Director Child Care Licensing

Role Responsibilities

If you have a passion for leadership and to serve Albertan’s, then this may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!

Reporting to the Executive Director, Child Care Delivery, the Director, Child Care Licensing provides provincial strategic leadership and operational oversight for the delivery of childcare licensing services across Alberta. This senior leadership role is accountable for the governance, consistency, and integrity of the childcare licensing system, ensuring a risk‑informed, transparent, and defensible approach that safeguards the health, safety, and well‑being of children in both licensed and unlicensed childcare settings.

The Director leads the implementation of provincial, divisional, and ministry priorities, including commitments under the Canada–Alberta Canada‑Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, with accountability for meeting established timelines and space‑creation targets. The role works closely and collaboratively across the Child Care Delivery Division—including Policy, Child Care Transformation, and Child Care Administration—to align policy with operational practice, represent Child Care Licensing at key internal and external tables, and lead the implementation of divisional initiatives. Through engagement with license holders, community partners, and stakeholders, the Director plays a critical role in supporting system growth, sustainability, and public confidence in Alberta’s childcare system.

The Director may act on behalf of the Executive Director when required, including fulfilling responsibilities under the Statutory Director designation. In this capacity, the Director supports delegated licensing staff in the consistent interpretation and application of the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulations and Family Day home standards and exercises delegated decision‑making authority under the legislation.

In collaboration with the Executive Director of Child Care Delivery, the Director sets provincial goals aimed at maximizing child development, well-being and program capacity. This role oversees the implementation of provincial strategies and programs with a strong outcomes-based focus. The position is directly accountable for a diverse team including administrative staff, licensing officers and Supervisors and managers who collectively deliver a range of services.

The Director holds delegated authority on behalf of the Minister and is accountable for the provincial oversight and strategic direction of childcare licensing functions. The role provides executive leadership to ensure consistent, evidence‑based, and accountable licensing decisions, as well as effective compliance and enforcement activities. It also is responsible for leading responses to complex, high‑risk, or sensitive matters to safeguard the health, safety, and well‑being of children in both licensed and unlicensed childcare settings.

Role Responsibilities Continued

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for provincial childcare licensing services, ensuring consistent application of legislation, policy, standards, and delegated authority across regions, and supporting the delivery of safe, high‑quality early learning and childcare outcomes for children and families.
• Exercise delegated authority under the Early Learning and Child Care Act and regulations, including oversight of licensing decisions, approvals, conditions, compliance and enforcement measures, and responses to complex or high‑risk situations such as program closures and investigations involving harm to children.
• Lead and coordinate ministry responses to reportable incidents, public complaints, and inquiries from community partners, oversight bodies, and other levels of government, ensuring decisions are transparent, defensible, evidence‑based, and aligned with government priorities and public interest.
• Work collaboratively within the Child Care Delivery Division—including Policy, Child Care Transformation, and Child Care Administration—on joint initiatives; represent Child Care Licensing at divisional, ministry, cross‑ministry, intergovernmental, and external tables; and take a leadership role in implementing divisional priorities and initiatives.
• Collaborate extensively with Policy to provide subject‑matter expertise and practice‑based input into the development, interpretation, and refinement of legislation, policy, and standards; a strong working knowledge of the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulation and Family Day home standards is an asset.
• Provide leadership and accountability for a diverse, multidisciplinary workforce, including managers, supervisors, licensing officers, and administrative staff and ensure effective stewardship of financial, human, and operational resources supporting licensing programs, innovative initiatives, and ministry priorities.

Please click on the link to view the job description.

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
   - Maintains an open perspective to changing priorities, timelines, and unexpected and unplanned ad hoc requests from either internal or external partners.

• Build Collaborative Environments
   - Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills to build capacity and develop effective working relationships with stakeholders internal and external to the ministry.

• Creative Problem Solving
   - Strong critical thinking, strong communication, interpersonal skills, creative problem-solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills, with agility in managing diverse issues. Continuously observes data quality issues that could confound regular reporting.

• Drive for Results
   - Knowing what outcomes are important and maximizing resources to achieve results, while maintaining accountability to each other and external stakeholders.

• Develop Self and Others
   - Sharing your knowledge, expertise, skills, and perspectives in consultation with stakeholders, increasing their breadth of perspective and knowledge.

