Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Public Service Direction and Services

Executive Group Benchmark - Number: 10-H-2

POSITION TITLE: Assistant Deputy Minister, International Trade and Finance

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Is accountable for developing policies and programs, and for providing advice to advance Canada's interests in the areas of international trade and finance, including tariffs, international assistance, international financial institutions (IFIs), participation in international groups, such as the G7 and the G20, economic and financial relations with other countries, and the effective functioning of the international financial and monetary system.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

This is 1 of 10 positions at the first level reporting to the Deputy Minister (DM). The others are: G7 Deputy; Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic and Fiscal Policy; Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic Development and Corporate Finance; Assistant Deputy Minister, Consultations and Communications; Assistant Deputy Minister, Law Branch and Counsel to the Department; Assistant Deputy Minister, Tax Policy; Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector; Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy; and Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services.

Specific responsibilities of the positions reporting directly to the Assistant Deputy Minister, International Trade and Finance, are as follows:

General Director, International Trade and Finance, is responsible for providing senior-level policy advice and recommendations to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), the G7 Deputy, the DM and the Minister of Finance on a broad range of international economic, financial and trade issues; serves as Canada's Alternate Governor for the regional development banks; and represents the Department in other international forums, such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

General Director, International Trade Policy Division, (staff of 33) is responsible for developing policy and providing advice and recommendations on Canada's trade and foreign investment policies, with particular reference to tariffs, import policy, trade remedies, trade disputes and the relevant domestic legislation and regulations, international trade and investment negotiations, Canada-United States relations, and border and security issues; and managing relations with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.

Director, International Finance and Development Division, (staff of 26) is responsible for developing policy and providing advice and recommendations on economic and policy developments in overseas economies. The Director is also responsible for overseeing advice on budget issues involving international assistance and debt, Canada's financial relations with developing countries, international financial institution policy toward developing countries and export financing.

Director, International Policy and Institutions Division, (staff of 15) is responsible for managing Canada's relations with IFIs, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); managing Canada's participation in a range of international groups, such as the G7, G10 and G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors; and for policy research on a range of international issues, including reforms of the international financial architecture, to improve crisis prevention and resolution and governance of the IFIs, as well as to meet the challenges of globalization.

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Department is primarily responsible for providing the government with analysis and advice on Canada's broad economic and financial affairs. Its responsibilities include preparing the federal budget, developing tax and tariff policy and legislation, managing federal borrowing on financial markets, administering major federal funding transfers to the provinces and territories, developing regulatory policy for the country's financial sector and representing Canada's interests within international financial and economic institutions.

Canada is a major global trading nation, so its economy is heavily dependent on the international trading environment and on the proper functioning of the international financial and monetary system. Consequently, Canada's economic relations with its trading partners and the global economic community are crucial to the country's prosperity.

The ADM plays a major role in ensuring the health of Canada's economy with regard to international trade and finance. The ADM serves as the Minister's chief adviser on international trade and finance issues and directs the Department's activities on these issues in dealings with foreign governments, international financial organizations, other federal and provincial departments, the Bank of Canada, Canadian financial institutions and Canadian business and labour.

The ADM has primary responsibility for strategic policy formulation on international economic and financial matters; economic and financial relations with other countries; participation in international financial groups, such as the G7 and the G20; Canada's relations with the IMF, World Bank, EBRD and other IFIs; renegotiation of international debts owed to Canada; and Finance Canada's general trade and investment policy agenda, including the Customs Tariff and the Special Import Measures Act.

The ADM is responsible for developing policies and proposing initiatives for Canada's participation in international financial organizations, such as the G7, G10 and G20 Finance Ministers' groups. This is of particular importance as the Minister of Finance chairs the G20 and the G7 Finance Ministers' Summit on a rotating basis. The ADM acts as the Finance Sous-Sherpa for the annual G8 Summits. The incumbent is also responsible for Canada's participation in the APEC, Commonwealth and Western Hemisphere Finance Ministers' fora. The ADM is also responsible for Finance Canada's relations with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The ADM is responsible for proposing initiatives, developing strategies and overseeing negotiations on trade and tariff issues, debt renegotiation, crisis prevention and resolution, and international assistance issues.

The ADM is responsible for formulating Canadian export financing policies in support of Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Canadian Wheat Board. The incumbent ensures that export finance decisions taken by these organizations are consistent with government policy and meet financial and fiscal standards. The ADM is also responsible for providing advice on the international financial activities of the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The incumbent is responsible for providing advice to the Minister of Finance and, on occasion, to the Prime Minister and other Ministers on international missions dealing with economic and financial issues.

The ADM is responsible for the Department's involvement in Canada-United States economic issues. These include US trade and investment issues; border and border security issues; discussions and negotiations on North American economic cooperation and integration; and other related matters, including relations between Finance Canada, the US Treasury and other agencies. The ADM also plays a key role in security policy issues by coordinating the efforts of other branches.

