

Accountability / Decision Making

F

Reporting to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations; receiving general managerial direction in the development and management of the Sector's business planning; and reporting and accountability frameworks that guide the Department's strategic operational planning.

2P

Primary impact on the Directorate's activities as represented by a proxy of $180,000 (constant).

264

The standard number reflects the size of the proxy selected, the operational nature of the planning and the contribution of the position to the Department's overall corporate strategic planning frameworks.

Summary

Figure: 4 – I – 2 - Text version

Benchmark Number: 4 – I – 2

Director, Strategic Operations Planning

The subject position is at the second managerial level reporting to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, and there are 9 peer positions at the same reporting level.

Reporting to the Director, Strategic Operations Planning are 3 Managers.

Linear organisation chart:

Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations

• Director General, Intelligence
• Director General, Case Management
• Director General, Medical Services
• Director General, International Region
• 5 Regional Directors General for :
  • Atlantic
  • Quebec
  • Ontario
  • Prairies and Northern Territories
  • British Columbia and Yukon
• Director, Strategic Operations Planning
  • 3 Managers for :
    • Priorities and Issues Coordination
    • Planning and Reporting
    • Client Services Initiative