Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Policy and Planning

Executive Group Benchmark - Number: 9-I-1

POSITION TITLE: Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Is accountable for providing corporate leadership in the development, promulgation and implementation of national strategic policies, frameworks and plans to guide the reorientation of the Department's mission and management approach to its federal oceans responsibilities; delivering the Department's programs and services to support a sustainable yield of the fishery and a viable commercial harvesting and processing sector in concert with industry, national and international partners.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

This is 1 of 16 positions at the first managerial level reporting to the Deputy Minister. The others are the Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard; Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management; Assistant Deputy Minister, Oceans and Habitat; Assistant Deputy Minister, Science; Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services; Director General, Communications; Senior General Counsel; Executive Director, Fisheries Resource Conservation Council; Director, Departmental General Executive Secretariat; and 6 Regional Directors General.

Specific functions of the positions reporting to the Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy, are as follows:

Director General, Economic and Policy Analysis, (staff of 32) is responsible for directing the development and implementation of strategies and activities to identify major economic issues affecting the fishery resource; developing and monitoring the implementation of policies, strategies and frameworks to improve the economic performance and international competitiveness of the Canadian fisheries and their interdependence on other oceanic activities; and developing and implementing policy initiatives for specific areas of the fisheries sector.

Director General, Strategic Priorities and Planning, (staff of 16) is responsible for providing national leadership in developing and implementing comprehensive corporate policies in response to long-term initiatives to integrate the federal government's evolving role and long-term strategies into the Department's corporate vision; creating national corporate policy coherence; and establishing and implementing a departmental model for strategic and business planning and review processes consistent with the government's agenda.

Director General, Policy Coordination and Liaison, (staff of 17) is responsible for managing the policy processes, including federal-provincial relations, legislation and regulatory review and amendments.

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Department is engaged in developing and delivering policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters. The Department is responsible for developing and delivering operational programs, policies, standards, directives and cost-recovery services related to the legislated mandate of the Coast Guard; and managing major scientific and technical activities related to renewable fisheries resources and aquatic and oceans research and management programs of national and international consequence.

The Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Policy, provides corporate leadership for the development of a long-term national strategic policy and planning framework that guides changes to the Department's role in managing federal oceans responsibilities and the mode of protecting and advancing Canada's interests and concerns in the fisheries sector, both domestically and internationally. The incumbent provides the overall direction for establishing and maintaining strategic policy linkages throughout the Department so that specific operational policies and programs are developed as a coherent whole in support of the Department's mandate and strategic vision. The incumbent ensures that strategic linkages are in place, aligning all elements of the Department's strategic plan, as well as the strategic linkages to the overall policy agenda of the government.

The ADM defines the vision, formulates and promulgates the strategies and initiatives to articulate a national direction for the Department in response to the government's socio-economic agenda and the economic realities of the fisheries sector. The incumbent provides corporate leadership in changing the orientation of the Department, refocussing national policies and strategic plans to articulate a clear vision and direction for all program areas and regions. The incumbent ensures that these policies and plans are reflected in the functional guidance given to Regional Directors General and in the annual management accords in support of the Business Plan.

The ADM develops and articulates broad strategic directions for the federal government's responsibilities and for managing the Department's oceans responsibilities in a consistent and coherent manner. The incumbent must ensure that the government's overall socio-economic agenda is reflected in the Department's strategic policies on oceans; and that the appropriate linkages with this area of the Department's responsibility are established and maintained with central agencies, other federal government departments and provincial and territorial governments. The ADM is involved in broad discussions and negotiations with international organizations and foreign governments and represents and advances Canada's interests in the responsible management of oceans.

A major challenge for the ADM is to ensure that strategic planning and policy development activities are integrated with the interests of a wide variety of fisheries management operational concerns, commercial interests of clients and stakeholders and the interests of provincial, territorial and foreign governments. In meeting this challenge, the incumbent ensures that the Department can assess the economic and market implications, for the fisheries, of various legislative, policy and regulatory initiatives from the Department and from other federal departments and provincial governments. The incumbent leads extensive consultations on economic issues affecting the fisheries.

The ADM defines, plans and directs the Department's involvement in international relations to advance Canada's fisheries conservation and trade interests, and to maximize allocations to Canadians from internationally managed fish stocks. This includes the negotiation and administration of international treaties affecting conservation, allocations and trade; the conduct of bilateral and multilateral fisheries relations with other countries; and the formulation and representation of international fisheries conservation, allocation and trade positions.

