Senior Analyst, Research and policies

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Reporting to the president, produces thorough analyses, position statements and summaries to help the president lead high-level meetings and deliver clear, consistent, proactive remarks on major issues affecting higher education in Ontario and across Canada. Conducts comparative analyses and institutional intelligence research, playing a direct role in bolstering the University’s credibility and influence within academic, government and sectoral forums. Performs ongoing business intelligence work on academic, legislative and regulatory issues to inform the executive team’s decisions. This term position will eventually be converted to a permanent position.

Specific accountabilities

• Business intelligence and environmental scanning: Conducts routine monitoring of trends, government policy, sectoral reports and legislative developments related to universities in Ontario and across Canada. Identifies and prioritizes emerging issues that could affect the University’s strategic directions.
• Drafting position statements and summaries: Prepares summaries, analyses, backgrounders and speaking notes for the president and other members of the executive team on key issues (funding, accessibility, equity, internationalization, academic governance, priority and emerging research areas, etc.). Turns complex analyses into clear, concise, strategically useful recommendations.
• Supporting executives in speaking duties: Develops talking points and assists with developing speaking notes and arguments for the president to use during events, consultations or sectoral committees. Anticipates questions and counter-arguments to prepare well-supported, consistent responses that align with the University’s position.
• Knowledge management and strategic documentation: Maintains an organized knowledge base on strategic issues, including a history of policies, positions taken and regulatory changes. Ensures consistency in the University’s positions over time and across various senior leadership teams.
• Co-ordinating consultations and decision-making: Co-ordinates input gathering from various vice-presidents or subject matter experts during consultations or invitations to comment on positioning. Summarizes internal stakeholders’ perspectives to develop a unified response for the University.
• Comparative analysis of institutions: Conducts comparative analyses against other universities in Ontario and across Canada to identify best practices and determine where the University stands in the competitive landscape. Produces dashboards and analytical reports to support strategic decision-making.
• Advice and influence on priority issues: Contributes to fact-finding research and events by providing comments on articles and internal documents shared ahead of speeches or remarks by the president at different forums. Makes proactive recommendations on issues that could have a major impact on the University, and advises the president on related risks and opportunities.
• University liaison and representation: Maintains working relationships with academic associations, government organizations and sectoral partners (Council of Ontario Universities; Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security; U6; U7+; U15; etc.).

Knowledge, experience and skills

• Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, political science, law, education, communication or a related field — PhD an asset. Although a PhD is considered an asset, if you have a graduate degree and you meet all other qualifications, you are strongly encouraged to apply
• Seven years’ relevant experience in policy analysis, institutional affairs, government relations or a similar strategic advisory role
• Proven experience in drafting high-level strategy documents (summaries, backgrounders, memos, briefing notes) for executives
• In-depth knowledge of Ontario’s higher education sector, including the regulatory framework, funding and academic governance issues
• Experience working for a university or a public-sector organization — a strong asset
• Excellent writing skills in English and French (bilingualism required), and ability to draft clear, precise, impactful documents for a variety of audiences
• Strong ability to summarize large amounts of complex information and determine its strategic implications
• Ability to explain complex issues simply as well as adjust tone and format for different situations (internal document, speech, public submission, etc.)
• Thorough analytical thinking skills, systems thinking and ability to formulate nuanced, well-supported arguments
• Strategic vision and strong diplomacy skills as well as ability to anticipate implications of developments for an institution
• Interpersonal skills for establishing and maintaining high-trust relationships with high-level internal and external partners
• Self-sufficiency, strong work ethic, initiative and ability to handle multiple projects at once while under pressure

Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: 
Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.
The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [email protected] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.
If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.