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 policy development and systems thinking across the ministry? This may be just the opportunity for you!

Reporting to the Manager, Policy Priorities, the Senior Policy Analyst provides leadership and support to government and ministry priorities within the ALSS strategic mandate. Work is done in collaboration with program areas across ALSS divisions and other cross-ministry and external partners, as required. Operating in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will play a key role in policy analysis and the development of strategic documents to support decision-making within the Ministry and the Government of Alberta. The position is accountable for supporting and/or leading projects or aspects of projects, as required, and is expected to provide timely and accurate advice to management and senior leadership.

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, and strong written communication skills to draft a range of high-quality strategic documents, often under tight timelines. The ability to demonstrate policy expertise and create partnerships among corporate branches, program areas and cross-ministry partners will be a strength of yours, allowing you to ensure collaboration, and, ultimately, effective strategic policy design and implementation. The position is guided by policy development principles which include collaboration, cross-divisional approaches, consistency, flexibility, strategic thinking, and capacity building.

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 and input 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.
• 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 branch and division staff and other colleagues or stakeholders as required. 

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.

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

In addition to the in-depth knowledge and understanding of varied policy/legislation/regulations/stakeholders related to ALSS, this position must also understand the complex interrelationships between the Ministry policy domains and portfolios and those outside of the department. This position identifies strategic connections between initiatives and ensures that ALSS divisions consider policy development from a strategic, long-term and integrated perspective. 

There are some unstructured aspects to this role adding complexity. For example, the use of judgement is required as well as the need for speed and flexibility (quickly pull together or create high quality written materials within short timelines) and adaptability to work in an ambiguous, changing environment. One aspect of the complexity is the many factors that need to be considered (political, program/operational, internal, external) to effectively articulate policy options and implications.

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 framing policy issues, qualitative/quantitative policy analysis and policy development. 

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 government policy development and decision-making processes. 
• Familiarity rooted in policy/research experience related to assisted living and social services policy issues.

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

Additional Position Details:

• Hours of work: 36.25 hours per week, Monday – Friday. 
• Location: Edmonton

Recruitment Process:

• 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 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.