The incumbent is responsible for making recommendations on appointments to Finance Counsellor positions at posts abroad and on those to the Canadian offices at the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD, other regional development banks and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal. The ADM also evaluates the performance of Heads of Missions (Ambassadors and High Commissioners) who have important economic responsibilities.

The ADM accompanies or represents the Minister at Cabinet committee meetings. The incumbent also acts for the DM, in his or her absence, at DM committees dealing with international trade and finance. The incumbent is also responsible for leading government delegations to international meetings of the IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organization and OECD.

The ADM ensures that the Branch cultivates and maintains close working relationships with international organizations; foreign governments, particularly with their finance, trade and aid ministries; provincial governments on trade matters; and other federal government agencies, such as the Bank of Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency, Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs Canada, International Trade Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Natural Resources Canada. This involves participation in a variety of international, federal-provincial and interdepartmental meetings and requires frequent and extended travel.

The incumbent, on behalf of the DM, is responsible for providing instructions to the Bank of Canada to issue demand notes to meet Canada's payment obligations to the IMF, World Bank and regional development banks.

The ADM, as a member of the Departmental Executive Committee, is responsible for providing advice on the establishment of the Department's policies, programs and objectives, including fiscal, monetary and budgetary policies. He or she also contributes to the management of the Department by participating in the development and implementation of Department-wide initiatives, such as the Department's Human Resources Plan.

DIMENSIONS (Constant Dollars)

FTEs:	79
Operating budget:	$1.024 million
Major impacts:
Tariff policy on imports:	Total import trade value $59 billion (import of goods and services)
Tariff revenue:	$3.1 billion
Payment authorization to IFIs:	$63 million

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Ensures that Canadian government policies and initiatives on tariffs, trade and international finance effectively represent Canada's interests and are comparable with and advance domestic economic, industrial and government economic policy priorities and objectives.
2. Directs the preparation of legislation, regulations and instruments giving effect to government policies in the areas of international trade and finance to ensure that these instruments contribute to Canada's international trade policy objectives.
3. Accompanies or represents the Minister at Cabinet committee meetings and the Minister or Deputy Minister at various national and international meetings to ensure that Canada's economic interests and the Department's concerns are effectively represented and advanced.
4. Serves as Canada's lead in negotiating increases to capital subscriptions, as well as the provision of funds for use in the World Bank Group and in the regional development banks.
5. Directs and manages the operations of the International Trade and Finance Branch and ensures effective coordination with the Department's objectives and operations.

EVALUATION RATIONALE

Assistant Deputy Minister, International Trade and Finance

KNOW-HOW

G	Mastery of concepts, techniques, processes and theories in international trade and finance; in-depth knowledge of the international economy, the international economic and financial institutions and their respective mandates, organization structures, roles and decision-making processes; comprehensive knowledge of the Bank of Canada, EDC and related domestic financial and economic institutions; and knowledge of the machinery of government, in order to guide the preparation of legislation and regulations as the authority within government on international trade and economic matters.
IV	Coordination of government-wide policy on international trade and finance and the continual monitoring of and advising on the economic health of the international trading community.
3	Successful achievement of objectives requires the incumbent to advise the DM, the Minister and parliamentary committees on international trade and finance issues; and to negotiate in Canada's best interests with international institutions.
1056	Highest number reflects the breadth and depth of expected mastery in the fields of international economics, finance and trade, in directing the development of the government's global trade and finance strategies, policies and related legislation.

PROBLEM SOLVING / THINKING

G	Thinking within the broadly defined principles and goals and government trade priorities, provides advice and makes recommendations on government programs, such as trade, tariffs, and financial and monetary systems that involve Canada's economic relations with its trading partners and the global economic community in a rapidly evolving international environment.
4	Analytical and constructive thinking required to provide advice and to formulate recommendations on complex and significant government policy matters, such as strategic policy on international monetary matters, including the Department's general trade, customs and tariff policy agenda.
(66) 700	Higher percentage represents the requirement of the position to identify and recommend original proposals, in a dynamic and complex environment, in order to develop new concepts and approaches affecting the government's global economic and international trade policies and objectives.

ACCOUNTABILITY / DECISION MAKING

G	Reporting to the DM, is subject to general guidance in formulating recommendations and providing advice on government programs and strategies that have an impact on the government's international trade and monetary policies and relationships with international economic and financial institutions and foreign governments.
7I	The position has an indirect impact on international trade policies and programs undertaken by the Department. The proxy used to represent these activities is $59 billion (constant)-the total value of all Canadian imports in goods and services.
920	High number reflects the freedom to act, the magnitude of the dollars involved and a pull towards contributory impact in terms of the effect of policies and programs on the proxy selected.

SUMMARY

GIV3

1056

G4(66)

700

G7I

920

=

2676

A2

ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE NUMBER: 10 - H - 2