Manager, System Plan, Access and Inclusion (Children's Services)

The Role

Leads the development, delivery, administration, and accountability of the Child Care and Early Years (CCEY) system plans, including the Access and Inclusion Plan and other addendums. Leads the development and implementation of a sustained process to identify, disrupt, and eliminate systemic barriers and inequities, and advance decolonization, inclusion, and truth and reconciliation within the early years and child care sector in Waterloo Region. 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises Social Planning Associates and students. 
• Leads the development and tracks the progress of the Children’s Services Early Years System Plan, the strategic roadmap for Children’s Services and a required function for the Consolidated Municipal Services Manager (CMSM) role as required by the Province. Leads the development and oversees the implementation of other addendum plans such as the Children’s Services Access and Inclusion Plan. 
• Leads process development, implementation, and analysis of the Early Development Instrument. Lead community knowledge mobilization of the EDI data and other relevant early years data sources to support planning across the early years system. 
• As lead for the community of practice for Children’s Services, provides leadership, guidance, and coordinates assignments to divisional staff focused on CCEY system plan project work, equity and access initiatives, and other project work in relation to the CCEY system plan.
• Manages target reporting to the Province as outlined in Provincial guidelines including the provincial access and inclusion framework, including oversight and monitoring, compliance with provincial and regional guidelines and requirements, service targets, and other data management. Oversees the development of updated system plans, access and inclusion plans, and other plans, and monitors for ongoing accountability.
• Manages evaluation, research, service delivery, and compliance. Analyses system activities/ performance and identifies future needs, program directions, and opportunities for program, policy, and administrative alignment and integration across internal and external programs and systems.
• Develops and manages a Children’s Services Community Engagement Strategy that engages diverse community members in the development of ongoing plans, frameworks, and services. Ensures a process where diverse voices and experiences are heard and used to shape ongoing policy. Facilitates information sessions, surveys, and other feedback mechanisms.
• Conducts local needs assessments to integrate inclusive programs and services into local service system plans. Identifies evolving community needs, service gaps, and service duplication to ensure inclusive service.
• Establishes and maintains strong, collaborative, trust-based relationships with diverse community leaders, groups, and organizations serving Indigenous, African, Caribbean, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, and other diverse or underserved communities. Leads the early years community in system wide projects to increase cultural safety and responsiveness.
• Provides oversight and direction to Children’s Services staff on issues related to reconciliation, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Liaises and collaborates with corporate and other equity focused work teams to ensure alignment with strategic goals, identify opportunities for partnership, and other activities.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Manages and negotiates partnerships with organizations related to the delivery of equitable early years services, collaboration, and system changes, including inclusion in service agreements terms and conditions. Provides information, training, and instruction to providers regarding conditions related to equity and inclusion requirements in service agreements. 
• Oversees grants, financial incentives, and funding related to improving equity and access to child care operators and other service providing agencies. 
• Reviews internal databases, systems, and software with an equity lens to implement changes and transformations that reflect an equity-based approach to child care; develops and plans system changes; and liaises with third-party developers, clients, and partners to monitor efficacy.
• Leads the development and manages the implementation of system wide policies that increase the access and inclusion of vulnerable populations, including child care waitlist policies. Develops strategy to support systemic changes. Collaborates with other managers to develop and implement new/revised initiatives, policies, and practices.
• Manages the process to determine which children receive priority access to child care spaces in accordance with the provincial mandate to ensure that vulnerable and underserved children and families have access to the CCEY system. 
• Oversees and provides direction on equity initiatives and programs within Children’s Services. 
• Reviews service contracts with child care operators and organizations to improve equitable service delivery. Works with Legal to identify opportunities to better align with the Ontario Human Rights Code and other legal frameworks. 
• Writes and prepares reports and presentations to Council, and communications to various internal and external stakeholders and partners. Prepares summaries and data to demonstrate accountability and outcomes of program work in relation to the Children’s Service System Plan, Access and Inclusion plan, corporate initiatives, and program frameworks. 
• Leads the production and distribution of statistics related to vulnerable and underserved communities.
• Applies for external funding from government or other sources to further support initiatives related to access and inclusion within Children’s Services directly operated programs. 
• Participates on community committees. 
• Provides leadership to implement change in the early years community and internally, in response to initiatives or to achieve provincial, corporate, departmental, or divisional objectives.
• Manages a program budget. Has signing authority for requisitions, expenses, and travel expense claims. Uses a P-card.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a post-secondary degree in a related field (e.g., child development, early learning, social work, equity studies, social development), which may include traditional Indigenous or other cultural knowledge sources and practices, plus progressively responsible related experience. 
• Knowledge of social and community development models, strategies, and processes; and inclusion, anti-oppression, anti-racism, community mobilization, and empowerment frameworks.
• Knowledge of early learning and child care principles, practices, research, and best practices with an emphasis on early child development and continuous quality improvement approaches, equity, and inclusion. 
• Knowledge and skill using equitable approaches within the early learning and child care system. Ability to apply an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and decolonization lens to program processes and practices to identify and address inequities and systemic barriers to access.
• Experience and deep understanding of anti-oppression, the impact of discrimination on communities, historical and contemporary issues faced by Indigenous communities in Canada, and the role of intersectionality in experiences, which may include personal/lived experience.
• Knowledge and skill in project management, program evaluation, statistical applications, and research and planning methodologies. 
• Experience and skill working in inter-sectoral linkages, and in people-centred community development with diverse racialized, Black, and Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, and/or member of the 2SLGBTQ+ or other under-represented community. 
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with related policies, procedures, collective agreements, by-laws, regulations, and legislation (e.g., Child Care and Early Years Act, Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, health and safety, privacy, employment standards).
• Political acuity and problem solving skills with ability to take a broad view of issues, events, and activities and understand and problem-solve their immediate and longer-term impacts and wider implications. 
• Strategic, analytical, conceptual thinking, and continuous improvement skills to develop and implement proactive plans and frameworks to align with the strategic vision; analyze political, socioeconomic and research trends and information; identify areas for interventions/improvements; and keep knowledge current. 
• Leadership skills to supervise, motivate, develop, and support staff and project teams. 
• Leadership, human relations, facilitation, team building, and presentation skills to communicate and promote concepts and programs to the media, child care and early years agencies, community organizations, neighbourhood groups, and various levels of government committees; ensure ongoing partnership and commitment; respond to inquiries and requests; instruct/train others in methods/ procedures; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read, interpret, and apply research, policies, procedures, regulations, guidelines, and reports. Ability to write reports, promotional materials, letters to Council, community groups and committees; and develop policies, procedures, planning strategies, and work plans. Ability to deliver feedback and recommendations to community programs using a clear, concise, non-judgmental approach.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office and project management software.
• Ability to alter working hours including evenings and occasional weekends to accommodate community groups’ deadlines and schedules.  
• Ability to travel within and occasionally outside Waterloo Region.
• Ability to implement and monitor compliance with the Departmental vision and philosophy within the division, across divisions, across departments, and within the broader community.
• Ability to support demonstrate the Region’s values.