Policy Advisor, Central Recruitment

Role Responsibilities

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for public service and governance? Do you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy leading meaningful change? The Public Agency Secretariat (PAS) is looking for a Policy Advisor to help shape the future of public agency recruitment across Alberta.

About the Role
As a Policy Advisor, you’ll be at the forefront of Alberta’s centralized recruitment program for public agencies, boards, and commissions (ABCs). You’ll lead recruitment portfolios, develop policy and sourcing strategies, and collaborate with departments, Ministers' Offices, the Premier’s Office, and public agencies to ensure effective board governance and service delivery for Albertans.

This is your opportunity to influence how Alberta recruits’ leaders for its public agencies — ensuring transparency, accountability, and excellence in governance.

What You’ll Do
•    Lead and manage recruitment projects for ABCs across government.
•    Develop strategic sourcing approaches tailored to agency needs.
•    Collaborate with stakeholders to identify recruitment priorities and solutions.
•    Apply legislation and policy to guide recruitment practices.
•    Evaluate recruitment effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
•    Build tools, resources, and best practices to support recruitment teams.
•    Lead initiatives that strengthen governance and succession planning.
•    Navigate complex issues with political acumen and strategic insight.

What We’re Looking For  
•    Proven leadership in policy development, recruitment, or governance.
•    Strong project management and organizational skills.
•    Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
•    High level of political awareness and problem-solving capability.
•    Experience working with executive stakeholders and cross-ministry teams.
•    Ability to manage multiple priorities with agility and professionalism.

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: Being responsive to the needs of Ministers/Deputy Ministers, departments, and public agencies in meeting the recruitment needs. Agility is critical in supporting the recruitment team in adjusting approaches to meet the program needs.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Develop and maintain positive and collaborative relationships with key individuals across government and within public agencies, to ensure departments and their agencies are better informed about policies, programs, and directions involving related recruitment processes and compensation frameworks. Collaborate with ABCs and department representatives to proactively identify and scope recruitment needs for the public agency to develop and implement effective sourcing strategies.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to identify systemic trends and patterns to inform the effectiveness of the centralized recruitment program. Apply a systems level thinking approach to identify impacts, interconnectedness, and unintended consequences between programs and policies associated with recruitment, that impact departments and ABCs across the GoA. The intent is to develop innovative approaches to leverage learnings, manage issues, and create solutions, and this includes anticipating stakeholder reactions.
• Creative Problem Solving: The Policy Advisor needs to have proven skills in thinking strategically and critically on a broad scale in the development and implementation of innovative and feasible solutions in response to complex problems. A high level of political acumen is also required to manage issues and develop solutions.

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field (e.g. business, social science) plus 4 years progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent as described below. In addition, a certificate in project management is an asset.

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 

Experience with the following is preferred: 
•    Experience leading initiatives, and a portfolio of services or programs that are complex and involve a diverse range of stakeholders often with competing views. 
•    Experience in project and change management, research and evaluation, developing and delivering policy and programs.
•    Experience in issues management, including the decision-making process, agency governance, and/or the recruitment and appointment process.
•    Experience developing and implementing policy, and interpreting legislation and regulations
•    Experience within the Government of Alberta or public sector. 

Assets:
Project Management certificate is an asset and experience in leading complex projects.

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

This is a full-time position working 36.25 hours per week.

Working location is in Edmonton.

Applicants are required to provide a cover letter outlining how your experience relates to the qualifications outlined in this job ad.

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).

This competition will be used for any future vacancies at the same level or at the lower level classification.

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.
•    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.