Contract & Procurement Specialist

Role Responsibilities

Employment Services in Alberta is undergoing a transformation that includes broadening its focus to support both employers and job seekers. The intent of these employer services is to increase employer activation and co-investment in building inclusive workplaces in Alberta to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in the labour market. As such, the Employment Services Branch is looking for an energetic, results-oriented Contract and Procurement Specialist with vision and passion to support the expansion of employer services and contribute to more resilient and inclusive labour markets in Alberta.

Reporting to the Manager, Procurement and Resource Management, North Zone, the Contract and Procurement Specialist – Employer Services plays a key role in this transformation, including the planning, procurement, and management of contracts and grants that support the advancement of employer services within employment and social service programs across Alberta. Operating at the intersection of procurement, program delivery, strategy development, and stakeholder engagement, this role helps ensure services are coordinated, responsive, and aligned with the needs of employers, Albertans, and broader community outcomes.

In this role, you will work closely with internal teams, service providers, employers, and community partners to help shape the scope of employer services, inform procurement planning, and support effective service delivery. This includes engaging stakeholders, particularly employers, to understand service needs and labour market context, and using available data and systems to support monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement of services.

As the Contract and Procurement Specialist (Employer Services), your key objectives will be:

Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal teams, service providers, employers, and community stakeholders to support a shared vision for employer services in Alberta and enable coordinated service delivery and procurement activities.
• Engage stakeholders to identify service needs, emerging issues, and opportunities to strengthen alignment between program delivery and labour market needs
• Support collaboration across partners by facilitating communication, coordination, and issue resolution where appropriate

Procurement and Contract Management

• Lead or support procurement processes, including planning, development of solicitation documents, evaluation, and awarding of contracts in accordance with applicable policies and legislation
• Negotiate, implement, and administer contracts and grants, including defining terms, conditions, budgets, and risk mitigation strategies
• Ensure procurement and contract activities are aligned with ministry direction, policy requirements, and service delivery needs

Role Responsibilities.....cont'd........

Monitoring, Reporting and Financial Oversight

• Monitor contracts and grants to ensure compliance with agreements, achievement of deliverables, and effective use of resources
• Review and reconcile financial information, including invoices, forecasts, and expenditures, to support effective budget management
• Identify and assess risks related to service delivery, contracts, or funding, and take appropriate action to mitigate or escalate as required
• Leverage technological platforms to enhance oversight, reporting and monitoring of employer services contracts and grants

Planning and Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to strategic procurement planning by analyzing service delivery data, stakeholder insights, and community trends to inform strategic priorities and service approaches
• Support program evaluation and continuous improvement by applying data, stakeholder feedback, and sector insights to assess service effectiveness
• Maintain awareness of relevant legislation, policy frameworks, and program standards to inform procurement and contract management practices

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.

• Systems Thinking: Taking a broad, long-term view by assessing options and implications, and understanding the strategic direction of the organization, will be of ongoing importance in this role. You demonstrate the ability to contribute to program transformation and service modernization.
• Agility: You are a self-starter who creates opportunities for improvement, recognizes the importance of timing, and strives to be prepared to act when appropriate. Given the dynamic nature of the work, it is critical that you remain flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, evolving policies and procedures, and shifting priorities.
• Drive for Results: You set and accomplish goals and priorities to deliver outcomes consistent with Government direction, departmental objectives, and public expectations. Your work is completed to established standards and timelines to ensure project milestones are met and successful outcomes are achieved.
• Building Collaborative Environments: You engage others to think broadly about the impacts of projects and work to bring diverse perspectives together. Your ability to collaborate, influence without direct authority, and work as part of a geographically distributed team will be key to your success in this role.
• Creative Problem Solving: You can navigate a diverse range of challenges by applying creative problem-solving skills and drawing on your ability to learn from and adapt to varying situations and stakeholder needs.

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standard: 

• University graduation in a related field (Social Sciences, Social Work, Human Services, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics or related field).
• Four years of progressively responsible related experience in writing, particularly in responding to Action Requests, writing briefing materials, planning, contract management/negotiations, consulting, program evaluation, financial administration, and working with community-based resources.

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.

Preference will be given to the candidates with the following assets:

• Experience in the provision of labor market attachment programming and assisting Albertans in their continuum towards employment 
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and consultation, in particular with employers, in the context of building more inclusive labour markets
• Solid knowledge of service procurement practices within the Government of Alberta or broader public sector environments
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel, Artificial intelligence (AI), and other technological tools for reporting, analysis, and financial tracking.
• Familiarity with IT solutions including the use of web-based applications for client interaction tracking and contract/grant management.
• Experience working with service providers, community organizations, or multi-stakeholder partnerships to support service delivery
• Strong analytical skills, with experience interpreting data, identifying trends, and supporting evidence-based decision-making

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 are Monday to Friday – 36.25 hours per week.
This is not a remote work opportunity.

Application Requirements
As part of the application process, you are required to:

• Complete all pre-screen questions.
• A cover letter outlining why you are applying for this role and how your experience relates to the qualifications is required.
• In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 – June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

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. 

Assessments and Testing
As part of the selection process, candidates may be required to complete written assessments, job related testing, or other evaluation components.

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.