City of Surrey

Social Development Program Lead

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Scope

The recently launched Community Services Department brings together four Divisions - Strategic Planning and Responses, Community Safety, Housing and Social Development, and Police Support Services - to strengthen Surrey’s social infrastructure and enhance access to services that meet the needs of Surrey’s diverse and growing community.
The City of Surrey is seeking an experienced, compassionate, self-motivated leader to develop and manage all aspects of the City of Surrey’s new Social Development Program and all related activities. The goal of the program is to develop proactive, collaborative, community responsive approaches to current and emerging social issues in Surrey.

Employment Status

Regular Full-Time (Exempt)

Responsibilities

The Social Development Program Lead reports to the Manager, Housing and Social Development and will:
• Develop results-driven programs, policies and projects to address social issues in Surrey.
• Develop performance management metrics to measure the impact of all Housing and Social Development programs.
• Prepare communication plans to increase awareness and reduce stigma regarding a range of social issues.
• Administer the grant budgets for multiple housing and social development projects.
• Collaborate in the development of the Community Services Strategic Plan and Surrey Excels program.
• Represent the Community Services Department and/or the City of Surrey on local, regional and provincial housing and social development committees and partnership activities.
• Lead the development of funding proposals to secure increased investment in Surrey from other levels of government, private foundations, and other funders; and
• Increase understanding and awareness of priority social issues impacting Surrey through research and community engagement.
• Establish a Social Development Framework in collaboration with internal and external partners, to support development of programs and processes related to Equity and Reconciliation.
• Supervise contractors, temporary and permanent employees supporting the City of Surrey Social Development Program.
• Prepare reports and information, in a variety of formats, for a range of audiences including elected officials, senior management, community stakeholders and the public.
• Facilitate and/or participate in a variety of committees, community-based coalitions and other stakeholder meetings.
• Develop and administer a variety of project budgets.• Collaboratively lead or advise on research projects.
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative data sets to prepare fact sheets and briefing materials which inform community-engaged research projects.
• Manage community engagement processes and pilot projects.
• Lead in researching and monitoring funding opportunities, preparing funding applications and administering/managing grants.
• Advise and collaborate on other City Departments’ planning processes and projects as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Planning, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
• 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience directly related to the role.
• Experience leading community-based research projects utilizing both quantitative and qualitative information.
• Knowledge of a range of social issues and demonstrated experience in social planning and/or policy work.
• Experience in community engagement, including the inclusion of people with lived/living experience in social policy work.
• Experience working in the municipal government sector, as well as with provincial and federal levels of government and the non-profit sector.
• Experience at seeking and preparing funding applications.
• An equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered.