Social Planner

Are you looking for an opportunity to create positive policy and systems change in affordable housing and homelessness issues in Edmonton? Join the Affordable Housing and Homelessness team as a Social Planner and help implement ambitious actions in the Affordable Housing Strategy and Homelessness and Housing Services Plan to reduce housing precarity in Edmonton. Utilize your planning, research, and analytical expertise to improve systems in the homeless-serving sector and create and maintain the supply of affordable housing for Edmontonians.

Reporting to the Program Manager, Policy and Planning, the Social Planner uses a big picture, systems-thinking approach to ensure that the policies and initiatives of the City are aligned, effective, and deliver the desired social outcomes outlined by City Council and senior leadership.

What will you do?

• Lead development of significant social policy frameworks and strategic plans for the section
• Conduct environmental scans and situational analyses
• Undertake research on historical and emerging best practices from other jurisdictions and social trends
• Undertake detailed data analyses, including presentation and visualization for various audiences
• Identify and assess issues and problems at the community and system levels, and propose potential solutions
• Produce briefing notes and memos in accessible language for executive leadership and audiences
• Lead the production and writing of Council Reports with corresponding research and engagement to inform recommendations
• Design and execute effective public engagement processes to involve stakeholders in decision-making and policy development
• Gather and share information, stay abreast of trends in municipal government and local issues in the community
• Participate in the new development or redesign of services, programs, and projects
• Assess and evaluate proposed and existing programs and services
• Evaluate affordable housing and homelessness initiatives and programs
• Establish criteria for program evaluation and assist in the development and implementation of program monitoring, performance evaluation, and tools
• Develop, implement, and monitor service and performance improvement processes
• Lead a variety of assigned projects which may be complex and/or sensitive
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with internal partners, other orders of government, and community stakeholders, including the homeless-serving organizations, affordable housing providers, and representatives from allied systems of care
• Determine and develop appropriate documentation outlining formal relationships (Charters, Memorandums of Understanding, Terms of Reference)
• Identify community issues and provide information on statistics and demographics
• Advise external agencies and organizations on existing policies and services
• Lead, facilitate, and/or participate in external community committees and working groups
• Represent the section on committees and working groups for various branch, department, and corporate initiatives
• Perform other related duties as required