The ADM develops policy and negotiating positions, and leads negotiations on behalf of the Government of Canada on a number of critical issues, such as the extension of the Canadian fishing zone to 200 miles, the liberalization and expansion of Canada's trading horizon through World Trade Organization negotiations, the Free Trade Agreement with the United States and the North American Free Trade Agreement and negotiations leading to the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.

The ADM plays a leadership role in educating the public through the media and public meetings to support government fisheries initiatives both domestically and internationally. The incumbent consults with academics, industry and community leaders to explain the Department's position and to receive their feedback.

The ADM is part of a strategic network, both inside and outside the Department and the federal government, to advance the Department's socio-economic and international interests and concerns. As a member of the senior executive team, the incumbent provides strategic advice on all departmental operational initiatives brought before the Departmental Management Committee. The incumbent is in frequent contact with senior officials of central agencies, other federal departments that affect the mandate and programs of the Department, provinces and territories to further the strategic interests of the Department. The incumbent also develops frequent contacts with senior representatives of foreign governments and international and national associations to develop working relationships.

DIMENSIONS (Constant Dollars)

FTEs:	65
Operating budget:	$7.3 million
Departmental operating budget:	$265 million

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Directs the identification of strategic issues and ensures that the Minister and senior departmental management are provided with sound advice and recommendations in developing strategic policy frameworks to articulate and advance the Department's role in managing Canada's oceans responsibilities both domestically and internationally.
2. Provides corporate leadership in defining the Department's overall vision, and develops and implements strategies and initiatives to ensure that this vision becomes part of the Department's working culture.
3. Develops a comprehensive strategic policy and planning framework that integrates the Department's diverse interests at national headquarters and in the regions.
4. Directs the design, development and application of approaches, methodologies and tools to ensure the professional collection and analysis of appropriate economic data. Directs the design and development and coordinates the implementation of initiatives and programs to encourage industry growth and diversification.
5. Develops and implements policies, strategies and initiatives to establish and maintain bilateral and multi-lateral arrangements and to promote Canadian interests in the economic and sustainable development of the world's fisheries resources.

EVALUATION RATIONALE

Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy

KNOW-HOW

G	Mastery of the legislation, priorities, programs and issues related to the Department's custodial mandate and corporate initiatives with respect to Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters; mastery of the principles and practices of strategic policy development and planning and of the interrelationships between provincial and territorial governments concerning the Department's mandated responsibilities; mastery of the principles, methodologies and practices related to economic research and analysis; and professional expert knowledge of the Cabinet system and of the workings of the Minister's and the Deputy Minister's offices.
IV	Conceptual and operational management of a service-oriented unit requiring integration and coordination, within a comprehensive strategic framework, of a variety of corporate policy and planning issues and initiatives.
3	Critical human relations skills required to provide corporate leadership for the development of long-term national strategic policy and planning frameworks, and to develop cooperative working relationships within the Department, with other government departments and with representatives of foreign governments and national and international associations.
920	Mid-range number reflects the depth of professional knowledge and the conceptual and human relations skills required to integrate multiple and divergent priorities and programs into cohesive national strategic policies, frameworks and plans.

PROBLEM SOLVING / THINKING

G	Thinking is done within overall government economic and environmental management policies and the Department's custodial mandate.
4	Analytical and constructive thinking is required to develop a cohesive strategic vision for the Department and to integrate that vision into comprehensive policy and planning frameworks and instruments requiring the development of new and imaginative approaches to policy development.
(66) 608	Analytical and constructive thinking is required to develop a cohesive strategic vision for the Department and to integrate that vision into comprehensive policy and planning frameworks and instruments requiring the development of new and imaginative approaches to policy development.

ACCOUNTABILITY / DECISION MAKING

G	Reporting to the Deputy Minister, manages the development of strategic vision and integrated corporate policy and planning frameworks and instruments to guide the Department's responsibilities related to the government's agenda in the fisheries and ocean sectors.
5C	The position has a contributory impact on the strategic direction of the Department. The proxy selected to represent this impact is the departmental operating budget of $265 million (constant).
608	Mid-range number reflects the position's leadership role in developing strategic policy and planning frameworks to support the Department's operations and business practices.

SUMMARY

GIV3

920

G4(66)

608

G5C

608

=

2136

0

ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER
POLICY
NUMBER: 9 - I - 1