DIRECTOR CLIENT & BUSINESS SERVICES

Job Category: Customer Service

Division & Section: Parks, Forestry & Recreation, PFR Client & Business Services

Work Location: CITY HALL, 100 Queen Street West

Job Type & Duration: Full-time, permanent

Salary: $149,331.00 – 175,466.20, TM2571, WG 10

Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week per week

Affiliation: Non-Union

Number of Positions Open: 1

Posting Period: 06-May-2021 to 20-May-2021

Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America and home to a diverse population of approximately 2.8 million individuals. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, the City of Toronto is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture. Human Resources is a critical function within the City’s complex multi-site, multi-division, multi-stakeholder and union and non-unionized environment. A team of approximately 33,500 employees are the driving force behind the City’s ability to provide programs and services to residents, business and visitors to this community.

The City recognizes that diversity is our strength and is committed to reflecting the diversity of the population it serves in its workforce. The City is also committed to championing equity, inclusion & reconciliation.

About the role:
The Director, Client and Business Services is an instrumental role at the City of Toronto and is an excellent career opportunity for an experienced client-centric leader with experience in municipal operations. We are looking for the candidates with senior level experience in project management, capable of demonstrating value-add service delivery to the business, key stakeholders and our clients.

Reporting to the General Manager, you will provide executive support on key divisional leadership functions, facilitate service excellence and contribute towards the definition and development of the division’s values, direction and culture. This role will have you develop and implement divisional issues management strategies and processes. Flourishing in the busy environment, you will oversee the communications, public relations and media relations activities, customer and business services, and partnership development for the Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division.

What will you do?

The Division will count on you to develop and implement functional policies and programs that make major changes in the ways we run our business. Passionate about process improvement, you will positively impact divisional performance through implementation of sound management practices, provide program management staff with direction, guidance and tools to increase efficiencies and improve the services provided by Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, while driving a culture of customer centricity.

As a Director, Client and Business Services, you will oversee PF&R issue management processes, including indirect supervision of branch issue management staff and development of effective strategies to respond to, manage and track a broad range of divisional issues and critical occurrences. We will rely on you in handling the response to emergency and priority situations. You will also participate in Toronto Emergency Management Committee (TEMP-C).

One of the key aspect of this role is to direct a centralized client services function, by guiding the strategic direction and customer service transformation, integrating the services through the organization, with a commitment to undertake best practices, utilize innovative approaches, plan for potential consideration of future growth and ensure service quality.

Thoughtful leader, you will manage and motivate a diverse workforce, ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work, continuous learning and innovation. You will also administer the annual budget for your section and ensure control over the section’s expenditures.

We will rely on your strong relationship building skills, as you foster collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders, including other levels of government and municipalities, agencies, industries, the non-profit sector and businesses to build resources, to collaborate on initiatives that are aligned with the division. Excellent communicator, you will act as the divisional spokesperson in the media and support the appropriate lead City spokesperson. You will also lead the divisional communications strategy, including communication plans, media materials and conferences, presentations, speech and article writing, annual reports, strategic plans, staff communiqués, and signature pieces for the General Manager.

Working with multiple stakeholders across the City, you will establish opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships and philanthropy and works with other City divisions, to ensure access to revenues and development of new physical assets. You will solicit federal and provincial grants, sponsorships, naming rights, donations and partnerships. Fiscally responsible and ethical individual, you will establish the process for screening and advancing donation, corporate sponsorships and naming rights opportunities in a transparent and defendable way to maximize revenue and protect the City’s reputation.

Using your project management skills, you will lead division-wide and cross-division projects, involving multiple functional areas, to ensure implementation of a complete and comprehensive strategy.

In this role you will oversee the leasing and licensing activities of all revenue generating assets of the division (conduct RFPs, recommend tenants to Government Management Committee, negotiate leases and licenses, manage concession agreements, supplier contracts etc).

You will direct customer service activities for the Parks, Forestry & Recreation Division, including registrations for recreation programs, permitting of arenas, pools, sports fields and other divisional space, provision of a call center.

Data driven and results oriented, you will manage the divisional agenda forecasting process, ensuring major strategic reports are vetted in advance of the General Managers review, you will direct the preparation of reports to Committee and Council. You will also be in charge of strategic analysis reports for the General Manager on divisional issues, media, reports, projects and related matter.

Who do you bring to the role?

A university or graduate degree in a relevant professional discipline (e.g. Business, Commerce, Public Relations, Marketing, Communications, Business Transformation etc) is a strong asset but will not be required for a candidate with extensive leadership experience delivering results in a similar role.

Extensive senior level experience in project management, customer service, strategic planning, policy development and analysis, along with highly developed strategic, analytical and conceptual thinking skills with the capacity to understand complex operating and policy issues, evaluation frameworks, program interrelationships and the potential consequences of policy actions.

Extensive knowledge of municipal government functions, priorities and service areas, along with an in depth understanding of the critical issues facing large municipal organizations.

Considerable experience in business planning, lease negotiations, lease administration, and partnership and sponsorship development areas in public and private sectors.

Extensive experience preparing comprehensive reports and presentations, analyzing, interpreting and summarizing information for the purpose of presenting and supporting strategic, service and financial decision making.

Extensive senior level experience in the management of complex, high profile, time-sensitive multi-stakeholder projects; excellent strategic, analytical and problem solving skills with the capacity to effectively plan, develop implement and undertake special projects.

A strong commitment to the organizational values of diversity and inclusion with the ability to handle labour relations in a unionized environment.

Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, including negotiation, conflict resolution and relationship building skills.

Ability to lead change within a complex organization while managing stakeholder’s needs and interests.

A service and results orientation to support client needs, policy and standards in conjunction with operational realities.

Effective decision making, with a track record demonstrating innovation and results oriented leadership, fiscal accountability, customer service orientation, the ability to promote and foster teamwork, and establish an environment which provides the capacity for staff excellence.

Familiarity with relevant legislation including: the Municipal Freedom of Information Act Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Residential Tenancies Act, Occupiers Liability Act, and common law applications etc.

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 to employment equity.

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’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.