Municipal Collaboration Advisor

Role Responsibilities

Do you enjoy tackling conflict head on and using it to fuel effective conversations? Are you skilled in the art of relationship-building between individuals and groups? Do you enjoy developing and delivering training to help build the capacity of municipalities to manage conflict, improve communication, and meet requirements for regional collaboration? If so, this position on the Capacity Services team is for you!

Reporting to the Manager, Capacity Services, the Municipal Collaboration Advisor will work with a team of professionals mandated to help build the capacity of Alberta’s municipalities. The Advisor will provide dispute resolution advisory and facilitation services for matters such as intermunicipal dispute resolution; collaborative governance; education and training; interdepartmental collaboration; and regional service delivery.

We’re looking for a team member who brings their best to their work and brings out the best in their colleagues, whether that be your content knowledge, technical skills, or sense of humor.

Your application must include a cover letter that answers the question “why do you want to work with us?”

The main responsibilities of this position include:
•    Deliver the ministry's dispute resolution services to address intermunicipal and internal council/staff disputes and support collaborative initiatives.  This will involve advising, assessing, convening, coaching, and facilitating discussions between and within municipalities.
•    Support municipalities in developing, reviewing, and adhering to legislated dispute resolution processes for mandated Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs).
•    Facilitate inter-municipal negotiation, collaboration, and workplace conflict training to build awareness, knowledge, capacity, and skills of municipal staff and elected officials to effectively collaborate and productively manage conflict within and between municipalities.
•    Develop education materials to support stakeholder learning and training.
•    Provide advice and recommendations on collaboration and dispute resolution techniques and options to senior management, municipal officials, municipal associations, and stakeholder groups.
•    Support ministry and divisional initiatives requiring facilitation expertise.
•    Provide advisory support to regional service entities for establishment and disestablishment (e.g. regional services commissions, municipal controlled corporations).

To be successful in this position, you will demonstrate:
•    Advanced written communication skills for internal and external audiences
•    Advanced small and large group facilitation experience (including workshop design, creating presentation materials, and developing learning resources for virtual and in-person sessions)
•    Strong research and analysis skills to build briefing materials
•    Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders and appropriately deal with sensitive and confidential issues.
•    Ability to function effectively under pressure and use tact, diplomacy and good judgment.
•    Ability to anticipate issues and take initiative to address them, and to act independently where appropriate.

Please click on this link JR79750 Municipal Collaboration Advisor JD  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 thoroughly understand the competencies required for this role and be ready to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

Agility: Skillfully identify and manage competing priorities within a highly politically sensitive environment.

Drive for Results: Focus on outcomes in a dynamic environment.

Creative Problem Solving: Breaks down challenges, conduct thorough research and investigation and draw on your experiences to find effective solutions.

Develop Networks: Connect with others to build relationships, create input and perspectives for decision making, and consider broad needs to stakeholders.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Qualifications

Requirements:
•    A related university degree (e.g., Arts, Public Administration, Humanities, Human Resources, Conflict Resolution, etc.), and a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible related experience. Equivalencies will be considered.
•    Training and experience in conflict management, facilitation, mediation, and/or dispute resolution; AND/OR
•    Training and experience in design, creation, writing, and editing learning/training materials.
•    Cover letter detailing how your skills and experience align with the role's responsibilities, used to assess writing and communication skills. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Equivalencies:
•    A related master’s degree and a minimum of two (2) years of related experience; or
•    A related two-year diploma and a minimum of six (6) years of related experience; or
•    A related one-year certificate and a minimum of seven (7) years of related experience; or
•    A minimum of eight (8) years of related experience in lieu of formal education.

Assets:
•    Certification in conflict management, mediation, and/or dispute resolution
•    Certification in facilitation, adult education, and/or learning resource design/production
•    Experience in negotiation, mediation and/or arbitration
•    Experience in municipal government
•    Membership in the ADR Institute of Alberta (ADRIA) and/or Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC)
•    Institute for Public Participation (IAP2) training

Notes

Term of Employment: Temporary, Full-time position (12 months)

Hours of Work: 7.25 hours daily / 36.25 weekly – Monday to Friday

Location: Commerce Place | 10155 102 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 4L5

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.

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

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

Additional Information:
In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, 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).

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 has to offer to prospective employees.

•    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
•    Leadership and mentorship programs