Assistant Director, Lands-South

Role Responsibilities

The Assistant Director plays a key leadership role in guiding the development and implementation of sub-regional and issue-specific land-use plans across southern Alberta. Working closely with the Director, this position leads multi-disciplinary planning teams, facilitates meaningful engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous communities, and ensures that plans support sustainable resource management and align with government policies and legislation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Planning Projects: Manage the planning and delivery of sub-regional and issue-specific plans, ensuring alignment with Alberta’s Integrated Resource Management System (IRMS).
• Coordinate Across Ministries: Build and lead cross-ministry teams, drawing on subject matter expertise to inform planning scenarios and strategies.
• Engage Stakeholders: Facilitate inclusive consultation with external stakeholders, Indigenous communities, and other governments to incorporate diverse perspectives and priorities.
• Promote Integrated Planning: Apply cumulative effects and integrated planning principles to support balanced decision-making for land, water, and resource use.
• Support Implementation: Monitor and report on planning progress, support plan implementation, and ensure accountability to stated outcomes.
• Provide Strategic Support: Assist the Director with operational planning, briefings, staff development, and act as a representative in their absence.

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.

Critical Competencies:

• Systems Thinking: Well-developed critical thinking, strategic planning, problem solving and decision making skills. Must be able to evaluate broad reaching impacts and balance short and long-term goals.
• Drive for Results: Strong project, time and organizational management skills. Must be able to deliver high-quality work while meeting tight timelines.
• Develop Networks: Well-developed facilitation, conflict management and communication skills. Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and relationship-building skills to resolve complex issues.
• Creative Problem Solving: Well-developed analytical and problem solving skills, with an ability to develop solutions where no precedent currently exists.
• Agility: Must be able to adapt quickly to changing priorities and short timelines. Ability to foster agility in others and create processes and opportunities that encourage proactive and flexible practices.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Ability to integrate diverse perspectives and promote sharing of expertise among wide-ranging teams to achieve ministry outcomes.

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field such as natural resource management, environmental sciences, geography, political science, economics, or a related discipline, plus a minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible experience in land-use planning, integrated resource management, or environmental policy development. Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of: one year of experience for one year of education.

Requirements:
This role may require occasional travel and participation in meetings across multiple locations. A valid Class 5 driver's license is required.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Demonstrated experience with integrated resource management and cumulative effects planning.
• Progressively responsible supervision experience managing and leading a team to success.
• Demonstrated success in planning to manage a wide variety of issues, mobilize resources and find innovative solutions to complex issues and problems.
• Experience in public, stakeholder, and Indigenous engagement.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated strength in building consensus, mediating disputes, and resolving conflicting interests.
• Proven ability to lead and facilitate inclusive, cross-sectoral planning processes.
• Strong analytical, policy development, and strategic thinking skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to convey complex technical and policy issues clearly to a variety of audiences.
• Experience in relationship-building with Indigenous communities and organizations, including respectful use of Indigenous knowledge in planning processes.
• Strong project and team management skills, with the ability to coach and develop team members.

Assets:

• Knowledge of the Land Use Framework, regional and sub-regional planning, and relevant legislation (including Alberta Land Stewardship Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Forests Act, Public Lands Act, Wildlife Act, Water Act, and associated regulations).
• Experience in government policy development or intergovernmental relations.
• Experience working with or within Indigenous communities on environmental or land-use planning projects.
• Familiarity with land use and environmental planning within Alberta’s provincial context.
• Experience in implementing or monitoring large-scale or regional land use or environmental frameworks.

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

This is a permanent, full-time role with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday.

The candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment as a part of the interview process.

Application Information:

• In your application, please include a cover page detailing your interest, and role related experience.
• In your resume include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs. shifts/week).
• Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview.

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.