1. Patricia Cillis
cillpat68@gmail.ca
Objective
To be a valuable asset as a manager while fostering innovation and excellence;
To further enhance management skills in a multidisciplinary production team environment; and
To continue to expand knowledge of analysis and technology in geography and socio-economic statistics.
Professional Profile
Extensive and recent experience managing complex proceses and overseeing service provision in a data
dissemination environment;
Extensive experience in engaging and supervising human staff in production, organizational and matrix
environments;
Adept at providing expert advice and consultation on Census geographic concepts, products and services to
clients and stakeholders in both official languages.
Strong organizational, communication and project management skills;
Team player, able to manage multiple complex projects and communicate effectively in a multidisciplinary
environment;
Innovative and adapts quickly to changing priorities and responsibilities while bringing forth new ideas;
Language Profile
Effective communication skills in both English and French (CBB designation).
Professional Experience
Unit Head (EC-05)
Statistics Canada, Statistical Registers and Geography Division
2008-present
Product Manager, 2016 Census (2014 – present)
Currently supporting the 2016 Census Geography Dissemination Task in the production and dissemination of census
geographic products:
Planning the product line for the attribute data products and metadata products for the 2016 Census
including analysis of the 2011 products (i.e. reviewing product specifications, production plans, evaluations
and consultation reports) while ensuring relevance by making improvements to content and functionality
of products;
Providing support to the New Dissemination Model Geography component; and
Engaging a growing team (EC-03) in preparation for future production in a dynamic environment.
Achievement
Produced an objective analysis of the 2011 GeoSuite as a possible Web-based tool; the goal was to come up with
efficiencies to the 2016 product and present findings to management and clients (Census Operations Division).
As a result, findings concluded that certain conditions for the application would have to be waived (ie. Java
components) and scope would have to be reduced (i.e. remove larger, wieldy datasets) in order to be successful.
Student Staffing Coordinator (2014 – present)
Responsible for the staffing of all students hired within Statistical Registers and Geography Division:
Supervise student staffing facilitator (CR-04) to ensure all student staffing activities are completed in a
timely manner (contacting post-secondary institutions, interviews, selection, staffing paperwork);
Liaise with the director and divisional management team to coordinate staffing requirements for the fiscal
year, ensuring divisional budget requirements are met;
Achievement
Successfully staffed 12 to 18 students (COOP & FSWEP) per semester by implementing improvements to the
process such as eliminating duties overlapped between the Executive Assistant and the supervisors.
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As a result, recommendations were drafted in a procedural document (accompanied with supporting analysis and
data) as a means of presenting recommendatations to the director and human resources. This document was
accepted and further implemeneted as a tool for the division for future student staffing.
Manager, Geo-Help desk (2012 – 2013)
Managed the Geo-Help desk which delivers client services for the geographic infrastructure:
Fostered strong relationships with clients and stakeholders by providing expert advisory and consultative
services on the geographic frame by supporting Census geography concepts, products and services; and
Actively conveyed input to the development of the New Dissemination Model (NDM Geography
component) by ensuring the development of the mapping functionality. This involved contributing
innovative ideas during consultative meetings with subject matter from various stakeholders as well as
documenting input for specifications and testing.
Achievement
Staffed and managed a team of technical staff (EC-02 and EC-03) in the production and delivery of customized
geographic products and data extractions disseminated to clients and stakeholders, ensuring all products were
delivered on time within budget with a high rate of satisfaction.
As a result, all post-2011 Census products (Road Network File (RNF), Census Subdivision (CSD) boundary files) were
disseminated on the day of release with the correct metadata (reference guide, Daily text, CDPS (OMR) entries) by
effective management of the release day activities (PDF and HTML review, liaising with Dissemination Division).
Product Manager, 2011 Census (2011-2013)
Supported the 2011 Census Geography Dissemination Task in the production and dissemination of census
geographic products (maps and spatial products):
Managed production and dissemination of thematic maps for each Census and National Household Survey
(NHS) release (overseeing the design, development, production and quality assurance of all thematic maps
for the 2011 Census and NHS). This involved working closely with clients in Census, Census Subject Matter
Secretariat (CSMS) and other stakeholder divisions to document requirements as well as supervising a
cartographer (EC-03) for production of maps. Other activities included quality assuring the maps and
sending them for peer review;
Planned and managed a multidisciplinary team to produce and quality assure the production of reference
maps for the 2011 SGC Vol. II, which included managing a production manager (EC-03) and team of four
students, collaborating with an EC and MA for quality assurance and reporting regularly to the clients in
Standards Division; and
Contributed to the production of the Population Ecumene by providing guidance, expert advice and input
into the production of the file. This involved coordinating production activities for the product manager as
well as overseeing the technical production of the production officer (EC-03) and included the production
of a reference guide.
Achievement
Successfully released products for the 2011 Census and 2011 National Household Survey: all thematic maps, all
reference maps within the Standard Geographic Classification manual and the Population Ecumene boundary file.
As a result, the evaluation documents provided for the strategic review provided recommendations for future
enhancements to these products while underscoring that all was accomplished within scope, on time and on
budget.
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Unit Head, Compilation Unit (2008 – 2011)
Effectively managed the activities of the compilation unit of three production managers (EC-03) and supporting
technical officers (EC-01, EC-02):
Delegated tasks, balancing the immediate needs and the longer term organizational goals;
Collaborated with clients and staff on project decisions and tasks, ensuring team stays focused on activities
to meet different deadlines;
Managed progress in order to ensure adequate resources and tools are available to the unit to fulfill the
work;
Provided continuous feedback according to the employee performance framework; and
Employed tact and diplomacy when having to deal with difficult human resource performance issues.
