Executive Assistant / Branch Administrator

Role Responsibilities

Do you thrive on chaos? Neither do we. But if you get a thrill from a well-organized set of briefing note attachments, perfectly color-coded schedules, and an efficient budget/contracting process, this role is for you.

As part of a newly created branch, the Executive Assistant / Branch Administrator is the administrative backbone of our team. In this role, you will:

• Keep things running smoothly: Coordinate contracts, procurements and records, by creating systems that keep everything on track and operating seamlessly.
• Be the go-to person: Help executives and team members get things done by providing value-added service and connecting the dots when responding to questions.
• Provide exceptional executive support: Coordinate a busy executive’s calendar and serve as a central point of coordination, ensuring scheduling and communications reflect their priorities and leadership values.
• Organize with precision: Prepare meetings and briefing packages, ensuring everything is planned, organized and up-to-date, so everyone has what they need when they need it.
• Create efficiency: Continuously refine branch processes to make them easy to navigate, helping team members be more proactive and less reactive.
• Navigate the big picture: Use good judgment in day-to-day decisions that consider priorities of the branch and the APS.

To be successful in this role, you need to:

• Be organized and detail-oriented: You can track deadlines, juggle several projects at once, and keep things running smoothly even when there is a lot happening.
• Work the system: When something needs to be solved, you can figure out who to talk to, how to contact them, and what to do.
• Communicate effectively: Whether you’re sending an email or chatting on Teams, you make sure your message is easy to understand and appropriate for the audience.
• Master the executive calendar: You can steer an executive’s calendar—anticipating scheduling challenges and effectively representing the senior leader’s priorities.
• Navigate budgets, contracts and public sector finance with confidence: You’re comfortable with public sector financial processes and ensure everything aligns with APS policy and protocols. 
• Be flexible and take initiative: You don’t just react to requests—you anticipate needs, spot opportunities for improvement, and take action to make things better for the whole team.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviours 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: Considers inter-relationships and emerging trends to attain goals.
Drive for Results: Actively sets goals and remains open to advice on reaching them.
Creative Problem Solving: Is open to new ideas and breaks problems down to identify solutions.

Qualifications

Your cover letter and resume will be used in lieu of a writing assignment to assess your qualifications, including your written communication skills and your attention to detail.

Ensure your cover letter meets all of the following criteria:
•    Includes a professional salutation;
•    Identifies the relevant job opportunity (i.e. Executive Assistant / Branch Administrator);
•    Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errors;
•    Clearly identifies the number of years of experience you have supporting an executive (or senior leader); and
•    Clearly identifies the number of years of experience you have working in a public sector organization.
 

Ensure your resume meets all of the following criteria:
•    Includes starting and ending month & year of each role;
•    Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errors; 
•    Has a clear, consistent layout that demonstrates your attention to detail; and 
•    Provides information about each role using clear and concise bullet points.

Applications without a cover letter and resume that meet all of the above criteria will not be considered.

Minimum recruitment standard: High school diploma and four years of related experience.

Equivalency: Related education or experience is considered on the basis of:
•    1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
•    1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Other requirements (i.e. “must haves” to be considered for the role):
•    Experience supporting executive/senior leader operations, including scheduling;
•    Experience administering financial processes in a public sector context (e.g. monthly forecasts, procuring supplies);
•    Knowledge of government organization and hierarchy structures, and how they affect meeting management, projects and decision-making.

Assets (i.e. “nice to haves”):
•    Knowledge of APS corporate systems, including 1GX, ARTS, and EPS;
•    Knowledge of public sector procurement/contracting policies.

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

To be considered for this competition, you application must include a well-written cover letter and resume. Carefully review the Qualifications section to see the specific requirements for the cover letter and resume that are unique to this role. If your application does not include a cover letter and resume that clearly meet these requirements, your application will not be considered. 

Location and Hours of Work:
Our office is located in downtown Edmonton. Alternate work locations are not available at this time, however hybrid work options may be available on a case-by-case basis, subject to government policy and operational viability.

Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:30 pm. Hours of work are 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week. Modified work hours may be available on a case-by-case basis, subject to government policy and operational viability. 

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.

More information about 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
Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement 
Leadership and mentorship programs