Field Services Manager

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director, South Services Branch, the Field Services Manager leads a team in supporting the department, Minister of Education and several Kindergarten to Grade 12 school authorities including independent schools across a broad geographic area of the province. Within the context of legislation, regulations and policies, the Field Services Manager promotes innovation and system effectiveness; monitors and provides direction to school authorities including independent schools for compliance on planning, reporting and accountability/assurance requirements; and is accountable for ensuring school authority compliance. 

The Field Services Manager also supports school authorities with issues management and fosters continuous improvement. This position handles highly confidential information and is relied on to exercise sound judgment when providing information to Ministry staff, stakeholders and the public. This leadership role strengthens connections between ministry priorities and school authority work in the service of several hundred thousand Kindergarten to Grade 12 students across the province of Alberta. This position is required to travel regularly within the province of Alberta for meetings with school authority leaders and stakeholders (the Field). Travel outside of the office ranges from 10%-20% of work time. 

The position is responsible to perform the following tasks as a part of their role:

• Oversees and monitors 10 to15 school authorities and private schools within a broad geographic area of the province grounded by government and ministry legislation, regulations, policies, directives and procedures to ensure their effective management and operations so that students succeed in learning.
• Leads the annual evaluation and approval of Public, Separate, Charter, and Private (Independent)  school authority Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.
• Leads the evaluation of Charter schools and charter renewals and recommends approval to the Minister, based on the Education Act and the Charter Schools Regulation.
• Provides leadership and guidance in the interpretation and implementation by school authorities of education-related legislation, regulations and policies and ministry programs and initiatives.
• Ensures school authority compliance and accountability when issues arise, including requiring a school authority to develop an improvement plan and holding the school authority accountable for compliance. 
• Leads additional monitoring, recommending and implementing increasing consequences that are escalated with recommendations to the Director, Executive Director, Assistant Deputy Minister, Deputy Minister, and Minister as required. Recommended consequences can include recommending that the Minister cancel the accreditation of a school authority or that a school board be removed.
• Preparing and refining policy and decision-making advice that includes Action Requests and briefings to senior department officials and the Minister
• Reviewing and recommending changes to provincial policy, funding regulations, and standards documents issued by Field Services and other department areas
• Collaborating with other department areas to support communication with school authorities and stakeholder organizations on topics such as the roll out of system-wide initiatives.

Please click on this 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.
 

• Systems Thinking - Considers the impact of strategies and changes on the work of clients, stakeholders, and team members and support organization vision and goals through strategic planning of tasks and considering relationships between different work approaches and their impact on different programs, divisions and ministries.
• Creative Problem Solving - Facilitate the creation of a work environment for generating and finding newer ideas to solve existing and potential problems 
• Build Collaborative Environments – Strong track record in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Drive for Results -  Designs and manages projects to achieve intended outcomes and deliverables within allotted timeframes and budget.
• Develop Networks - Develops and sustains a network of relationships across the division and with other GOA ministries on issues and work with other branches to develop effective communication channels to enhance and maximize the effectiveness of interactions.

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standard:

• University graduation in a field related to the position assignment, supplemented by three years related experience. 
• Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis. 
• An active Alberta Teaching Certificate is required.

Assets:

• Master’s Degree is an asset
• School Leadership experience at the school and or school authority level experience as a Principal/Vice Principal/Deputy Principal etc is a strong asset.
• Comprehensive knowledge of government strategic priorities, policy directions, and ministry business plan goals.
• Some Project Management Experience since the role requires working on multiple projects with coinciding deadlines.
• Overall operations of the Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system, including the management of numerous school authorities and schools.
• Knowledge of MS Office Products primarily MS Word and Excel.
• Experience/training in First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit education.
• Facilitation, mediation and consensus building skills in complex and conflicting circumstances involving multiple people or organizations.

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

There is (1) permanent, full-time position working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

This position is based in Edmonton. We require you to attach a Cover Letter with your application explaining your qualification and suitability for this role.

The final candidate will be required to undergo a security screening.

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

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - About the Alberta Public Service | Alberta.ca.
• Management Employees 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.
• 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.