Senior Policy Analyst

Role Responsibilities

Do you want to be involved in exciting strategic priority initiatives within Assisted Living and Social Services (ALSS)? Do you want to play a role in strategic content development, policy framing and systems thinking across the ministry? This may be just the opportunity for you!

The Strategic Policy, Priority Coordination and Appeals Branch of the Strategic Services Division is looking for a Senior Policy Analyst to lead and provide support to a wide array of government and ministry priorities. Operating in a fast-paced and dynamic division, you will play a key role in project management and advanced policy analysis associated with the development, review, evaluation, and implementation of provincial ALSS policy and programs, as well as in contributing to decision-making processes within the Ministry and the Government of Alberta.

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will possess a strong understanding of the Ministry, as well as in-depth knowledge of the policy development processes. You will also have a strong background in policy research and analysis, allowing you to quickly identify the most appropriate sources to seek out required information, identify and compile emerging issues, and develop contextual foresight. The ability to create strategic partnerships among corporate branches, program delivery divisions and cross-ministry partners will be a strength of yours, allowing you to ensure collaboration, and, ultimately, effective strategic policy design and implementation.

This position demands a high level of creativity, originality and innovation, independent research, ability to identify strategic implications, define issues, and develop creative and appropriate policy options. Projects are usually diverse and deal with strategically sensitive and complex policy issues that are closely related to the department and government’s policy objectives.  Policy issues involved are often unique in nature, with limited precedence to be found within the Ministry or in other jurisdictions.

Role Responsibilities Continued

Within this role, you will be responsible for the following:

• Policy framing: Provide specialized strategic advice and analysis for high-level strategic social policy work, while incorporating the views of other departments/divisions/branches; define significant and fundamental policy shifts; and develop issues, options, and context for strategic and program policy decisions.
• Policy analysis and development: Provide project management, leadership and support on strategic policy projects; prepare briefing materials; participate on internal, cross-ministry, and cross-government committees; and conduct planning activities for policy development projects.
• Strategic foresight: Explore the “root causes” of social challenges and researches, analyses, and presents a range of options for addressing them. Identify emerging policy issues that are often unique in nature, with limited precedence to be found within the Ministry or in other jurisdictions.
• Policy integration: Support strategic policy integration activities and initiatives to ensure ALSS programs are appropriately aligned and integrated with the strategic mandate of ALSS and the Government of Alberta.
• Collaborative relationships:  Pro-actively build and maintain a network of positive relationships with key stakeholders, including division staff, other government departments.

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.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• A university degree in public policy, social sciences or other related fields, with a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience related to strategic foresight and advice, project management, policy development and qualitative/quantitative policy analysis. 

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. 

Assets:

• A graduate level degree will be considered an asset.
• Experience with identifying emerging policy issues, strategic context development, jurisdictional scanning and foresight.
• Familiarity rooted in research experience with topics related to health and social services interfaces, health system transformation characteristics, continuing care, complex needs, and related policy areas.

A cover letter is required.

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

Hours of work: 36.25 hours per week, Monday – Friday

Location: Edmonton

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.

Your cover letter and resume will be used as a screening tool to assess your written communication. An additional written assignment may be used as part of the screening process.

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.
• 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.