Communications Specialist

Role Responsibilities

Do you excel at turning complex information into clear, accessible communications? Join the Legal Services Division as a Communications Specialist and help design, manage, and improve intranet content while supporting strategic engagement and stakeholder initiatives.

Reporting to the Strategic Engagement Manager of the Divisional Support Office, as a Communication Specialist, you will support the delivery of the organization’s communications strategy to deliver key communications to stakeholders in a planned way.
You will also provide support to the divisional Leadership Team in the planning and drafting of communications and also provide consulting and project leadership services to meet business needs, ensuring that communications adhere to standards, regulations and/or policies.

Your responsibilities in this role will include, but will not be limited to:

• Providing strategic communications counsel and support to leadership, including planning, consulting, and developing effective strategies and key messages to address emerging issues and advance divisional business goals,
• Developing, implementing, and continuously improving the divisional communications strategy, ensuring alignment with operational requirements through research, monitoring, and proactive consultation on communication initiatives and non-legal drafting,
• Managing and producing high-quality communications content across platforms, ensuring plain language, audience-appropriate tone, and alignment with divisional strategies, including newsletters, briefing notes, and visual identity materials,
• Leading strategic communication initiatives and digital engagement efforts, including advising on communication tools, developing e-communication strategies, curating content, and facilitating stakeholder discussions to meet evolving divisional needs,
• Leading, managing, and maintaining the divisional intranet site in SharePoint Online, including overseeing redesign projects, stakeholder consultations, governance documentation, content development, user experience management, training, editorial oversight, usability reviews, and implementing improvements based on analytics and stakeholder needs. 
• Developing and delivering digital training resources, creating interactive online materials with subject-matter experts, ensuring quality and consistency with divisional standards, and providing guidance and support for training technologies and tools, and
• Supporting divisional staff engagement initiatives by participating in engagement committees, coordinating activities, and managing communications and promotional materials in alignment with GoA and divisional visual identity standards.

Role Responsibilities

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• Strong writing and editing skills with the ability to present complex information in plain language for diverse audiences,
• Proven ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple projects under tight deadlines with attention to detail,
• Expertise in strategic communications planning, consultation, and stakeholder engagement,
• Proficiency in digital tools and platforms, including SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office, and intranet content management,
• Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills to integrate stakeholder needs and recommend effective solutions, and
• Exceptional interpersonal and collaboration skills, exercising discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment in sensitive situations.

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 - Must be able to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience, and work effectively in changing environments.
• Develop Networks - Proactively builds networks, foster connections, and establishes trust in relationships with diverse 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

Requirements:

• University graduation (4 years) in a related field such as Communications, Public Relations, Public Administration, Journalism, etc. plus 2 years progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent as described below.

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 cover letter is required along with your resume and application. In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:
  
  • Your related experience,
  • Your skills and expertise, and
  • Why you are interested in this role.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Assets:
Our ideal candidate will have experience with:

• SharePoint,
• Drafting policies and guidelines,
• Developing online training tools and content,
• Communication planning, and
• Strategic communications.

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 hours/week).
 
Positions currently available: One (1) Permanent Salaried position is available.
 
Location: This opportunity is located on 4th Floor, Bowker Building. 9833 - 109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta.
 
As part of the selection process, candidates selected for interview will be asked to undertake a written assessment as well.

Final candidates will be required 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.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.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.