Ministerial Correspondence Unit Manager

Role Responsibilities

Are you a strategic leader who thrives in a high‑volume, fast‑paced environment with a sharp editorial eye and a deep understanding of the importance of accurate information? As the Ministerial Correspondence Unit Manager, you will lead a high‑performing team responsible for delivering accurate, timely, and well‑crafted correspondence on behalf of the ministry. This role offers the opportunity to shape how the ministry communicates with senior leaders and stakeholders - balancing precision, diplomacy, and efficiency in a fast‑paced, high‑profile environment by analyzing trends, identifying emerging issues, and designing process efficiencies that strengthen workflow, improve turnaround times, and enhance the overall quality of ministerial communications.

As the Ministerial Correspondence Unit (MCU) Manager, you will manage the MCU and a team of Writer/Editors, Senior Writer/Editor, and ARTS Administrators. You will report to the Executive Director, Executive Operations within the Deputy Minister's Office (DMO). In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring correspondence is completed in a timely and consistent manner and follows the standards for style, tone, vision, content, accuracy, and formatting. You will provide guidance on the technical aspects involved with researching, preparing, and editing correspondences, while ensuring written material reflects the policies and position of the ministry and government.

In this position, you will be responsible for the management of the Action Request process in the Action Request Tracking System (ARTS), maintaining effective relationships with the divisions to allow Action Requests to move through the channels effectively. This includes response letters, emails, memorandums, briefing material, legislative and policy packages, speaking notes, and official documents. You will analyze data, and interpret trends, while working with the Minister's Office, Deputy Minister's Office, Communications, and divisional partners to manage the workflow and the Action Request process. As the MCU Manager, you will be responsible for identifying emerging trends to senior leaders, and participating in the development of responses or processes. You will work independently to develop and implement systems to find efficiencies and enhance the quality and timeliness of the department's action request process.

The main responsibilities of the MCU Manager include, but are not limited to:

• Managing the MCU, including distributing work, reviewing and approving correspondence packages, and ensuring timelines, processes, and standards are established and met.
• Maintaining effective working relationships with divisional staff, the DMO, the Minister’s Office, and Premier’s Correspondence Unit.
• Identifying emerging issues, trends, and efficiencies.
• Managing daily performance measures, branch and department priorities, and the branch operational plan.

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Excellent communication skills, superior organizational skills, research and analytical skills, and tact and diplomacy.
• Extensive understanding of political and policy decision making processes.
• Advanced writing and editing skills.
• In-depth knowledge of proper English grammar, Canadian plain language, and Government of Alberta writing styles.
• Advanced knowledge of communication theories, including writing, editing, and research methodologies.
• Superior knowledge of editorial practices including, semantics, syntax, discourse techniques, and developmental language.
• Extensive knowledge of communication theory and how language impacts messaging and tone.

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 - You take a long-term view towards the organization’s objectives and how to achieve them.
• Creative Problem Solving - You engage the community and resources at hand to address issues.
• Agility - You identify and manage required change and the associated risks.
• Drive for Results - You take and delegate responsibility for outcomes.

Qualifications

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

Minimum Requirements:

• A university degree in social science, public administration, communications or a related field.
• Supplemented by a minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible experience in supervision/management and correspondence (employing advanced writing and editing skills).
• Equivalencies will be considered on a one-for-one basis.

Experience or knowledge that will be considered and asset:

• Experience in negotiation, liaison, and conflict resolution skills
• Experience in records management
• Experience with the Action Request Tracking System (ARTS), Action Request processes, standards, guidelines, and templates

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

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.

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

• 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.