Achievement
Through risk management implemeneted to deal with difficult situations, and attention to issues which could cause
delay in the delivery of important projects, all expectations were met and exceeded.
As a result, credibility with clients and managers was established by delivering quality work when and as expected,
through the excellent work of the employees.
Manager, GEO-Help / Production Manager (SI-04)
Statistics Canada, Geography Division
2006-2008
Production Manager (2008)
Participated on the 2011 Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) Interim Delineation project:
Applied geo-spatial analytical and cartographic skills as well as knowledge of Census Geography frame and
concepts to create maps to support CMA prototype analysis;
Managed the production of the preliminary CMA maps for the working paper: Preliminary 2011 Census
Metropolitan Area and Census Agglomeration Delineation;
Engaged and supervised a CO-OP student;
Controlled the production to ensure that the maps will meet their requirements within the appropriate
time frame; and
Provided analytical support and ad-hoc data extractions using SQL, Access and ArcGIS.
Achievement
A suite of complex reference maps and process flow diagrams were created and integrated into a PowerPoint
presentation showing Census Metropolitan Areas delineated using both existing and potential rules.
As a result, the lead analyst was able to present a strong, comprehensive argument to management and
stakeholders on the comparison of concepts between Canada and the United States over time and make
recommendations towards the 2011 and 2016 censuses.
Manager, GEO-Help (2006-2008)
Managed the Geo-Help desk: a team of information officers (SI-02, SI-03) responsible for responding to ad-hoc
requests for information, data and assistance with applications:
Managed and coordinated a variety of requests for information concerning the Geography Division’s
products and services from internal clients and clients from other government departments;
Provided expert advice on concepts on geographic frame as well as products and services to the Regional
Offices, technical staff and management in Geography Division, Divisions throughout Statistics Canada,
Federal Government Departments, and other various public organizations; and
Planned, coordinated and controlled data extraction and dissemination activities of custom geography
products and services (i.e. technical specifications for the development of products and/or customized
data extractions).
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Achievement
Supervised a recruit (EC-01) for the production of 2001 Dissemination products: Cartographic Boundary File Suite
and Census Division Population Ecumene File, which resulted in all products being delivered on time and within
budget.
Co-authored a working paper: Geography Working Paper Series – The Population Ecumene of Canada: Exploring the
Past and Present, Census year 2006, no. 3 (http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/olc-
cel/olc.action?ObjId=92F0138M2008003&ObjType=46&lang=en). As a result, this paper documented the progress
made in improving the process of creating the population ecumene product for the 2006 Census.
Production Manager (SI-03)
Statistics Canada, Geography Division, Operations & Quality Control Section
2001 – 2006
Supervised technical staff (CR & SI) in the maintenance of geographic entities, including the processing of
administrative data from provincial and territorial sources; and
Liaised with Natural Resources Canada to produce cost-recovery work: 2001 Census Subdivision Population
Ecumene for their National Atlas Web Site.
Achievement
Innovated boundary maintenance through developing a new mapping tool (Compilation Mapper) for the
compilation production unit.
Instrumental in certifying the geographic frame maintenance database (Spatial data infrastructure) post 2006
Census collection activities, prior to the 2006 Census dissemination program.
Information Technology Officer (SI-02)
Statistics Canada, Geography Division
2000 – 2001
Contributed to all ongoing operations associated with database management on the geographic frame,
documenting all daily edit procedures, table specifications and other database related documentation;
Utilized UNIX, PL/SQL and ArcView 4.0 to perform analysis of the Arc-to-Oracle database transfer of data,
suggesting possible solutions.
Information Technology Officer, Geo-Help (SI-01)
Statistics Canada, Geography Division
1999 – 2000
Provided information, technical and conceptual support for Census geography products and services;
Created and disseminated custom products and services using GeoSuite, 1996 Census Postal Code
Conversion File electronically and CAPPS.
Statistical Clerk (CR-03)
Statistics Canada, various divisions:
Agriculture Division, Statistics Canada
Business Surveys Methods Division, Statistics Canada
Social Surveys Methods Division, Statistics Canada
Post Censal Surveys Program, Statistics Canada
1991 - 1998
Experience relating to Informatics:
Maintained and reconciled the integrity of the Farm Register Base sampling frames, using a variety of
economic, demographic and agricultural materials; and
Implemented validation procedures to perform macro/micro-edits on agriculture surveys.
Survey Operations – Subject Matter Experience:
Utilized survey methodological concepts to interpret data and descriptive elements from survey
documents and administrative files;
Performed complex analyses of unduplication lists; and
Prepared and maintained sampling frames to support the Area Farm Survey and the Labour Force Survey.
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Education & Training
Statistics Canada Training Institute, Ottawa, ON
Management training:
Improving Employee Performance
Project Management in a Matrix Environment
Management Development Program for Supervisors
People Oriented Management
Survey training:
Survey Skills Development Course (SSDC)
Survey Support Certificate Course - Level II
Survey Design and Analysis
Full course list available upon request.
1997-2014
Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
Part-time studies; courses include Geography and Computer Studies for Social Sciences.
1992-1994
Queen’s University, Ottawa, ON
Two years of Bachelor of Fine Arts program.
1988-1990
References available upon request