Policy Analyst

JOB DESCRIPTION POLICY ANALYST

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Classification: Band 2

Position Number: Various

Supervisor title: Manger, Systemic Advocacy and First Nations, Métis and Inuit Research

Location: Remote within British Columbia

WHO WE ARE

The Representative for Children and Youth (RCY), an independent and non-partisan officer of the B.C. Legislature, works to influence positive change to B.C.’s child-, youth- and young adult-serving systems. Working under the authority of the Representative for Children and Youth Act and Regulations, the Representative’s Office provides advocacy support to people dealing with the service system and advocates directly on behalf of children, youth and young adults, monitors and reviews government services for children and youth and reviews, and may investigate, deaths and critical injuries of children and youth who are receiving services.

We aspire to a legacy where children, youth, young adults, their families, and communities served by the child and family serving systems receive the timely, appropriate and compassionate support and services that they need, when they need it. We dream of a Province where all children and families thrive and where experiences of stigma, shame, judgment and racism have been eliminated.

RCY is committed to becoming a culturally aware and agile organization, integrating Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our daily practice, and ensuring that our work highlights concerns and bright spots. We practice ways of being that honour relationships, and demonstrate respect, reciprocity, relevance, responsibility and restoration or repair.

We are guided by principles underlying cultural humility and agility, antiracism, and restorative approaches. We are a highly connected organization known for upholding child and youth rights and being a good ally. As First Nations and communities work towards self-determination and resumption of jurisdiction, RCY seeks guidance from and accompanies those on their journey in a supportive way.

JOB OVERVIEW

Reporting to a Manager within the Systemic Advocacy, First Nations, Métis and Inuit Research team, the Policy Analyst works in collaboration with other RCY program areas, subject matter experts, people with lived experience and RCY partners to examine legislation, regulations, policies, and standards of designated services.

Policy analysts produce executive briefings, write public monitoring reports and mobilize resources for collective systemic action. Policy Analysts play an important role in catalyzing system-wide changes through relational and strategic work that reflects the rights and needs of children, youth, young adults, their families and communities in British Columbia as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights on the Child (UNCRC), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Policy Analysts also apply legislative and policy analysis across jurisdictions and territories including the implementation of Canada’s Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (“Bill C-92”) and BC’s Child, Family and Community Service Amendment Act (“Bill 26”).

ROLE DUTIES

• Leads systemic analysis of practice, policies, guidelines, programs, service delivery, legislation and regulations; conducts research and cross-jurisdictional reviews; recommends alternatives or new approaches.
• Evaluates and reviews the effectiveness and efficiency of provincial government practice, policies, guidelines, programs, service delivery, legislation and regulations.
• Assists in the development, implementation and maintenance of a process for prioritizing and strategizing responses to systemic advocacy issues.
• Implements Indigenous research methodologies and decolonizing approaches guided by two-eyed seeing and wise practice to strategic initiatives across systemic advocacy activities.
• Collaborates with all communities, particularly those impacted by systemic discrimination, using ethical engagement practice and meaningful participation of children and youth and rights holders.
• Conducts systemic analysis and evaluates systemic change to explore the intersections between people, structure, process, and goals.
• Embeds anti-racist approaches, two-eyed seeing, cultural safety and humility as well as inclusion frameworks into research design and analysis.
• Applies an understanding of the impacts of colonization and the principles of reconciliation in relation to the provision of services for children, youth and young adults.
• Prepares written reports for government communication (i.e., briefing note, presentations) and public audiences (i.e. published reports, fact sheets, knowledge mobilization campaigns)

QUALIFICATIONS

A Graduate degree in human services, social sciences or a related discipline with a social policy component (e.g., Social Work, Child and Youth Care, Psychology, Criminology, Indigenous Studies, Health Sciences, Law, Sociology, Education, or Gender Studies) or a bachelor’s degree in human services with additional training in policy analysis.

RCY recognizes and values the cultural and community knowledge and experience that is gained over time, therefore other forms of post-secondary education and /or training will be considered.

For example:

• Professional development educational and learning opportunities
• Community and work experience in which skills and knowledge are developed over time
• First Nations, Métis or Inuit political leadership, governance, or program/project research roles

Experience

• Three (3) years or more of front-line experience working within the child and family serving system, e.g. in child welfare, family services, guardianship, mental health, substance use, special needs, special education, adoption, youth justice, residential care, or early childhood development.
• Three (3) years or more experience designing and participating in anti-racist approaches, cultural safety, or inclusion frameworks.
• Three (3) years or more professional experience writing clear, concise reports, policy papers, briefing notes, presentations, and/or other materials that explore complex issues for a public audience such as public leaders, policy makers, service providers, or the general population.
• Three (3) years of experience working within and for First Nations, Métis, Inuit and/or urban Indigenous communities.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, law, policies, practices and issues related to child, youth and family services and oversight of child and youth serving systems.
• Knowledge of child and youth services related to child welfare, mental health, substance use, youth justice, special needs, special education and early childhood development.
• Knowledge of social policy issues and the challenges in delivering public services in B.C.
• Knowledge of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and child welfare issues within a decolonizing framework.
• Knowledge of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNRPD).
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to apply Indigenous knowledge principles and two-eyed seeing.
• Demonstrated aptitude for working with various stakeholders partners and, in particular, an aptitude for active and successful engagement with Indigenous people, communities, and agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and meet tight timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to research, analyze, and understand complex legislation and policy issues and develop recommendations for systemic change.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain successful and effective relationships with stakeholders/partners, colleagues, managers and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to concisely and persuasively write a range of content such as briefing notes and engagement summary reports.
• Demonstrated ability to apply decolonizing principles of Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility to systemic analysis and advocacy.
• Demonstrated ability to work relationally, engage with and maintain genuine relationships and connection with others.
• Skills in the Microsoft Office suite including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Openness to continuous learning, working in complexity and commitment to decolonizing and anti-racism work.

Please review the job posting on RCY’s careers page for details regarding preferences and other specific requirements for this position.

COMPETENCIES

RCY Competencies

Cultural Agility is the ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably and effectively with Indigenous people and people of all cultures. It is noticing and readily adapting to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all.

Self-Discovery and Awareness means understanding one’s thoughts, feelings, values and background and how they impact the success of the interaction and relationship, or how they may influence one’s work. It is recognizing one’s own biases by tracing them to their origins, through reflection and by noticing one’s own behaviour – and then intentionally seeking a way forward that positively impacts the interaction and relationship.

Building a trust-based relationship requires a fundamental understanding that "relationship" is the foundation from which all activities happen and that building a good relationship takes time and commitment. It is a willingness to build a personal relationship in addition to a professional one, participating in open exchanges of experiences and culture. It requires a genuine, noncontrolling approach and relies upon demonstrated integrity and transparency.

Position Specific Competencies:

Listening, Understanding and Responding involves the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to people from diverse backgrounds.

Teamwork and Cooperation is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals.

Conceptual Thinking is the ability to identify patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related and to identify key or underlying issues in complex situations.

Analytical Thinking is the ability to comprehend a situation by breaking down its components and identifying key or underlying complex issues. It implies the ability to systematically organize and compare the various aspects of a problem or situation and determine cause and effect relationships (“if…then…”) to resolve problems in a sound, decisive manner. Checks to ensure the validity or accuracy of information.

For more information on competencies:

Competencies for Interviews & Hiring - Province of British Columbia

Indigenous Relations Behavioural Competencies - Province of British Columbia