4164 – Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers

Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers conduct research, develop policy and implement or administer programs in areas such as consumer affairs, employment, home economics, immigration, law enforcement, corrections, human rights, housing, labour, family services, foreign aid and international development. They are employed by government departments and agencies, industry, hospitals, educational institutions, consulting establishments, professional associations, research institutes, non-government organizations and international organizations or they may be self-employed.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

• Aboriginal affairs development officer
• Aboriginal affairs officer
• Aboriginal employment policy officer
• Aboriginal employment program officer
• Aboriginal issues lobbyist
• Adoption project officer
• Adviser for the integration of persons with disabilities
• Affirmative action advisor
• Child care licensing officer
• Child welfare policy analyst
• Child-care programs planning officer
• Child-care services liaison officer
• Citizenship officer
• Community organizer
• Community policing program consultant
• Community social development officer
• Consumer advisor
• Correction rehabilitation program co-ordinator
• Correctional service policy consultant
• Employment equity adviser – social policy
• Employment equity consultant
• Employment equity policy analyst
• Employment equity policy consultant
• Employment initiatives co-ordinator
• Employment insurance policy analysis officer
• Employment insurance policy analyst
• Employment insurance services adviser
• Employment standards specialist
• Experimental home economist
• Extension home economist
• Family violence prevention program adviser
• Field representative – housing
• Food consultant – home economics
• Home economics consultant
• Home economist
• Home economist – consumer association
• Housing policy analyst
• Human Rights Commission officer
• Human Rights Commission officers supervisor
• Human rights officer
• Human rights officer – government services
• Human rights specialist
• Immigrant settlement liaison officer
• Immigration and demographic analysis officer
• Immigration consultant
• Immigration policy advisor
• Immigration policy analyst
• Immigration policy consultant – non-government
• Immigration settlement practitioner
• Income maintenance program officer
• International aid and development project officer
• International aid and development researcher
• International relations specialist
• Job creation and employment services evaluation officer
• Labour affairs officer – labour policy
• Labour market analyst
• Labour market information officer
• Labour market policy officer
• Labour mobility policy consultant
• Labour policy analyst
• Labour policy officer
• Labour standards analyst
• Multiculturalism project officer
• Native affairs officer
• Native employment program officer
• Native issues lobbyist
• Occupational supply analyst
• Peace activist
• Peace researcher
• Political organizer
• Pollster
• Poverty researcher
• Psychology assistant (except university)
• Public assistance adviser
• Public housing officer
• Public housing policy analyst
• Public opinion survey researcher
• Public rights co-ordinator
• Race relations officer
• Refugee affairs program officer
• Research home economist
• Settlement counsellor
• Settlement liaison officer
• Settlement practitioner
• Social and community care licensing officer
• Social assistance advisor
• Social assistance policy analyst
• Social development officer
• Social issues researcher
• Social policy advisor
• Social policy analyst
• Social policy consultant
• Social policy planning consultant
• Social policy researcher
• Social program officer
• Social researcher
• Social science researcher
• Social service program officer
• Social services consultant
• Social services planner
• Social services planning consultant
• Social services program officers supervisor
• Social services program planner
• Social survey researcher (except statistician)
• Social survey researchers supervisor
• Social welfare advisor
• Social welfare research officer
• Socio-economic research and planning officer
• Status of women’s directorate policy analyst
• Textile and clothing consultant – home economics
• Visible minorities policy officer
• Welfare policy analysts supervisor
• Women’s employment policy consultant
• Women’s issues lobbyist
• Women’s program co-ordinator
• Women’s shelter program co-ordinator
• Women’s status policy consultant
• Workers’ compensation officer
• Workers’ compensation policy analyst

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Social policy researchers

• Develop social programs and policies, social legislation, or proposals based on demographic, social and economic research, analysis and the evaluation of pilot projects.

Home economists

• Advise and assist consumers on the selection and proper use of food products, textiles and other consumer goods and teach household management skills. They may also provide consultative services in the areas of development and promotion of new food products, retail buying, social program administration and small business endeavours.

Housing policy analysts

• Identify and assess economic, demographic, and social developments and report on their implications for housing policy.

International aid and development project officers

• Plan, organize and administer foreign aid and international development policies and programs.

Social survey researchers

• Develop questionnaires, co-ordinate and conduct surveys, analyse data, and compile and interpret statistics on social issues and policy areas.

Social services planners

• Conduct research, develop social programs, assess, co-ordinate and develop awareness of existing social services, and ensure that duplication of services is avoided. They may also work with land use planners to determine the impact of major land use plans for transportation, housing and recreational facilities projects.

Employment requirements

• A bachelor’s degree or college diploma in a social science or related discipline, or in business administration is usually required.
• A master’s degree in a social science or related discipline or in business administration may be required.
• Home economists require a bachelor’s degree in home economics, home economics education, human ecology, nutrition and food sciences or family and consumer studies.
• Registration is available, but voluntary, for home economists but the use of the designation “Professional Home Economist” is regulated in New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, and “Registered Professional Home Economist” in British Columbia.
• Registration with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council is required for regulated Canadian immigration consultants.

Additional information

• Progression to managerial positions is possible with experience.

Exclusions

• Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants (4163)
• Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts (4162)
• Government managers – health and social policy development and program administration (0411)
• Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers (4165)
• Home economics teachers (in 4031 Secondary school teachers)
• Non-government managers in social policy (in 0423 Managers in social, community and correctional services)
• Social and community service workers (4212)
• Social workers (4152)