Team Lead – Social Science & Engagement at WSP in Canada

Job Description

Ottawa, Toronto, Burlington, London, Thunder Bay, North Bay

The Opportunity:

WSP’s Social Science & Engagement Team in Ontario is evolving! We are seeking a Senior Social Science & Engagement Consultant that is looking to lead a terrific team of social science and engagement specialists.

The team is part of our broader Environmental Planning and Approvals group and works alongside a diverse group of environmental planners, social researchers and engagement specialists from across the province. In an interdisciplinary environment, we study the interactions between human populations and the natural and physical environments in project-specific contexts. This involves working with a wide range of industrial, government and Indigenous clients and stakeholders, in a variety of project types and sectors, ranging from municipal infrastructure to large natural resource developments.

Our services include communication and engagement with public stakeholders, government agencies and Indigenous nations and peoples, social and economic baseline research, socio-economic impact assessments (including GBA+ analysis, human rights, land and resource use, visual aesthetics and impacts on Indigenous Rights), socio-economic effects monitoring and management, as well as Indigenous Knowledge studies. Working across geographies and disciplines, our team leads the advancement of social inclusion internally and with our clients to strengthen the social aspect of ESG throughout our projects.

Anywhere we have an office **

Responsibilities**

A day in the life:

Team Lead Responsibilities

• Apply approximately 40% of your work time to the Team Lead role, as described below.
• Supervise and mentor junior and intermediate staff with respect to their technical professional development and career growth.
• Proactively create and maintain a positive work climate for the team.
• Provide employees with day-to-day direction and tasks, in alignment with departmental procedures and project needs.
• Manage the human resources day-to-day, monitoring non-billable hours, and providing approval and oversight of timesheets, expense reports and overtime.
• Supervise entry-to-mid level employees to monitor adherence to policies and procedures and employee performance/work quality.
• Support the team’s workload and resource planning, monitor recruitment needs to meet project and budget targets/demands, and lead recruiting and onboarding.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with good leadership and management abilities, and communicate effectively with various parts of the business.
• Mentor staff and support career development plans; identifying career goals and development opportunities for your team, and for yourself.
• Conduct regular check-ins and performance management reviews, ensuring that direct reports have a clear understanding of expectations and accountabilities, and receive positive and constructive feedback.
• Foster an atmosphere of continuous improvement via on-the-job coaching and guidance.
• Support the achievement of relevant Key Performance Indicators for the Business Unit (e.g., staff chargeability and revenue targets).
• Promote the health and safety of the team, ensuring health and safety policies are followed.
• Demonstrate role model behaviour for WSP's values and guiding principles.
• Receive tactical direction, feedback and guidance from the Director to meet established goals and operational priorities.
• Provide input to departmental leaders for budgets, business plans, and strategies to improve operational efficiencies.
• Work a hybrid model between office and home.
• Travel for short duration trips and events.

Technical Consulting Responsibilities

• Apply approximately 60% of your work time in a senior consulting role, active on technical proposals and deliverables in your area of specialization.
• Lead primary research by conducting key informant interviews with knowledge holders within Indigenous communities, as well as with regulators and other stakeholders.
• Conduct and oversee comprehensive literature reviews to prepare socio-economic baseline, qualitative data analysis, interpretation, and reporting for impact assessments.
• Manage and guide junior and intermediate staff in primary qualitative and quantitative data collection and secondary research.
• Lead the development of socio-economic mitigation and management plans to meet regulatory and corporate requirements and best practice.
• Contribute to, and senior review, the preparation of social-economic or engagement-related technical reports.
• Direct planning and implementation of Indigenous and public communication and engagement programs (in-person and virtual), facilitating the events when appropriate.
• Lead the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge into impact assessments, following best practices such as OCAP® principals, the preferences and cultural protocols identified by Indigenous groups, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Prepare and review stakeholder communication materials, such as notices, display boards and factsheets, as well as materials such as website/social media content and surveys.
• Direct management of engagement records and reporting.
• Manage or direct social science and engagement projects, maintaining control of scope, schedule, costs and quality of services and deliverables.
• Engage with clients, regulatory agencies, Indigenous communities, project stakeholders, and other WSP technical specialists, maintaining and developing positive relationships.
• Contribute to business development, including preparation of proposals and marketing of socio-economic and engagement services.

Qualifications

What you'll bring to WSP ...

• Graduate degree in the social sciences or an interdisciplinary field (e.g., Indigenous studies, anthropology, sociology, archaeology, environmental sciences, community studies or urban planning). Applicants with undergraduate degrees will be considered with appropriate commensurate experience.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience, with 5 -7 conducting or providing guidance on social and/or economic research and analysis and in impact assessments. Experience as a consultant is an asset.
• Knowledge of Indigenous cultural, historical, and political context in Canada, and the requirements of the impact assessment process related to Indigenous interests, treaties and rights, UNDRIP and Truth and Reconciliation, at provincial, territorial and federal levels.
• Familiarity with current and innovative consultation and/or community engagement tools and tracking software.
• Strong regulatory and assessment experience relating to traditional land use, strong analytical skills and a solid understanding of environmental assessment methodology.
• Familiarity with the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, federal Impact Assessment Act, and related legislation.
• Demonstrated experience working with Indigenous groups in Canada (preferably in Ontario).
• Experience preparing Indigenous Knowledge and land use studies to meet regulatory requirements and on community-based monitoring is an asset.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills in English. French language is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience working with qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Background and interest in some combination of renewable and non-renewable resource development, land use planning, engagement with Indigenous nations and peoples and the public, physical infrastructure, and social services programming.
• Ability to travel for work.
• A desire to experience what it’s like to work for the leading environmental consulting firm globally and be part of a growing and thriving team!

About Us

WSP is one of the world's leading professional services firms. Our purpose is to future proof our cities and environments.

We have over 65,000 team members across the globe. In Canada, our 12,000+ people are involved in everything from environmental remediation to urban planning, from engineering iconic buildings to designing sustainable transportation networks, from finding new ways to extract essential resources to developing renewable power sources for the future.

At WSP :

• We value our people and our reputation
• We are locally dedicated with international scale
• We are future focused and challenge the status quo
• We foster collaboration in everything we do
• We have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable

Please Note:

Health and Safety is a core paramount value of WSP. Given the importance of keeping one another safe it is expected that you comply with our Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) policy at all times as well as client HSE policies when working at client locations.

Offers of employment for safety-sensitive positions involving fieldwork are contingent upon candidates being able to perform key physical tasks of the job as described in the job posting and interview. This may include the ability to work in a variety of environmental conditions, such as remote or isolated areas, working alone, and in inclement weather (within safe and reasonable limits).

WSP welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

WSP is committed to the principles of employment equity. Only the candidates selected will be contacted.

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. For more information please READ THE FULL POLICY.