Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Representing Canada's Interests Abroad

Executive Group Benchmark - Number:  9-C-1

POSITION TITLE: Vice-President, Asia

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Is accountable for planning, articulating and implementing the vision of Canada's bilateral cooperation program to recipient countries in Asia; coordinating all of Canada's multilateral, industrial cooperation and Canadian partnership programs in the region; and representing the Agency at the interdepartmental and international levels in all matters related to development assistance in the region.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The Vice-President (VP) is 1 of 15 senior officials at the first managerial level reporting to the President. The others are the Senior VP; VP, Policy; VP, Canadian Partnership; VP, Multilateral Programs; VP, Africa and Middle East; VP, Americas; VP, Central and Eastern Europe; VP, Human Resources and Corporate Services; Director General, Communications; Director General, Information Management and Technology; Director General, Performance and Knowledge Management; Director General, Corporate Secretariat; Senior General Counsel; and Executive Assistant.

Specific functions of the management positions reporting to the Vice-President, Asia, are as follows:

Three Program Directors General: Indonesia, Philippines and South Pacific; Nepal, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan; and China (total staff of 75).

Three Program Directors: Indochina, Thailand and Malaysia; Bangladesh; and Pakistan (total staff of 52), each is responsible for developing and recommending aid programs to recipient countries in his or her respective regions and ensuring that these programs relate to Canadian interests and imperatives; determining the most effective aid delivery channels and mechanisms and relative funding levels to achieve a maximum impact in these countries; managing the bilateral component of the aid program; monitoring the implementation of program components flowing through other channels; and recommending adjustments to programs to meet changing circumstances.

Director General, Policy and Planning, (staff of 30) is responsible for ensuring that Asia business objectives are consistent with Official Development Assistance strategies and policies; developing, articulating and advising on Branch strategic planning and policy directions, consistent with Agency and Government of Canada development and cooperation objectives; developing, maintaining and disseminating, inside and outside the Agency, knowledge of Asian development realities and related Canadian interests; defining end results; and reporting on results of program activities.

Director, Technical and Strategic Management, (staff of 30) is responsible for providing Branch management services for finance, contracting, human resources, information management and business systems for strategically linking and adapting these services to short- and long-term Branch business needs.

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Agency is responsible for facilitating the efforts of developing countries to achieve sustainable social and economic development according to their needs and environment. The Agency's key priorities include reducing poverty and promoting global peace and socio-economic and political stability. Aid is the main cooperation channel.

The Asia geographic region is diverse and complex. The region has a large number of countries, each having its own economic, social, political and cultural reality, often characterized by socio-political instability. The Branch therefore faces major development challenges in fostering cooperation programs to support sustainable efforts that address basic human needs and increase human rights, democracy and good governance. These programs must integrate women and promote development and harmony with the environment.

The VP articulates the vision of Canada's development program in the region. This vision must reflect the development objectives and priorities of each recipient country in the region and must also reflect United Nations international development goals, Canadian foreign policy and development objectives and the Agency's priorities and general policies. The incumbent works in close consultation with Assistant Deputy Minister counterparts in Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada to harmonize programs.

The VP directs the development of policy frameworks for programs in the region, setting the program objectives, priorities and themes, which are integrated into all Agency programming activities, in order to address the region's complex challenges. The Branch is the main source of information on programs of other countries or donor agencies in the countries for which it is responsible, and is constantly monitoring economic, political, social and cultural issues to assess the countries' evolving needs and adapt programs and specific aid projects to ensure optimum benefit to recipient countries. Many Asian countries face multiple challenges, such as poverty, gender discrimination, conflicts and illiteracy. Some may require extensive assistance in rebuilding their infrastructures, or in dealing with fragile and unstable political systems, in the case of newly independent emerging democracies.

The VP provides Canadian leadership through representation with a myriad of Canadian and international partners, other government departments, developing countries, Canadian organizations, institutions and business, as well as international organizations and agencies, to advance the Agency development program agenda. Aid projects address issues in developing countries, such as economic development, capacity building, human rights, democratization, good governance, health, education, environment and agriculture, and are delivered under contract with partners, consultants and cooperants, or as jointly funded initiatives. In contracted aid projects, the Agency is normally responsible for project and financial planning, approval, management and results assessment.

A major challenge facing the VP is to put in place an effective, results-based management system. The responsibility for leading the bilateral program requires the incumbent to ensure that those activities, relating mainly to planning, implementation and evaluation, are consistent with the Agency's policies and practices and that they ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the program to meet the intended outcomes. The incumbent must ensure that bilateral and multilateral programs incorporate Canada's aid initiatives; consider economic, technical, political and social factors in each country or region; and ensure that appropriate planning, evaluation and reporting structures and processes are implemented to manage projects that support the long-term program direction for regions or individual countries.

