Issues Manager

Role Responsibilities

The Issues Manager is a senior strategic advisor to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) and a key member of the Division’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT). This role exists to ensure the ADM and division are well‑positioned to anticipate, assess, and respond to complex and emerging issues while maintaining the effective day‑to‑day operation of the ADM’s office. The Issues Manager brings a whole‑of‑system perspective, sound judgment, and strong analytical skills to support executive decision‑making in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment.

Key responsibilities include:

• Proactively identify, assess, and prioritize complex and interconnected strategic issues, ensuring alignment with divisional priorities, departmental objectives and government direction.
• Monitor emerging operational, strategic, political and economic developments, providing early, system‑level analysis of risks, impacts and opportunities.
• Prepare the ADM with clear, concise and decision‑ready briefings, including options, risk considerations and recommended actions.
• Manage and triage sensitive and time‑critical requests from senior executive, Ministerial and central agency offices, exercising discretion and sound judgment.
• Coordinate and oversee the development of high‑quality executive materials, ensuring accuracy, consistency and strategic clarity.
• Lead the daily operations of the ADM’s office, including workflow management, administrative coordination and financial oversight.
• Support division‑wide prioritization by advising on capacity pressures, workload management and required operational adjustments.
• Provide strategic advice to the ADM and ELT, contributing to executive planning, issue management and informed decision‑making.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across government, using collaboration, influence and political acuity to support timely issue resolution.

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.

Agility – In our fast-paced environment, you can anticipate, assess, readily adapt to changing priorities and work effectively with shifting priorities.

Systems Thinking – You anticipate outcomes and potential impacts across inter-related areas and factors this into planning and problem solving.

Creative Problem Solving – You can assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Drive for Results – You know what outcomes are important and maximize resources to achieve results aligned with the organization's goals, while maintaining accountability to each other and external stakeholders.

Build Collaborative Environments – Creates opportunities for project teams and stakeholders to share information; respects others' point-of-view, encourages or facilitates conflict resolution, recognizes performance of all groups involved.

Qualifications

Required:

University graduation in a related field plus 4 years progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent as described below.

Equivalency: 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.

Assets:

• Demonstrated ability to identify, analyze and prioritize complex strategic and operational issues.
• Strong systems‑thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to anticipate impacts and interdependencies.
• Experience preparing clear, concise and decision‑ready briefings for senior executives.
  Proven judgment in managing sensitive, confidential and time‑critical matters.
• Experience coordinating accurate, high‑quality executive materials in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience leading or supporting executive office operations, including administrative and workflow functions.
• Strong collaboration, relationship‑management, and influence skills across government and with senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrated agility and problem‑solving skills in situations involving ambiguity, change and competing priorities.

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

A cover letter is required. In your cover letter, please provide information that clearly demonstrates how your qualifications meet the advertised requirements for this position.

Hours of Work: 36.25/week.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. As well, 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 hrs. shifts/week). Please indicate who you provided support for Example ”Director, CEO or other”.

Pre-employment checks will be completed to assess the candidate’s suitability for a role. These checks can include (but are not limited to): references, criminal record check, and academic verification. 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.

What we offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• 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
• Leadership and mentorship programs