The City of Toronto is recruiting for two progressive leaders to join the Community and Social Services Department Executive team, including an exciting opportunity as General Manager of Children’s Services. This mandate would be a solid career move for a transformational leader who is both strategically minded and tactically skilled, equally adept at setting strategy, plans and goals, and at mobilizing resources to deliver on divisional and corporate priorities. If you’re such a results-oriented leader, bring your vision and expertise to the City of Toronto.
Reporting to the Deputy City Manager, you’ll set the overall strategic direction for the Children's Services Division by establishing divisional goals, objectives and priorities aligned with City strategic directions and Council priorities. In particular, you’ll oversee and coordinate the policy framework and administration of divisional programs, and lead policy development, planning, organizing, implementing, directing and evaluating activities and matters related to the services provided within Children's Services and to the community childcare programs overseen by the Division.
As General Manager of Children’s Services, you’ll have a unique opportunity to act as the “Child Care Service System Manager” for Toronto's childcare system, which consists of licensed child care (both municipally delivered and purchased through service contract from community operators), child and family centres, and other related programs supporting families and children with extra support needs. Ultimately, it will be your mission to ensure that programs and services meet targets and service expectations of the client group, provincial and legislated mandates, and the City’s standards and vision of achieving a completely integrated service system for children.
You’re a savvy communicator and relationship builder, ready to provide strategic advice and guidance to the Mayor, relevant Standing Committees, Council and Task Forces, and work closely with executive professionals within the City’s Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Divisions, and senior officials from other orders of government as well as private and community-based sectors. You will also collaborate horizontally and create opportunities for service improvement and efficiencies, and shared success.
An engaging leader who integrates diverse perspectives and ideas, and effectively balances the needs and expectations of multiple stakeholders, you’re comfortable operating and managing in a complex environment with competing political and public interests, where decisions have implications that are both system-wide and individual to families and the community at large. Keeping current with mandates, provincial legislation and current issues regarding childcare, you’re well prepared to interpret external and economic indicators, complete reports on trends that are systemic in nature, and adjust programs and services accordingly, as well as lead the way in assessing and advancing program quality.
Your proven skills as a manager of people, programs and resources will be evident as you implement change management processes, develop staff to succeed in a changing work environment, enhance the overall performance of the Division, conduct short- and long-term financial planning and case load forecasting for the development of budgets, and establish financial management systems. We will also rely on you to establish systems, programs, processes and a structure for management information and decision-making to maximize effectiveness, efficiency, resource control and reporting, ensure the financial administration and organizational effectiveness of the Division, and promote continuous improvement in performance measures and benchmarks.
With a post-secondary education in Business, Social Services or a professional discipline pertinent to the job function, or a relevant combination of education and experience, including significant management experience, you’re poised for success in this pivotal role. This background is complemented by a relevant track record of performance in core divisional functions within a major public or private sector organization providing services directly to children and families, and extensive knowledge of related issues and trends.
Your proven experience managing in environments with extensive scope, complexity and diversity of operations will have prepared you to ensure the cost-effective, responsible management of the Division's financial, material and human resources to achieve results. This will include providing ongoing leadership to a diverse workforce with a view to ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, while promoting continuous learning and innovation, as well as facilitating effective labour relations by interpreting, and ensuring compliance with, collective agreements in place.
You are an outstanding communicator with superior political acuity and impeccable strategic planning, issue resolution and decision-making skills, able to present complex ideas to diverse audiences, build and foster positive, constructive relationships and networks at all levels, establish clear expectations, deliverables and deadlines, and influence others to achieve outcomes. Equally important, you are committed to service excellence and the highest standards of professional integrity and accountability, embrace diversity, and promote inclusiveness and equality of opportunity.
NOTE: To find out about the exciting role of Executive Director of Social Development, Finance & Administration, within Community and Social Services, please visit toronto.ca/jobs for details.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, we are a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture. Join the award-winning Toronto Public Service as General Manager of our Children’s Services Division.
For more information on this and other opportunities with the City of Toronto, visit us online at www.toronto.ca/jobs. To apply online, submit your resume, quoting File #2323374X, by May 3 2019.
The City of Toronto is committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment where all employees and members of the public feel valued respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the public and the communities in which we live and serve.
If you are an individual with a disability and you need accommodation in applying for this position, please email us at application.accommodation1@toronto.ca, quoting job ID #2323374X and the job classification title. The City is committed to providing Code-protected accommodation throughout its hiring process. Please visit Hiring Policies and Statements for further details.