Director, Communication, Education & Engagement

Role Responsibilities

Alberta Human Rights Commission | Ministry of Justice
Are you a strategic leader passionate about advancing human rights, fostering inclusion, and strengthening public trust? The Alberta Human Rights Commission is seeking a Director of Communication, Education and Engagement (CEE) to lead province-wide initiatives that promote equality, reduce discrimination, and enhance awareness of  human rights in Alberta.

About the Role
As a key member of the Commission’s leadership team, the Director provides strategic direction for communication, education, and engagement initiatives that improve public understanding of human rights and support inclusive, barrier free communities across Alberta. This role oversees a multidisciplinary teams in Edmonton and Calgary and works closely with senior leaders, government partners, community organizations, and national counterparts.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver human rights education initiatives that increase Albertans’ understanding of their rights and responsibilities, including the development of workshops, resources, publications, and digital learning tools.
• Provide expert consultation to stakeholders to support community and organizational strategies that counter racism and discrimination and build capacity for inclusive practices.
• Develop and implement communication strategies that strengthen visibility, accessibility, and public awareness of the Commission’s services, including internal/external communications, promotional initiatives, and media relations.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with government ministries, community groups, national committees, and cross-sector stakeholders to advance human rights priorities.
• Oversee operations of the CEE branch, including planning, performance management, staff development, budgeting, and aligning activities with Commission goals.
• Provide strategic advice and analysis to the Chief of the Commission and Tribunals on emerging human rights issues, policy development, risk management, and public positioning.
• Lead long-term strategic planning to enhance organizational capacity, integrate initiatives across the Commission, and respond to evolving human rights needs.

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 - Must be able to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience, and work effectively in changing environments
• Drive for Results - Sets goals and prioritizes work to accomplish them.  Follows through on duties and tasks and reports on progress.
• Develop Self and Others - Desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of self and others
• Build Collaborative Environments - Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
• Develop Networks - Proactively builds networks, connects and build trust in relationships with different stakeholders
• Systems Thinking - Understands how work contributes to the achievement of departmental goals.  Anticipates changes in own area based on activities in other areas.
• Creative Problem Solving - Have the ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Qualifications

University degree in a related field (public administration, business management, humanities, or social sciences), supplemented by seven years progressively responsible leadership experience. 

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of 1 year of education for 1 year of experience or 1 year of experience for 1 year of education (a combined total of 11 years of directly related education and/or experience). 

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following assets: 

Strategic leadership with the ability to set long term direction for communication, education, and engagement initiatives. 

Deep knowledge of human rights, diversity, and inclusion, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, accessible messaging. 

Exceptional communications planning and issues management skills, including strong media relations and plain language communication. 

Strong stakeholder engagement abilities, building effective partnerships across government, communities, and national bodies. 

Proven experience leading teams and operations, including planning, budgeting, performance management, and organizational capacity building. 

Advanced analytical and policy skills, providing evidence based advice on emerging human rights issues. 

Sound judgment, professionalism, and integrity, especially when working with sensitive, high profile, or complex matters.

Deep understanding of and experience with communication strategies and their application to large-scale organizational change and continuous improvement. 

Experience providing counsel and expert advice to senior leaders, including advanced persuasion and negotiation skills. 

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

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

Hours of work:  Monday – Friday, 8:15 am - 4:30 pm (36.25 /week)

Positions Currently available:  1 permanent position available

Location: Calgary or Edmonton  
Edmonton: 
10405 Jasper Ave #800, Edmonton, AB T5J 4R7

Calgary: 
#200, John J. Bowlen Bldg. 620 -7 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB T2P 4G8 

Final candidates will be asked to undergo a security screening.

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. 

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
• Leadership and mentorship programs