• Systems Thinking
   - Maintains an awareness of current events and government priorities that may provide challenges and/or opportunities.
   - Leads collaborative efforts within the unit to reduce duplication and raise efficiency.

• Develop Networks
   - Proactively building networks, connecting, and building trust in relationships with different stakeholders.
   - Seeks to understand the perspectives and needs of colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.

APS Competencies Continued

In addition to the APS Competencies to be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate the following competencies:

Mindfulness and Self‑Reflection
Demonstrates intentional awareness and self‑reflection, assessing one’s actions and responses to guide effective leadership, decision‑making, and professional conduct.

Legislative & Policy Knowledge
Brings knowledge of the Early Learning and Child Care Act and Regulation, and Family Day home standards, with a working understanding of related legislation including the Health Professions Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act is an asset.

Solution Focused
Leads with a clear focus on Child Care Delivery outcomes, aligning team efforts with priorities and modeling accountability for decisions and results.

Engaging Others
Builds trust and respect to inspire, empower, coach, and mentor staff, fostering a positive and inclusive work environment that supports strong performance and outcomes.

Leading Continuous Improvement
Seeks opportunities for innovation and improvement, supporting staff through change and organizational initiatives while remaining flexible and adaptable in achieving outcomes for children and families.

Enabling Others’ Growth and Development
Guides and supports professional development, promotes teamwork across all levels, and fosters a culture of learning and self‑reflection.

Communication
Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills, actively listens, and fosters respectful dialogue, with awareness of the impact of communication on individuals and outcomes.

Qualifications

Education and Experience Requirements:

• University graduation in a related field and a minimum of 7 years related experience, 4 of which must be progressive experience in managing a team, as well as excellent written and verbal skills.

Equivalencies may be considered as listed below:

• Masters in Social Work and 6 years related experience.
• Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis.

Preference will be given to those who have experience in:

• Advanced strategic and analytical thinking, strong planning skills, issues management and effective consultative practice is required.
• Developing, evaluating, implementing policy initiatives, programs, and services.
• Knowledge of Signs of Safety Practice and a strengths based/solution focused approach.
• Demonstrated capacity to build effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and staff essential to this position.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, ability to promote teamwork, collaboration, and partnership.
• Knowledge of, and the ability to apply legislation, standards and policy to consult and provide direction within delegated responsibilities. Communication skills and training on difficult conversations, facilitation, leadership, etc.
• Strong organizational skills, with ability to manage multiple, diverse, complex, and sensitive assignments within fixed timelines.
• Regular travel to regional offices throughout the province is required.

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

Role Requirements
The successful candidate must have a valid Class 5 Driver's License and have access to a reliable vehicle as employees may be required to use their own vehicles and receive compensation when government fleet vehicles are not available. Appropriate business insurance is also required and compensated.

Flexibility to travel within assigned zone and surrounding area is required. Provincial Travel is also required.

Due to the nature of this work, it can sometimes require early mornings, evenings, or weekend visits. Highway travel is involved and potentially overnight stays away from home.

As per the Health Professions Act, successful applicants must be registered with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) if:

• They possess a BSW, MSW, or Diploma in Social Work from any university in North America that is accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) or the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE); or
• They have graduated from an approved social work diploma program in Alberta; or
• They have, within the last five years, been a registered, certified, or licensed social worker in another province or with a member of the Association of Social Work Boards.

The final candidate for this position will undergo an academic check, intervention record check and provide a suitable security screening. We will accept Criminal Records Check (CRC) that includes Vulnerable Sector check that have been completed within the last six months ap per policy.

Confirmation of First Aid (Standard First Aid Level C and AED) and ACSW (if applicable) registration details will also be required.  Final candidates may also be required to provide a Standard Driver’s Abstract for the past three years.

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.

Notes Continued

Application Requirements
To be considered, your application must be accompanied by a cover letter that demonstrates how your education and required experience make you suitable for the role. Your cover letter and resume will be used to assess your skills and abilities.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered for the position.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. 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 hours shifts/week).  Resumes without start and end dates will not be considered for the position.

Resumes must also clearly identify your supervisory experience.  Details about the experience as well as dates as noted above.  Resumes without identified supervisory experience and details will not be considered for the position.

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

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Management Employee 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.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.