The VP must continually adjust programs to ensure maximum benefit to developing countries from the Canadian aid investment. The incumbent must maintain an awareness of Canadian and international influences that have an impact on the aid programs, such as Cabinet decisions to reallocate cooperation funds among new or existing recipient countries, changes in Canada's foreign policy initiatives, developments in the political and economic situation of recipient countries, or human and natural disasters that may require timely response and the reassessment of planned or current projects. Under these circumstances, the incumbent provides the analysis for the review and adjustment of policies and the reallocation of funds. The incumbent also discusses changes made to the program and negotiates their implementation with senior officials of recipient governments and organizations.

The VP regularly discusses and negotiates the content of program policies and guidelines with senior officials of other government departments, such as Finance Canada, Foreign Affairs Canada and the International Development Research Centre. The nature of most aid initiatives in developing countries involves long-term financial commitments, requiring the incumbent to meet with Ministers and senior officials of recipient countries to discuss Canada's long-term cooperation program and development plans for those countries, review current activities and resolve potential disputes. The VP meets regularly with senior officials of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral institutions and with representatives of other bilateral donors.

The VP is the Canadian expert in development issues in Asia and may be required to appear before parliamentary committees and subcommittees that want to obtain information about the Agency's activities in the region. As a member of the Agency Executive Committee, the incumbent contributes to the development of strategic operational and administrative plans, policies and frameworks.

DIMENSIONS (Constant Dollars)

FTEs:	191
Operational budget:	$3 million
Aid budget:	$50 million

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Develops the vision, policy framework and policies for Canada's bilateral cooperation program in Asia, as well as effective results-based delivery and management policies and procedures.
2. Coordinates the various forms of Canadian cooperation in each country or region. Ensures that funding is provided by the most consistent and effective mechanisms.
3. Provides useful information about the countries in the region to the Government of Canada, especially to the Minister, the President, Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada. Ensures that the Agency's and the Government of Canada's reporting requirements are met.
4. As a member of the Executive Committee, participates in developing the Agency's policy and strategic operational plans and frameworks.
5. Represents the Agency and/or the Government of Canada at high-level national and international meetings and fora.

EVALUATION RATIONALE

Vice-President, Asia

KNOW-HOW

G	Mastery of Canadian foreign policy objectives, goals and interests in recipient countries in Asia; mastery of Cabinet decisions affecting funding allocations and of the Agency's development mechanisms and delivery processes; broad knowledge of the political, social and economic situation prevalent in recipient countries; and broad knowledge of current and developing bilateral and multilateral agreements.
IV	Conceptual management required to ensure the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of effective aid programs; operational management of project funding and delivery through a variety of partnering, cooperative, consulting and contracting mechanisms; and conceptual interpretation required to resolve competing priorities and demands for funds between and among recipient countries.
3	Successful achievement of objectives requires the incumbent to negotiate with other departments the harmonization of Canadian policies and programs in Asia, and to review and discuss current activities and long-term cooperation programs and development plans with officials of recipient countries.
920	Mid-range number reflects the management activities, the focus of the position on a particular socio-economic area of the Agency's line divisions, and the fluctuating social, political and economic conditions of the countries in the region.

PROBLEM SOLVING / THINKING

G	Thinking is done within government and Agency development policies, directing the development of recommended funding levels by country and the identification of aid mechanisms for all recipient countries in Asia.
4	Evaluative and constructive thinking required to respond to frequent major events affecting the aid program in the region, such as the requirement to drastically curtail or build up a program in a country or to respond to major emerging natural and human disasters.
(57) 528	Solid percentage reflects the socio-economic context in which program activities are conducted and the requirement to develop proposals within an approved framework.

ACCOUNTABILITY / DECISION MAKING

G	Reporting to the President, is accountable for planning and implementing the bilateral component of Canada's aid program in Asia, and for programming special program branch components by country. Is subject to policies designed to develop a degree of uniformity among the four area branches.
4P	The position has a primary impact on the bilateral aid program in Asia. The proxy selected to represent this program is a budget of $50 million (constant) annually.
700	Standard number reflects the collegiality of program decisions, leaning toward a contributory impact, representative of the relative latitude of the position in determining program financial levels and managing projects in client countries.

SUMMARY

GIV3

920

G4(57)

528

G4P

700

=

2148

A2

VICE-PRESIDENT
ASIA
NUMBER: 9 - C - 1