Planning & Foresight Consultant

DUTIES

Reporting to the Associate Director, Integrated Planning & Effectiveness (IPE) and working closely with the IPE management team, the Consultant leads and facilitates the strategic planning function of the Integrated Planning & Effectiveness department. This position will act as a trusted consultant to senior leaders across the university and assist them in planning and future-proofing. This role is a futures thinking practitioner that operates in an environment with a high degree of complexity that will require operating at times within a high degree of ambiguity, requiring initiative to drive clarity through excellent facilitation techniques, flexibility, thought leadership, and complex problem-solving capabilities combined with creativity and excellent analytical skills.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific Accountabilities:

• Works closely with institutional leadership on strategic planning. 
• Act as a facilitator and lead strategic planning processes in support of institutional, unit or committee level planning.
• Design and lead workshops that use Strategic Foresight methods to help colleagues across the institution build, pressure test and evolve new ideas, visions, and strategies that support TRU’s mission, vision and goals
• Socialize Strategic Foresight basics within the institution teaching colleagues about the domain, its benefits and how to use basic foresight tools
• Conduct ongoing scanning to identify new trends, monitor how known trends are evolving; development and regular update of trend tools; help the institution to use these trends to inspire and inform decision-making
• Develops environmental scanning and trends documents and tools to support planning at TRU
• Makes recommendations to the Associate Director on the best course of action required to meet institutional planning objectives.
• Identifies innovation opportunities and follows through to develop the ideas in collaboration with the IPE team and stakeholders
• Translate strategic objectives into performance metrics and actionable plans
• Monitor and track the progress of strategies, identifying and tracking issues to ensure outcomes are achieved
• Develop and implement research plans, collect, analyze and validate quantitative and qualitative data/reports from various sources
• Organize and facilitate inclusive public engagement processes
• Design and conduct scenarios projects that take an in-depth look at selected topics 
• Researches and evaluates tools for strategic reporting 
• May oversee the work of additional staff.  Responsible for recruitment, professional development, performance management and conflict management for the staff under their responsibility.
• Develops, implements and maintains effective collaborative working relationships and partnerships with all relevant internal and external stakeholders 
• Collaborate with the Associate Director to identify ideal projects for Strategic Foresight and additional ways that Strategic Foresight can benefit TRU
• Leverage a variety of emerging innovative methods to gather research, engage stakeholders, and visually represent information.
• Leads assigned special projects and events, including but not limited to: defining the scope of assigned projects; organizing project timelines; tracking and monitoring all relevant progress and budget; setting up and organizing leadership meetings pertaining to projects to ensure they align with the current strategy. Adjusts project plans as needed. Reports and makes recommendations to the Associate Director on future and potential projects. 

REPORTS TO

Associate Director, Integrated Planning & Effectiveness

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS

Planning/Foresighting

• Strategic planning and management principles and techniques
• Foresight knowledge and techniques
• Strong integrated planning knowledge
• Trend identification and analysis techniques
• A creative and analytical mind 

Communication, consultation, and mature judgement

• Expertise with a variety of community consultation modalities  
• Effective presentation delivery and facilitation skills
• Ability to work well under pressure in an environment of evolution and rapid change
• Possess sound skills in dealing with controversial and sensitive issues, which involve balancing interests of numerous parties with divergent viewpoints
• Exercise sound judgement and political acumen
• Client-service oriented in dealing with management and staff regarding complex and sensitive issues
• Contributes to teamwork, fosters strong working relationships across all levels of the university community
• Experience using virtual collaboration tools

Analysis and research, Evaluation and benchmarking

• Research and analysis techniques/methodologies
• Knowledge of post-secondary sector trends
• Advanced computer skills and abilities in statistical modeling and data management 
• Analytical with strong attention to detail, prioritization and organizational skills with the ability to combine speed and accuracy while under pressure to meet deadlines
• Performance evaluation and benchmarking techniques
• Program evaluation techniques

Management

• Ability to manage a variety of multi-faceted projects using project management techniques/skills
• Organized, efficient and productive in carry out responsibilities, capable of managing multiple tasks and priorities under tight deadlines and within budget
• Ability to supervise and mentor staff

Education and experience

• Master’s degree in a related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience with an emphasis on planning, assessment and/or foresight
• Training in strategic planning and Foresight
• Minimum of 2 years of project management experience