Planning Data Analyst

**Our Story**:
Committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations, the Region of Waterloo is an inclusive, thriving, and sustainable region of connected rural and urban communities with global reach. Our mission is to serve, engage and inspire, by delivering quality services to a diverse population of 630,000+, while creating a healthy, collaborative environment of learning, respect, and innovation.

This is a place where employees are valued and recognized for their talents and contributions to our success. Our employees take pride in making a difference in people's lives through the work that we do. We are looking for people like you to help make it happen.

**The Role**:
Supports corporate data and analytics needs by gathering, developing, compiling, and maintaining planning-related data and spatial datasets, monitoring trends, conducting research, providing analysis, developing maps, and generating reports of planning-related data. Provides recommendations to management on the use of data and analytical methods.

**Duties/Responsibilities**:
Creates and maintains departmental tabular data and spatial layers, documentation, and inventories relating to demographics, economic, socio-economic, environmental, cultural, and policy indicators. Monitors for quality control to ensure data and spatial layers are current, accurate, reliable, and accessible. Writes and modifies scripts to verify data.

Prepares monitoring reports to Council and briefs to management and senior leadership to evaluate and measure policy initiatives, indicators, and trends. Monitors key performance indicators and market trends.

Responds to internal and external requests for information. Prepares custom data/information packages as requested for internal and external groups. Ensures the accuracy of the information.

Assists with updating population, housing, and employment-related models in collaboration with other planning staff.

Meets with internal and external stakeholders to identify information requirements and acquire data needed for initiatives. Consults with departmental, corporate, and area municipal planning staff to monitor benchmarks and indicators.

Designs and develops departmental data models to support planning policy and development activity requirements. Conducts research to determine methodological approaches; documents models; and creates outputs. Collaborates with other departments to develop multi-departmental data models.

Uses temporal and spatial analysis methods and tools to analyze data in support of policy development and implementation (e.g., land use analysis, density calculations of population and employment). Performs comparative analysis with indicators published by area municipal, provincial, and federal governments.

Researches, recommends and uses tools to create materials to support departmental objectives (e.g., maps, tables, charts, dashboards).

Synthesizes analytical outputs and materials to produce reports. Creates and contributes to reports for internal and external use (e.g., Council reports, memorandums, website materials) to communicate environmental, economic, demographic, and other planning information.

Provides input for and maintains departmental components of corporate and multi-departmental datasets. Determines technical requirements to meet evolving data needs. Liaises with ITS to implement technical solutions.

Conducts quality control and verification to ensure accuracy and integrity of data. Limits distribution, aggregates detailed data, and obtains license agreements from stakeholders, as required.

Interprets Regional Official Plan (ROP) and Provincial policies, guidelines, and regulations when conducting research studies or preparing technical planning positions.

Consults with manager on budgetary and financial issues and media requests, and for guidance on technical and policy interpretation in unusual circumstances. Discusses research projects, planning policy issues or unusual information inquiries with other departmental staff.

Performs related duties as assigned.

**Knowledge, Skills & Abilities**:
Knowledge and skills are acquired through a 3-year degree or diploma in a related field (e.g., community planning, geography, GIS) plus 2 years of related experience.

Knowledge of planning theory, empirical research methodologies, quantitative analysis procedures, database design principles, and geographic concepts.

Knowledge of relevant planning processes and legislation (e.g., Planning Act, Development Charges Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Mineral Aggregates Act, Provincial policies related to municipal planning and political processes). Practical knowledge of the Region and its relevant planning conditions (e.g., ROP).

Analytical and problem-solving skills to respond to unique data requests, maintain data, and respond to emerging system requirements.

Communication skills to obtain, clarify, and provide information to stakeholders and respond