Legislative Clerk

Classification: AO GRID 15
Ministry: ISLANDS TRUST, MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
Work Unit: PLANNING SERVICES  
SUPERVISOR TITLE:  REGIONAL PLANNING MANAGER            
SUPERVISOR POSITION #: 36550(SSI)
36532 (GAB)
36529 (VIC)

PROGRAM
Located in Coast Salish territory, the Islands Trust is a special purpose government responsible for protecting the unique amenities and environment of 13 major gulf islands and more than 450 smaller islands and surrounding waters in the southern Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound. Created by the Province via the Islands Trust Act, Islands Trust plans and regulates local land use, cooperates with other levels of government and First Nations on key environmental issues impacting the area, and protects land through the Islands Trust Conservancy.

JOB OVERVIEW
The focus of this position is to provide leadership and guidance regarding Local Trust Committees’ (LTCs’) legislative and legal processes.
 
Under the direction of the Regional Planning Manager (RPM), the Legislative Clerk undertakes the responsibilities of a corporate administration officer for Local Trust Committees in accordance with the Local Government Act, Islands Trust Act, and Community Charter.
 
Working within a highly complex political environment, the position provides support and advice to the planning team, the trustees, the Local Trust Committees, and the organization by ensuring the following responsibilities are completed in accordance with legislated requirements and organizational policies and procedures:

• Management and preparation of Public Hearings process;
• Bylaw referrals and adoption process;
• Statutory notification procedures;
• Processing of Islands Trust permits;
• Local Trust Committee Section 26 Resolutions Without Meetings;
• Local Trust Committee meeting agendas;
• Comprehensive administrative guidance to planning team work program;
• Responses to Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy requests;
• Commissioner for oaths in regional offices; and
• Deputy Secretary.

 
The Legislative Clerk is responsible for the development and implementation of sound administrative practices and operational procedures, and provides technical and functional guidance. This position works with other Legislative Clerks and the Legislative Services Manager to provide leadership to the planning team and local trustees by providing advice and guidance, raising issues, and advising, with respect to relevant legislative processes.  

ACCOUNTABILITIES 
Required:

• Deputy Secretary responsibilities:
  • Signing statutory documents including permits, notices, and Resolutions Without Meeting and bylaws;
  • Certifying bylaws;
  • Signing Notice of special meetings; and
  • Authorized to perform any duty or to exercise any function of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPP) Head.
  • Commissioner for Oaths in Regional Offices:
  • Administering oaths and taking and receiving affidavits, declarations and affirmations as needed; and
  • Witnessing for signatory of covenants.
• Freedom of Information and Privacy responsibilities:
  • Managing the review and processing of Freedom of Information requests for the planning office;
  • Interpreting and applying FOIPPA and regulations, in accordance with statutory requirements;
  • Communicating with staff, external stakeholders, and the general public, and is the initial point of contact for the Commissioners’ office; and
  • Providing assistance with training and orientation of staff and trustees.
• Agenda Preparation responsibilities:
  • Ensuring agenda preparation and liaising with staff and the Chairs of the local trust committees;
  • Ensuring agendas are prepared in accordance with policies and procedures; and
  • Liaising with the Chairs of the local trust committees to develop and approve agendas.
• Administrative and Statutory responsibilities:
  • Providing informed/expert advice to senior planning staff and local trustees regarding various statutory processes, such as bylaws, public hearings, Resolution-Without-Meetings, Board of Variance and permit processing;
  • Developing administrative policies, guidelines, procedures and procedural checklists; and
  • Providing comprehensive statutory and policy advice.
• Legislation responsibilities:
  • Responding to queries and/or requests for information from the public and staff, on a variety of program specific legislative, bylaw and regulatory requirements; and
  • Providing technical direction and training to staff on legislative and procedural changes and requirements.
• Statutory notices for permits and public hearings responsibilities:
  • Drafting notices and managing all statutory notification requirements in accordance with applicable legislation and common law requirements.
• Bylaws responsibilities:
  • Administering statutory and support procedures for bylaw processing including first nations and agency referrals;
  • Drafting administrative bylaws, and maintaining records of all local trust committees bylaws; and
  • Consolidating amendments into base bylaws.
• Permits responsibilities:
  • Drafting, or proofing drafts prepared by planners; and
  • Responsible for signing, issuing and submitting to Land Title Office for registration of the final permit as Deputy Secretary.
• Resolutions-Without-Meeting responsibilities:
  • Processing and signing Resolutions-Without-Meeting under section 26 of the Islands Trust Act.
• Minute takers responsibilities:
  • Coordinating hiring and training of minute takers and ensuring that published minutes conform to the organization’s policies and guidelines.
• Committees and Boards responsibilities:
  • Monitoring and ensuring Advisory Planning Commission (APC) & Boards of Variance (B0V) terms of office.
• Teamwork responsibilities:
  • Attending and participating in staff meetings and any other assigned meetings as directed or supported by the Regional Planning Manager.
• Support responsibilities:
  • Performing other administrative duties at the direction of the Regional Planning Manager.
• Webposting responsibilities:
  • Posting and updating relevant webpages on the Islands Trust Website at the direction of the Regional Planning Manager.

