Economist

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of a Branch Manager, the employee in this position performs professional policy development and research with an emphasis on economics. Responsibilities include providing assistance and support to the development and administration of the City land use policies and providing research support for a variety of city-related policy projects ensuring economic impacts are understood and considered. The work requires the employee to exercise judgement, initiative and creativity. The nature of the work involves and requires a significant degree of independence. This position requires a skill-set that is not possessed by management; as such, the impacts of decisions and advice made by this position are not easily mitigated. This position will provide corporate advice to senior staff, including the Executive Leadership Team. The employee may supervise a specific functional area of work as leader of a project team with a given focus while under the direction of a Manager or Director.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Plans, leads and conducts complex economic and policy analysis and forecasting projects to assess the implications of new or changed legislation, policy or initiatives.
• Develops forecasting models and fiscal impact tools to create strategies for decision making and policies, including providing advice to management regarding the provision of selling services to external partners.
• Creates and manages the City’s Servicing Agreement Fee policy and financial model.
• Defines complex financial issues, explores options for addressing the issue, makes recommendation to senior management on how to proceed to resolve the issue to ensure long-term financial viability in accordance with the City’s Official Community Plan.
• Plays an integral role in the stewardship of the City’s financial resources, through the creation of long-range financial modelling tools and self-directed strategic advice to senior management;
• Conducts Margin and Discounted Cash Flow analysis using complex data sets and verifies accuracy of analysis.
• Identifies data needs and sources. Manages and oversees the design and maintenance of databases.
• Provides expert advice and assistance on the use and interpretation of data using various economic data sources and methodologies.
• Creates strategies for negotiations on high profile compensation files with industry, other levels of government or stakeholders.
• Monitors, evaluates and communicates business sector investment and other market conditions.
• Conducts economic analysis of community issues to City department and public.
• Designs and conducts cost-benefit and economic impact analyses of neighbourhood design and land use changes.
• Responds to project inquiries and correspondence from the general public, developers and others; explains matters of civic policy, regulations and bylaws.
• Attends, participates and/or organizes meetings as required with Provincial and Federal Government agencies and committees, community or special interest groups and other groups; represents the department; makes presentations and answers questions on a project basis.
• Follows all rules and regulations as set out in the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act and the City of Regina Occupational Health and Safety Manual.
• Performs related duties as required.

Key Qualifications

• Typically a master’s degree in Economics or related discipline with significant employment or research background in economics.
• Four (4) years’ experience in policy work and research, with at least two (2) of those years in a position with a significant economic analysis component.
• Candidates who do not possess a master’s degree in economics will be considered, provided they have an additional one (1) years’ experience work in economic analysis, policy or research.
• Knowledge of policy and applied social science research techniques related to market forecasting.
• Knowledge of the land development and housing market.
• Knowledge of strategic, short and long-term planning principles and practices.
• Knowledge of policy development processes.
• Knowledge of project management processes.
• Knowledge of legislation, government policy, programs and the regulatory environment of assigned policy areas.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting forecasts using time series analysis and drawing statistical inferences.
• Knowledge of the general rules and regulations of the Provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act and City of Regina Occupational Health and Safety Manual.
• Ability to define and solve problems.
• Ability to facilitate consensus and make decisions in a complex and ambiguous environment.
• Ability to integrate different methodologies, policy areas, data and approaches into activities.
• Ability to interpret data and situations, draw conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with superiors, subordinates and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with community groups, businesses, institutions, senior level public officials from other levels of government, other City department staff, members of Council and members of committees.
• Ability to express ideas effectively (oral and written).
• Ability to work with a high degree of professionalism, initiative and interdependence.
• Ability to prepare and present comprehensive plans, reports and submissions.