Policy and Program Advisor

Role Responsibilities

The Policy and Strategic Initiatives (PSI) Branch focuses on addressing major strategic policy issues including those involving federal-provincial relations, gathering and analyzing infrastructure data, coordinating legislative, regulatory, and policy development for the Ministry and supporting effective engagement with key stakeholders to build strong partnerships and inform strategic direction.

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Policy and Strategic Initiatives Branch, the Program and Policy Advisor provides strategic advice, assistance, and support to the Branch's programs and policies. This position provides support to the Executive Director in the development, implementation and interpretation of strategic directions for the Branch through its assessment of emerging issues and the subsequent development of strategic responses for internal and external stakeholders. The Program and Policy Advisor develops and implements initiatives and tasks related to the Branch's core policy and program areas, working to supplement existing resources in a variety of ways, including research, analysis and advice.

The primary responsibilities for the Policy and Program Advisor include, but are not limited to:  

• Assisting PSI by being informed of emerging issues and developing strategic policy responses to identified issues
• Providing policy support, including taking a lead in drafting policy and reporting documents related to each of the work units within PSI
• Providing oversight and quality control on materials that leave the branch, such as action requests, policy documents
• Supporting the development of strong stakeholder relations by demonstrating responsiveness to client questions and needs, and ensuring external stakeholder committees are appropriately managed as required
• Leading project management components related to the areas within branch, including developing tools and templates to ensure complex projects are on track.  
  
  

The successful candidate will have: 

• Solid interpersonal and communications skills, especially written as well as oral presentation skills suited for a variety of audiences
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders and appropriately deal with sensitive and confidential issues
• Ability to actively listen to others
• Excellent creativity and the ability to think strategically and critically on a broad scale in the development of innovative and feasible options and strategic solutions to issues and trends
• Ability to work in a high-pressure environment and multi-task with vague direction with a demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate a variety of projects simultaneously, function under pressure and meet deadlines within a multiple deadline driven environment
• High level of self-management with strong results orientation.  Demonstrated high level of competence, motivation, creativity and initiative

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

Qualifications

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.

Required:  

• Bachelor’s degree in Public administration, Business or related discipline
• PLUS Four years related experience.
  
  

Equivalency: Related experience or education (e.g. related diploma) may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis.

Assets:   

• Experience using the Government of Alberta's Action Request Tracking System (ARTS)
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft 365 Office Suite, in particular Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Teams and Sharepoint
• Experience in SharePoint workflow development and maintenance
• Considerable knowledge and experience in project management
• Knowledge and understanding of political environments and their implications.  Understanding of good governance protocols and best practices
• Knowledge of communications planning and issues management techniques.

Notes

This position is a Permanent, full-time role with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday (8:15 am – 4:30 pm).

Location: Edmonton AB

A writing assignment would be administered as part of the interview process

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

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

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.
• 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.