SELECTION CRITERIA 
Education and Experience

• Grade 12 or equivalent education.
• Successful completion of a recognized business college; postsecondary school certificate; or 7+ years relevant experience in an office setting.
• A minimum five years of related experience is required.
• Experience using various computer applications (i.e. word processing, spreadsheet, eScribe, database and tracking systems); Proficiency in word processing is essential (Microsoft Office preferred).

Preference may be given for the following:

• Web posting experience.
• Courses such as Municipal Administration Training Institute or related course in the field of public administration.
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, procedures and legislation.
• Experience working within the Provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Document Disposal Act and procedures related to the collection, use and disclosure of information.

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent writing and proofreading skills and proficiency in the English language is required.
• Knowledge of applicable Acts and Regulations relating to local government (ie. Community Charter, Islands Trust Act, and the Local Government Act).

Other Requirements

• Must be able to qualify for signing authority as a Commissioner for Oaths.
• Occasional overnight travel to conferences or meetings within BC.
• Possession and maintenance of a Class 5 BC Drivers’ license or equivalent.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
Planning, Organizing and Coordinating involves proactively planning, establishing priorities and allocating resources. It is expressed by developing and implementing increasingly complex plans. It also involves monitoring and adjusting work to accomplish goals and deliver to the organization's mandate.
 
Problem Solving/Judgement is the ability to analyze problems systematically, organize information, identify key factors, identify underlying causes and generate solutions.
 
Organizational Commitment is the ability and willingness to align one's own behaviour with the needs, priorities and goals of the organization, and to promote organizational goals to meet organizational needs. It also includes acting in accordance with organizational decisions and behaving with integrity.
 
Teamwork and Co-operation is the ability to work co-operatively within diverse teams, work groups and across the organization to achieve group and organizational goals. It includes the desire and ability to understand and respond effectively to other people from diverse backgrounds with diverse views.

Service Orientation implies a desire to identify and serve customers/clients, who may include the public, co- workers, other branches/divisions, other ministries/agencies, other government organizations, and non- government organizations. It means focusing one's efforts on discovering and meeting the needs of the customer/client.
 
Process Orientation places a priority on how things are done. It is a willingness to remain open and follow in new directions. It means setting aside mainstream ways of achieving results and instead following culturally respectful processes that also produce results. It is letting go of agendas or the need to control, and trusting that the appropriate outcome will emerge from a good journey together. It means accepting that both the use of process orientation and a good relationship are concrete results.

INDIGENOUS RELATIONS BEHAVIOURAL CCOMPETENCIES:
Self-Discovery and Awareness means understanding one's thoughts, feelings, values and background and how they impact the success of the interaction and relationship, or how they may influence one's work. It is recognizing one's own biases by tracing them to their origins, through reflection and by noticing one's own behaviour—and then intentionally seeking a way forward that positively impacts the interaction and relationship. It means maintaining new ways of thinking and acting when situations become difficult or uncertain, or in times of urgency.
 
Sustained Learning and Development means continually increasing your ability to build and maintain respectful and effective relationships with Indigenous peoples. Central to this competency is appreciating that there are many other cultural understandings of knowledge and ways of working that have legitimacy and deserve respect— and therefore require our continual learning and development, including direct exposure to cultural and community ways. It includes an eagerness to continually reflect upon and assess your own level of cultural agility and competence, self-awareness and expertise. It means being willing to learn in new and different ways and appreciating how diverse ways of thinking and acting can ensure the success of the BC Public Service in supporting Indigenous self-determination.
 
Cultural Agility is the ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably and effectively with Indigenous people. It is noticing and readily adapting to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all. It is openness to unfamiliar experiences, transforming feelings of nervousness or anxiety into curiosity and appreciation. It is examining one's own culture and worldview and the culture of the BC Public Service, and to notice their commonalities and distinctions with Indigenous cultures and worldviews. It is recognition of the ways that personal and professional values may conflict or align with those of Indigenous people. It is the capacity to relate to or allow for differing cultural perspectives and being willing to experience a personal shift in perspective.
 
Change leadership is championing the achievement of intended, real change that meets the enduring vision of Indigenous self-determination in British Columbia. It involves collaboratively developing and implementing ideas to achieve positive change from anywhere in the BC Public Service. The change leader learns from other leaders and elders, models the vision and encourages members of the public service to commit to and champion the vision. The change leader inspires others into new ways of thinking and doing business. The change leader routinely energizes the change process and removes barriers to change.

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