Job Description

Requisition ID: 38325

OrganizationLocated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the x\xca\xb7m\xc9\x99\xce\xb8k\xca\xb7\xc9\x99y\xcc\x93\xc9\x99m (Musqueam), S\xe1\xb8\xb5wx\xcc\xb1w\xc3\xba7mesh (Squamish), and s\xc9\x99lilw\xc9\x99ta\xc9\xac (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the worlds most liveable cities and is working towards being the greenest city in the world. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, decolonization, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.
Main Purpose and FunctionThe Social Planner III is an advanced professional position responsible for comprehensive social planning and administrative work within the Social Planning & Projects Division. The incumbent is highly experienced and will be responsible for developing, managing and evaluating strategic social policy initiatives, short term priority actions, and making recommendations on complex issues involving City departments and related initiatives, as well as a significant and diverse array of external stakeholders.The initial areas of focus for this Social Planner III position is to provide leadership, analytical and conceptual skills in relation to community and gender safety, and is a key part of the Social Policy and Projects leadership team that develops and implements City strategies related to social sustainability, including the City of Vancouvers Healthy City Strategy, Equity Framework, and related initiatives, such as the Accessibility Strategy. This position brings substantive expertise and creativity to a range of complex social issues related to community and gender safety and violence prevention, and undertakes analytical and research activities to support critical decisions, plans, policies and strategies.
The position oversees policy development related to community and gender safety, and provides leadership on civic and community based initiatives concerning communities most impacted by violence, including women and girls, Indigenous communities, low-income and racialized individuals, TGV2IS and non-binary people and sex workers.
The Social Planner III leads and supervises a team of staff working on a number of safety initiatives, including but not limited to: the implementation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls recommendations (MMIWG); alternatives to emergency responses; safety for women and girls including non-binary and TGV2S+ people (UN Safe Cities), sex worker safety, and youth violence prevention. In future, this position may be re-assigned to focus on other Social Planner III related work within the division based on operational need.
Key Contacts and Reporting RelationshipsThis position reports to the Managing Director, Social Policy & Projects and supervises professional staff, consultants and contractors, including Social Planner I and IIs. The range of projects undertaken by this role are interdepartmental in nature and requires collaboration within the ACCS Department. The work also requires significant and ongoing collaboration and cooperation across City departments, including Indigenous Relations, the Equity Office, and related boards, including the Vancouver Police Department, Parks and Recreation and Library Services, the local health authority and school board, local First Nations and senior levels of government, women and urban Indigenous communities and Indigenous led organizations, academic and research institutions, the non-profit social sector, advocacy groups, and other external stakeholders.
Specific Duties/Responsibilities

• Prepares and manages a staff team and consultants executing a variety of activities, such as the flow of work to junior staff, design of projects and formulation of community development and safety policies, and their implementation;
• Provides strategic oversight of methods and processes used to implement actions of a highly sensitive and complex nature, including project planning and evaluation;
• Provides significant oversight of co-ordination and implementation of projects in conjunction and coordination with Social Policy team leads and staff, senior government, citizen groups, including youth, women, and Indigenous and racialized led groups; BIAs, non-profit organisations, and research institutions;
• Supervises professional and non-professional staff;
• Oversees procurement and management of consultancies and project budgets including tracking and approval of federal funding;
• Writes reports, including complex Council reports;
• Presents complex material to staff, management, the public, and City Council;
• Establishes collaborative working relationships with senior governments, funders, community organizations, businesses, immigrant and refugee groups, Citys advisory committees, residents, and other stakeholders;
• Supervises community engagement including community forums, workshops and meetings (including online, weekday evenings and after hours on weekends);
• Exercises considerable judgment and demonstrates professionalism, diplomacy, tact and discretion;
• Supervises the analysis of a wide variety of supporting data and information to assist in the formulation of initiatives, including in depth understanding of community needs and priorities, analysis of demographic and other trends, studies and surveys;
• Answers sensitive enquiries and corresponds with the public and other departments on matters related to projects and policies;
• Oversees the review and recommendations of funding proposals;
• Consults with and advises staff of other departments on matters related to major projects assignments and/or;
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualification RequirementsEducation and Experience:A masters degree in social policy, social work, human geography, urban planning or related discipline with extensive and progressive experience at a professional level (minimum of 10 years experience); a minimum of five years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, including lived experience. Demonstrated experience in preparing policies, practices and/or significant programs that involve community and gender safety and violence prevention and complex interrelationships between community development, socio-cultural sustainability, local economy, and the public realm
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated understanding of social determinants of health, and application of equity and intersectional lenses to the issues and approach to the work;
• Extensive knowledge of gender safety; community safety; sex worker safety and safety for Indigenous women, girls and Two-spirit people;
• Knowledge of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous women and girls and its associated reports.
• Knowledge of violence prevention as it relates to youth, and principles of youth engagement
• Applied knowledge of equity principles and practices, including social location and self-reflection.
• Applied knowledge of intersectional issues related to safety, income, race, occupation and other issues and how these issues play out in community issues around safety.
• Knowledge and experience in collaborating with significant urban planning projects
• Considerable knowledge and experience in facilitation of complex issues and projects.
• Considerable knowledge and experience in project management and practices including project scope, budgeting, scheduling and coordination of team activities.
• Considerable knowledge of the social non-profit sector
• A working knowledge of the City's policies and practices related to equity, social inclusion, as well as key services and programs provided by a range of community based organizations, ethno cultural specific service agencies, violence prevention/intervention agencies and those of senior and local government partners. A broad knowledge of City services, programs and processes.
• Ability to create innovative social policy and solutions that have an impact on outcomes for City priorities
• Ability to work effectively on social policy and projects both within Social Policy, and other internal City departments and with external stakeholders including federal and provincial agencies and the non-profit sector.
• Ability to demonstrate a high degree of versatility and adaptability to changing circumstances, sound judgement and independent action.
• Ability to mediate conflict situations, and to demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as part of a leadership team
• Highly developed methodological, analytical, creative and conceptual skills.
• Ability to lead a team of professionals in developing strategies, policies, guidelines and projects using coaching and mentoring skills and direct the work of consultants engaged on policy and projects.
• Significant expertise, with good results, in developing and managing community development and community capacity building approaches
• Ability to develop and implement an inclusive range of complex engagement processes and create collaborative partnerships, with good results
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present and explain complex issues and evidenced based recommendations through Council reports and to senior staff committees, and external stakeholder groups

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 - 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.
The Citys COVID-19 vaccination policy is currently suspended and as a result, vaccination against COVID-19 is not required at this time. However, should circumstances change and the City deem it necessary to re-introduce such policy, you may be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be eligible to continue performing your duties.
Business Unit/Department: Arts, Culture and Community ServicesAffiliation: CUPE 15 Non PksEmployment Type: Regular Full TimePosition Start Date: 03/27/2023Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-034: $58.74 to $69.48 per hour
Application Close: April 30, 2023At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous applicants, people of colour, all genders, 2SLGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Before you click Apply nowOnce you start your application you can save your work and leave the applications page, however please remember to submit your profile to the specific job requisition before the posting closing date. In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.