POLICY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER P&R

City of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 105,000 - 161,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Toronto’s Parks and Recreation department seeks a Policy Development Officer to lead policy research and strategic planning initiatives within the Policy and Strategic Planning Branch. You will research complex issues, develop evidence-based recommendations and coordinate across divisions and stakeholders to inform decisions.

You will manage projects from concept through implementation, applying equity and inclusion principles, and present analyses to senior leaders with clear,

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in related discipline or equivalent experience.
• Extensive project management experience leading complex initiatives.
• Strategy development and policy design experience.
• Ability to translate research into policy and operations.

Responsibilities

• Policy Development: research, analysis and reporting for P&R priorities with risk assessment.
• Prepare Council reports, briefing notes and policy recommendations.
• Monitor government, academic, and community inputs to inform policy.
• Conduct scans to identify opportunities and inform decision-making.
• Lead multi-stakeholder teams to deliver policy products from concept to implementation.
• Establish objectives, scope, timelines and evaluation plans for projects.
• Design engagement processes that inform policy and program development.

Skills

Project management

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Negotiation

Communication

Political acumen

Equity & inclusion

Research & analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Post-secondary education in related discipline

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert: Create Alert

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

• Job Category: Policy, Planning & Research
• Division & Section: Parks & Recreation , PR Policy & Strategic Planning
• Work Location: North York Civic Center, 5100 Yonge Street
• Job Type & Duration: Full-time, 2 Permanent Vacancies

Salary Range: $105,241.00 - $160,649.00, TM2430 and PTM3

• Affiliation: Non-Union
• Number of Positions Open: 1
• Posting Period: 30-SEPT-2026 to 14-OCT-2026

Toronto Parks and Recreation (P&R) provides exceptional services that contribute to the quality of life of all Torontonians. We envision a vibrant city with safe, welcoming and well-maintained parks and trails, along with high-quality recreation facilities, programs and services that support diverse needs, active lifestyles and healthy communities.

The Policy and Strategic Planning (PSP) Branch serves as Parks and Recreation's centre of excellence for policy development, strategic planning, community engagement, research and evaluation. PSP supports informed decision-making by leading complex policy and planning initiatives, conducting research and analysis, developing engagement approaches, and advancing divisional, corporate and Council priorities.

As a successful Policy Development Officer, reporting to the Manager, Policy Development in the Policy and Strategic Planning Branch of Parks and Recreation, you thrive in complexity. You can research and analyze emerging issues, develop evidence-based recommendations, build alignment among diverse stakeholders and lead projects from concept through implementation. You are curious, an effective communicator and a strong relationship builder, and you bring sound judgement, diplomacy and political acuity to your work.

Major Responsibilities:

Policy Development: Research, Analysis and Reporting

• Develops and delivers system-level and evidence-based policies, procedures, and projects for P&R Division in alignment with corporate and divisional priorities assessing risks, implications, trade-offs and feasibility.
• Prepare high-quality Council reports, briefing notes, policy reports, recommendations and other decision-support materials.
• Monitors other orders of government and non-government organizations, academic and research bodies and local communities to ensure ongoing awareness of existing and evolving issues and concerns related to the needs of Toronto's residents and PR strategic objectives.
• Conduct jurisdictional scans, environmental scans and best-practice reviews to identify opportunities, risks and emerging approaches that inform policy development and decision-making.
• Develop outcomes, targets, performance measures and evaluation approaches to support evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Analyze legislation, government policy and municipal decision-making processes to identify policy considerations, opportunities and impacts for the Division.
• Apply reconciliation, equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression principles to policy development, engagement and decision-making.

Project Management

• Convenes and leads multi-stakeholder teams, often without direct authority, to successfully complete and deliver complex research, analysis, consultation and policy development products, using effective negotiation, collaboration, coaching and influencing skills.
• Leads complex projects from conception through implementation, ensuring strategic alignment and successful delivery.
• Establishes project objectives, scope, deliverables, timelines and evaluation approaches.
• Develops implementation plans, operational guidance, evaluation approaches and continuous improvement processes that support effective delivery throughout the project lifecycle.
• Identifies operational, policy, program and resource gaps and develop practical solutions to address them.
• Manages a diverse portfolio of policy files, balancing competing priorities and working independently on complex assignments while exercising sound judgement in a fast-paced and politically sensitive environment.

Relationship Building and Communication

• Stewards, leads or coordinates PR's role in strategic corporate initiatives. Partners with other divisions to expand opportunities and interdivisional efforts that impact PR.
• Cultivates strong relationships and represent the Division by providing policy expertise at project, consultation and partnership meetings across the City of Toronto, ensuring policy development is informed by stakeholder perspectives and community needs.
• Builds alignment among stakeholders with diverse interests, priorities and perspectives.
• Designs and leads engagement, consultation and collaboration processes that inform policy and program development.
• Communicates complex information clearly, concisely and appropriately for different audiences.
• Prepares accurate, high-quality presentations, correspondence, reports and communication materials tailored to senior leaders, decision-makers and stakeholders.
• Presents analysis, recommendations and options in a manner that supports informed decision-making.
• Demonstrates strong political acuity and the ability to navigate sensitive, complex and high-profile issues.
• Handles confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, diplomacy and discretion.

Key Qualifications:

• Post-secondary education in a related discipline (e.g. social sciences, urban design/planning, public policy/public administration) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive project management experience, stewarding complex initiatives from inception through to implementation with minimal direction while balancing political, community and other stakeholder interests, and resolving conflicts.
• Considerable experience in strategy development and policy design, ability to advance knowledge translation between research, policy and operations.
• Considerable experience using evidence to support policy development.
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities; proven ability to generate creative solutions to complex operational, policy and evaluation problems.
• Exceptional leadership, negotiation and collaboration skills and the ability to coach and influence without direct authority.
• Strong knowledge of some or all of the following: equity, diversity and inclusion issues; anti- racism and anti-oppression; reconciliation; environmental resilience and sustainability; community development; recreation service system planning; parks design or planning.
• Ability to work independently and under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Ability to articulate insights and present information spoken, visual, and written across all levels of management.
• Political acuity with an exceptional ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations with diplomacy.

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 .