Job Description

• Job ID: 62200
• Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research
• Division & Section: Customer Experience & Strategy
• Work Location: Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 3C6.
• Job Type & Duration: Temporary Vacancy, Full-time (18 months)

• Salary Range: $123,833.00 - $170,184.00, TM2210, Wage Grade 8.0

  Hiring Zone: $134,311.00 - $145,622.00

• Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
• Affiliation: Non-Union
• Number of Positions Open: 1
• Posting Period: 03-Mar-26 to 17-Mar-2026

Reporting to the Executive Director, Customer Experience, the Manager, Strategic Policy and Planning play an important role in shaping and advancing the Division’s strategic direction. As a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and a central coordination point for planning, policy, and performance, the Manager guides a team of consultants, analysts, and project coordinators dedicated to improving customer experience and modernizing 311 services.

This role translates strategy into action, and advances the Division’s priorities: driving digital adoption, strengthening governance, guiding data-driven decision-making, and improving end-to-end service request journeys.

Success in this role relies on strong political acuity and exceptional collaboration skills. The Manager continuously monitors emerging City-wide issues and identifies and helps navigate potential opportunities or risks that may impact the Division. They will also build and maintain productive relationships across divisions to help align priorities and advance consistent, customer-centric outcomes.

If you are an innovative, driven, enthusiastic and dedicated professional, adaptable to change and willing to contribute, we are looking for you! Our culture is emerging as dynamic and evolving, our people are the heart of our Division.

Major Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements detailed plans and recommends policies regarding program specific requirements.
• Manages, motivates and trains the unit's staff, ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, continuous learning and encourages innovation in others.
• Supervises the day-to-day operation of all assigned staff including the scheduling, assigning and reviewing of work.
• Authorizes and controls vacation and overtime requests. Monitors and evaluates staff performance, approves salary increments and recommends disciplinary action when necessary.
• Develops, recommends and administers the annual budget for the unit, and ensures that the unit's expenditures are controlled and maintained within approved budget limitations.
• Plans, manages, and implements projects and requests including the determination of project scope, action plans, identifying critical success factors.
• Manages complex internal / external environmental scans and industry / business research to identify and address issues which have Customer Experience implications for the various City business units.
• Manages the design and development of research proposals, methodologies and objectives; researches various data sources in other organizations and jurisdictions; prepares reports on research findings and policy recommendations resulting from these findings; validates findings / recommendations.
• Provides leadership and policy support in the development and implementation of recommendations and initiatives identified as priorities for Customer Experience.
• Prepares reports and briefing notes related to Customer Experience Business Plans, as well as divisional business plans and results.
• Takes a lead role in supporting the implementation of the Business Plans for Customer Experience.
• Develops targets and criteria to measure the effectiveness and success of programs.
• Formulates and presents reports and recommendations to senior management.
• Works closely with senior management to ensure Customer Experience Services effectively and efficiently manages business plan deliverables.
• Maintains close and effective working relationships with City divisions, management staff, directors and other key stakeholders.
• Provides strategic leadership to grow the organization's relationships with partners and alliances.
• Ensures awareness and devises potential solutions for existing and evolving issues and concerns related to business plan delivery and/or other strategic initiatives.
• Develops and consults on large policy related initiatives, while representing the interests of Customer Experience.
• Manages project teams consisting of divisional staff, interdivisional staff and potentially external consultants.
• Provides high quality customer service through improvement strategies including communications, training, public education, technological improvement, best practices, and quality control programs.
• Develops and establishes the strategic policy framework for Customer Experience.
• Develops and supports implementation of key policies on behalf of Customer Experience.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to Customer Experience’s Services' senior leadership team with regards to policy initiatives which may impact on strategies and operational delivery.
• Monitors, reviews and evaluates policy implementation and its impact on service delivery and performance.
• Provides expert advice on policy initiatives, which informs the development of policies from a foundation of research and good practice, operating within the boundaries of the law and statutory responsibilities.
• Manages and contributes to projects on behalf of Customer Experience.
• Maintains knowledge, research and evaluation methodologies and application of this as required, to the application and review of all aspects of policy.
• Attends Committee and Council meetings and communicates with Executive and Senior Management

Key Qualifications:

1. Post-secondary education in Business Administration, Policy or Government Affairs and/or an area that supports broad and strategic thinking, policy development and analysis, communications, issues resolution, relationship building, and stakeholder management, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Considerable experience leading customer-focused strategy in complex, fast-paced environments, including managing and motivating diverse staff teams, promoting effective teamwork and performance outcomes.
3. Considerable experience in a large public sector organization, combined with in-depth knowledge of government decision-making processes, as well as knowledge of Committee and Council proceedings, current corporate policies, programs, issues, and initiatives.
4. Considerable experience with conducting analysis, investigations, aligning stakeholders and making strategic recommendations to senior management.
5. Considerable experience managing strategic projects and initiatives, utilizing project management tools and methodologies to deliver on short- and long-term initiatives.
6. Considerable experience implementing service model and organizational improvement initiatives including designing, implementing, monitoring and reporting on goals and performance metrics.
7. Experience and expertise with change management and change management methodologies with specific emphasis on customer service improvement strategies.
8. Advanced interpersonal and verbal communication skills with the ability to balance interests of internal and external stakeholders, negotiate solutions and build consensus.
9. Advanced written communication skills with experience creating briefing notes, reports and presentations for senior management, Council and/or committee.
10. Excellent leadership and organizational skills with the ability to function as a team leader and member of a management team.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process