1. The Role of the Strategic Advisor in Infrastructure:
Your Tool Kit to Aim for Excellence!
Janet Mrenica, MA, CPA (CMA), PFA, A.C.C., CMP (Prosci)
Director, Program Compliance
Community Infrastructure Branch
Regional Operations Sector
January 19, 2017

2. Orientation: The Role of the Strategic Advisor
Context
Who is?
What is?
Does your role make a difference?
The Circle of Influence for Infrastructure
How?

3. Context
The FMI-Capital Chapter is a key player in the development of competencies for the « Strategic» and « Financial Management » Advisor .
Since , 4 professional development days have been held: 270 participants signed up for the inaugural workshop session.
Recognition of those who have been supportive of our developmental work:
Bill Matthews, Comptroller General, Treasury Board Secretariat
Sally Thornton, ADM, OCHRO
Sylvie Seguin, Director, CSPS
Rosa Paliotti, Director, OCG, TBS
David Moore, Director, CIOB, TBS
Margaret Van-Amelsvoort-Thoms, OCHRO
Edward de Sousa, Health Canada
Special recognition: Jamie Tibbets, retired CFO, Health Canada for his long-time support and perseverence in developing the « authentic understanding » of what it takes to be a Strategic Advisor.
Will the real FMA please stand up!   The Leader in You

4. A Strategic Advisor is …
Orientation: Who is?
A Strategic Advisor is …
An Analyst
A Challenger
An Advisor
A Strategist
Found across most if not, all job functions and tasks
Provision of advice in some form
Writing briefing notes
And above all …. Servitude: Be A Leader in serving your clients!
ARE YOU EQUIPPED?

5. Orientation: What is it?
Value-added
Strategic
Timely
Speaks to your audience
Translate technical terms into language of your client
Collaborates with Others
Sees holistic dynamics between policy, analytics, resources (financial, HR and IT), planning, reporting, performance and accountability
Subject matter expertise
Change Agent

6. Orientation: Does your role make a difference?
The more complex the sector, the more you have to pay attention
Infrastructure is very complex – many specialists involved
Lifecycle spans over many years:
you provide advice today on an asset: life duration years
Lifecycle has many stages
Proposal
Design
Build
Completion
Evaluation

7. Circle of Influence for Infrastructure
Consider the Stakeholders in this picture
Where do you see yourself?
What is your circle of influence in providing strategic advice?
Results for Canadians
Consult: Communities where infrastructure is built
Consult: Communities who build infrastructure - capability
Central agencies (convince first, then assurance)
Department (enablers: CFO, IT, HR, Procurement; policy, comms)
Branch: ADM, DG, your boss, your colleagues

8. Circle of Influence for Infrastructure
Consider the Stakeholders in this picture
Where do you see yourself?
What is your circle of influence in providing strategic advice?
Results for Canadians cont’d
Market sounding- financing (P3 investors, CMHC, financial institutions)
Market sounding - contractors, professional service firms
Market sounding – Operators/Service Providers
Assurance Providers – auditors, evaluators, inspection agencies

9. Orientation: How to Aim for Excellence?
STAND UP
ENGAGE in the business of the organization you serve
DEVELOP Relationships
COLLABORATE TOGETHER: present the complete picture to your clients
RESILIENCE to embrace change
Become AWARE of the soft skills in LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
What do you OBSERVE?
What do you THINK?
How do you FEEL?
What do you WANT?
What do you DO?

10. In Closing
There is much opportunity as a Strategic Advisor. You have never been so well positioned to aim towards excellence – if so the demand for your services will not go away.
REFLECTION
How well equipped are you for this role?
Are there competencies for development that you have identified?
What supports do you need?
What will your next steps be?