Senior Legislative Counsel

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Posting Date: Apr 12, 2024

Location: Edmonton, AB

Company: Government of Alberta

The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy.aspx

The Legal Services Division of Alberta Justice (the Division) is the civil legal advisor to the Government of Alberta. Legal officers in the Division practice in diverse areas of law. They carry out a variety of functions, including providing legal advice to Government departments; managing risks; conducting civil litigation; and drafting bills, regulations, Orders in Council and Ministerial orders.
 
The Legal Services Division is proud to be a learning organization and offers employees opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. With its inclusive workforce, employees are engaged and supported at all career stages.
 
The Legislative Counsel Office is responsible for drafting government bills, regulations and Orders in Council. The office also works with the King’s Printer to make the laws of Alberta available to the public.

 

Job Information

Job Title: Senior Legislative Counsel 
Job Requisition ID: 51680
Ministry: Justice
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Regular/Temporary: Temporary - 12 months with the possibility of extension
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: Open until suitable candidates found
Classification: Civil Crown Counsel 5
Salary: ​$8,313.36 to $9,502.54 bi-weekly ($216,978 - $248,016/year)

Role Responsibilities

The Alberta Legislative Counsel Office is looking for a self-motivated, energetic individual with demonstrated legislative drafting and leadership skills who will use their excellent English language writing ability to draft high quality Government Bills for introduction in the Legislative Assembly and to draft Regulations and Orders in Council for Government. You will provide advice to the Government and Crown agencies on the development of legislation and regulatory policies.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel and Registrar of Regulations, your primary responsibility will be to provide advice and mentorship to legislative drafters to assist the Alberta Government and its Ministries in achieving their legislative objectives. Additional duties involve drafting complex bills and regulations in accordance with Legislative Counsel Office standards and performing related legal services. 

This position will ensure client Ministries’ policy objectives are met by: 

  • Mentoring legislative drafters with less drafting experience;

  • Contributing to the drafting resources of the Legislative Counsel Office;

  • Providing legal and legislative advice and opinions on legislative proposals made by Ministries;

  • Advising ministry officials on their legislative proposals and assisting them in achieving their policy goals through legislation where appropriate;

  • Providing impartial, high-quality legislative drafting services to the government;

  • Drafting bills and regulations in a timely and effective manner in accordance with drafting standards; and

  • Responding to client ministries’ concerns and questions regarding the making, drafting, and filing of regulations.

Qualifications

A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) is required. You must be an active member or must have immediate eligibility for full membership with the Law Society of Alberta. A minimum of 10 years of legislative drafting experience is required.

Intellectual inquiry, problem-solving and innovative thinking, combined with precision and thoroughness, are required in this position. Strong client focus, effective verbal and written communication skills, and effective interpersonal skills are essential to your success in this role, as you must understand your client's policy goals and be able to express them in a legislative framework that the clients can understand and explain to others. The ability to work both independently and collaboratively will ensure you are successful in meeting the demands of this position. 

As the ideal candidate you possess: 

  • A minimum of 10 years experience drafting government legislation while employed as a legislative drafter for a Government Legislative Counsel Office or a Parliamentary Counsel Office;

  • Experience drafting the most complex, politically sensitive government bills and regulation projects;

  • Demonstrated experience in a leadership role in a legislative counsel office;

  • Demonstrated experience mentoring and coaching other legislative drafters;

  • Demonstrated experience dealing with multiple complex files. 

A graduate diploma or professional certificate in Legislative drafting is considered an asset. 

In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:
Legal experience and expertise,
Relevant strengths and skills, and
Reasons for interest in the position
Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Notes

Hours of Work: 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours of work per week (Monday to Friday).

Successful 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 has to offer prospective employees:

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.

 

Systems Thinking: Work done is part of a larger integrated and inner-related environment. Allows us to keep broader impacts and connections in mind.

Creative Problem Solving: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Agility: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience and work effectively in changing environments.

Drive for Results: Knowing what outcomes are important and maximizing resources to achieve results that are aligned with the goals of the organization while maintaining accountability.

Develop Networks: Proactively building networks, connecting, and building trust in relationships with stakeholders.

Build Collaborative Environment: Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively.

Develop Self and Others: Commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.
 

How To Apply

Click on the “Apply Now” button. 

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements.

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit this page for tips and guides on what to do before, during and after you apply for a job. Please visit Recruitment Principles to learn about the steps we take to fill job positions and how we determine suitable applicants.

 

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

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)(https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment.aspx) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information (https://canalliance.org/en/default.html).

It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

 

Closing Statement

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

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements.

If you require any further information on this job posting or a copy of the role profile, and/or require a disability related accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Joe Nasr at joe.nasr@gov.ab.ca.