Dir, Investigations

Role Responsibilities

The Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Trade has an exciting opportunity and is looking for a Director, OHS Investigations to join our team!

Reporting to the Executive Director of OHSPD, the Director - Investigations, plans, leads, and directs the activities of a large and diverse team of investigators, technical, administrative, managerial and support staff in the implementation of the Ministry’s mandate of safe, fair and healthy workplaces. The Director provides direct input into department policies, programs, and procedures and associated legislation with respect to occupational health and safety enforcement in Alberta. The Director oversees a team of five (5) direct reports and an additional fifty-seven (57) indirect reports and is accountable for the effective fiscal management of a budget of approximately $9 million dollars. 

The OHS Investigations Director:

1. Provides leadership and strategic direction to the Investigations Program to ensure a credible, competent and consistent approach to the planning and delivery of occupational health and safety programs and services.

• Leads and directs the development and implementation of a comprehensive operational plan for the Investigations team. 
• Monitors implementation and progress, ensuring that ministry/branch objectives and targets are met, and devises continuous improvement strategies. 
• Directs and ensures program coordination and delivery ensuring the overall delivery and evaluation of OHS programs and services relating to the Investigations Program.
• Ensuring consistent and appropriate implementation of operational procedures to ensure service and quality assurance standards are met and that enforcement actions undertaken are consistent and consider the circumstances related to the conditions in order to address high risk situations and circumstances.
• Ensuring timely, clear and properly distributed communications regarding critical program or services, leads and ensures the provision of related issues analysis (potentially volatile or contentious issues), reasoned advice on issue/problem resolution, and technical expertise to internal (including Executive Director, Assistant Deputy Minister, Deputy Minister and Minister, as well as other involved ministries) and external clients.
  

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2. Builds awareness through positive and purposeful communication of Investigation activities by.

• Ensuring the delivery of clear, consistent communication and promotion of programs and compliance activities across the branch and division. 
• Promote the importance of developing and endorsing strong internal responsibility systems within Alberta workplaces. Discusses issues of emerging concern or interest with stakeholders and works in partnership with these groups.
• Provides educational presentations to various public bodies, employers, and worker groups regarding OHS roles, accountabilities, emerging trends and activities.
• Where relevant, provide input to media and key messaging for communications team for optimum value in news releases, briefings, and educational media efforts to achieve desired outcomes.

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3. Strengthen OHS internal capacity for administrative and strategic excellence.

• Recommends and inputs changes to legislation, policy, programs, and strategy as a member of the branch's senior management team.
• As a member of the branch management team, contributes to the development and direction of the overall branch business plans, resource plans and operating strategies. Director ensures alignment with other business units to promote a high quality and consistent service delivery. 
• Provides leadership to the Inspections management team and, with/through the team, plans and directs human, financial, material/equipment and technological resources including, e.g., business plans, administration, budgets/expenditures, program performance standards, human resources planning, staff selection, development and performance management. Direction on these issues to support GOA values, professionalism in the workplace and consistent service delivery.
• Accountable for overall operational direction, management, delivery and evaluation of programs and services.
• Allocate the appropriate resources and activities to ensure effective recruitment and retention of staff.
• Engage staff and build culture that encourages, rewards and implements continuous improvements as well as embraces innovation.
• Lead a recruiting strategy to ensure recruiting strategies deliver high calibre candidates.
• Engage leadership team in principles of effective supervision, recognition, and effective performance excellence, including effective feedback, performance coaching, goal setting and performance management, where required. 

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4. Enhance relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders regarding occupational health and safety.

• Represents the Branch/Division/Ministry to stakeholders and on a variety of internal and external working groups. 
• Addresses queries and issues from external groups and communicates department policy, decisions, priorities, programs and related legislation to stakeholders on specific concerns and on broader legislative issues.
• Build and cultivate strategic relationships with external enforcement agencies including other regulatory bodies, municipalities, fire and police services, RCMP and other provincial OHS teams to achieve desired outcomes through joint collaborative efforts.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Agility – Our team is dynamic, constantly growing and adapting. In our environment you will maintain a constant awareness of shifting landscape and its effect on strategic and operational priorities, exemplifying one of the key competencies required for this role.
• Drive for Results – Ensure prudent use of public sector resources that achieve intended outcomes. Your keen focus on evaluation and results will help us demonstrate our achievements as a team and tell our OHS story. 
• Develop Self and Others – The leadership qualities you exemplify through developing yourself and others will create and support an environment that enables staff to achieve results and to build organizational capacity for the future.
• Build Collaborative Environments – You have the ability to collaboration means that we are all working toward a common goal and have access to the distributed expertise inside and outside the organization.
• Develop Networks – You have the ability to develop appropriate networks is essential as expectations are changing and one of the best ways to solve complex problems will be through collaboration.
• System Thinking – You are able to integrate in-depth knowledge of underlying issues, the political environment and potential risks when considering possible opportunities or actions.
• Creative Problem Solving – You have the ability to bring the right people together to solve complex problems and find solutions.

Qualifications

Post-secondary education in a related area (degree or diploma) supplemented by six years progressively responsible experience. 

Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis. 

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of Ministry and Government organization, policy and program objectives and priorities in order to ensure appropriate resource planning linkages and manage changing priorities.
• APS management and administration policies, best practices, procedures:  knowledge of collective agreements, relevant legislation, policies, practices and guidelines associated with human resources management, development and labour relations; knowledge of APS financial, budget and planning processes and related administrative policy/procedure to develop, manage, control and evaluate budgets and business plans.
• Policy/program development: to ensure the development of viable, appropriate program policy, its subsequent implementation and monitoring through the application of performance measures. 
• Proficient knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulations and Code, OHS policies/procedures and best practices. 
• Knowledge of challenges and opportunities currently facing Alberta’s workforce in relation to OHS issues.

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Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated management and leadership experience; practical experience leading complex and diverse work/teams.
• Experience in strategically prioritizing and management issues, including managing high workload volumes and proven agility to anticipate, assess and readily adapt to changing priorities.
• Experience leading and/or managing complex and politically sensitive issues and stakeholders, including the use of effective negotiation/conflict resolution skillsets.
• Experience working within or with a regulatory enforcement environment.
• Experience planning, managing and/or steering small to medium scoped projects to deliver intended results.
• Demonstrated experience to build collaborative environments and to bring a culture of leadership and learning to life through structures, systems and practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including strong public speaking, facilitation and presentation.
• Experience in providing focused and engaging leadership to a diverse group of staff, evaluating the success of programs and services, and leading work teams involving a variety of external stakeholders. 
• Strong problem-solving skills are required as well as an ability to establish and sustain effective working relationships with stakeholders.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Additional Position Details:

• This position is a permanent, full-time role with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday (8:15 am – 4:30 pm).
• While answering the screening questions please choose the location from where you would like to work (Edmonton, Red Deer or Calgary).

Recruitment Process:

• A cover letter is required. In your cover letter, please provide information that clearly demonstrates how your qualifications meet the advertised requirements for this position.
• Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.
• In your resume, please include months and years associated with all education and work experience. As well, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example, January 2006 – June, 2009: Assistant (Part Time/Full Time).
• Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

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Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.
 

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate  in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and a modified work schedule agreement
• Leadership and mentorship programs.