Job Information

Job Title:  Executive Director, Airshed & Watershed Stewardship

Job Requisition ID:   78352

Ministry:  Environment and Protected Areas

Location:  Edmonton

Full or Part-Time:  Full Time

Hours of Work:  36.25

Regular/Temporary:  Regular    

Scope:  Open Competition

Closing Date:  January 16, 2026

Classification:  Executive Manager I

About Us

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding and diverse career opportunities. For more information, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/about-the-alberta-public-service.

Environment and Parks supports environmental conservation and protection, sustainable economic prosperity, quality of life and outdoor recreation opportunities by:

• Working to protect and enhance Alberta’s environment and ecosystems to ensure a sustainable future, making life better for Albertans;
• Working with Albertans, Indigenous communities and stakeholders to ensure the province’s environmental, social and economic outcomes for the future are met; and
• Engaging Albertans to understand the challenges in ensuring Alberta’s natural resources are managed using innovative and responsible approaches.

For further information, visit the ministry website: https://www.alberta.ca/environment-and-protected-areas.

Role

Airshed and watershed stewardship are essential for:

• Protecting public health and environmental quality.
• Supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Enabling sustainable development and responsible resource use.
• Building resilience to climate change and pollution.

The Airshed and Watershed Stewardship (AWS) branch within Environment and Protected Areas Resource Stewardship Division (RSD) monitors, evaluates, and reports on provincial ambient water quality and quantity in Alberta's rivers and lakes, groundwater, and wetlands, as well as Alberta's air quality and atmospheric deposition, and provides science-informed analysis and advice related to air and water resource management, planning, regulatory decisions, and stewardship.

AWS works with partners (multi-stakeholder groups, academia, other governments) to gather and share data and information and enable stewardship action. AWS also provides capacity and critical services for environmental emergency response related to air and water quality and quantity.

Reporting to the Assistant Deputy Minister of RSD, the Executive Director serves as a pivotal leader within Alberta’s environmental stewardship framework, shaping, advancing, and delivering the specialized operational portfolio of province-wide monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER) programs. This role is integral to the ongoing innovation, strategic direction, and excellence of Alberta’s environmental monitoring systems, ensuring that these essential programs remain robust, adaptive, and aligned with the province’s highest priorities.

The position works to advance place-based airshed and watershed stewardship through collaborative work with external partners and communities, leading a team that provides place-based, in-depth knowledge at appropriate geographic scales to inform regulatory and land-use planning decisions, address policy gaps, manage cumulative effects and support economic development.

The position translates the priorities and broad interests of the Government of Alberta, ministry, industry sectors and environmental stakeholders into programs that meet the needs of the entire province. Systems thinking, creative problem solving, and agility are required.

Qualifications

You have extensive related senior management experience with a background in leading teams, developing strategy and directing multi-disciplinary programs in large public sector organizations. You have a broad knowledge of airshed, watershed and environmental stewardship. You have a proven record of success in influencing complex corporate decisions, negotiating and managing relationships with complex internal and external stakeholder groups. You are a recognized leader, who is politically astute and able to navigate sensitive situations as well as thorough experience in policy development, legislation and stakeholder management. Effective communication, strong organizational, and project management skills combined with a reputation for motivating and mentoring teams, and capacity for facilitating change will aid to your success. A bachelor’s degree in environment or sciences is preferred; a master’s degree is an asset.

Salary

$5,758.44 - $7,567.65 bi-weekly ($150,295.28 - $197,515.67 annually)

Notes

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening. 

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer:

• Compensation overview: https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca/careers/Executive-Management/(type/Executive-Manager//jobLevel:level/Executive-Manager-2)
• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Pension plan: Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) – https://www.mepp.ca
• Leadership and mentorship programs
• Professional learning and development

Please see the attached position profile for more information on position responsibilities. Position Profile

How to Apply

Click on the “Apply Now” button.  

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/navigating-online-jobs-application.aspx to learn more about creating a candidate profile and other tips for the Government of Alberta’s online application system.

If you are not currently an employee with the Government of Alberta, the first step in applying for a job is creating your candidate profile within our online application system, click here to access the main log in page where you are able to ‘Create an account’, reset your password (‘Forgot your password’) or ‘Sign In’ should you already have an account.

Existing employees should access the Career tile in 1GX to submit their application in order to be recognized as an internal applicant.

Once you have created your candidate profile, visit the Alberta Public Service job site to apply for jobs at https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-jobs.aspx

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience and relevant examples of required competencies.  

Resources for applicants:

https://www.alberta.ca/apply-for-jobs-with-the-alberta-public-service.aspx

https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-hiring-process.aspx

https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) or from recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies across the Government of Alberta at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or a copy of the role profile, and/or require a disability related accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Executive Search at psc.executivesearchservices@gov.ab.ca.

If this competition is closed as per the closing date noted above, please continue to check http://www.jobs.alberta.ca for a listing of current career opportunities with the Government of Alberta.