Senior Policy Analyst

Role Responsibilities

Do you want your policy expertise to have meaningful, lasting impact for Albertans while contributing to a recovery‑oriented mental health and addiction system?

Reporting to the Associate Director within the Statutory Director’s Office (SDO), the Senior Policy Analyst provides expert leadership in policy and strategy development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting to support Alberta’s mental health and addiction system, including the Compassionate Intervention (CI) program. This role operates in a complex, time‑sensitive, and evolving policy environment and may support both strategic initiatives and day‑to‑day operational requirements of the SDO.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading research, environmental scanning, and analysis to inform CI operational policies, guidelines and processes, as well as related mental health legislation and policies.
• Identifying emerging trends, policy issues, risks, and leading practices across jurisdictions to support evidence‑based advice and recommendations.
• Leading the development of SDO’s operational frameworks, including operational policies, guidelines, manuals and service standards, and strategic options aligned with Government of Alberta (GoA) standards, processes, and priorities.
• Leading the development, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of SDO’s performance measurement framework, including key performance indicators and reporting functionalities and platforms.
• Preparing and contributing to Cabinet, Treasury Board, and senior leadership materials, including briefing notes, policy options papers, Cabinet packages, presentations, and speaking notes.
• Coordinating and supporting strategic engagement with internal and external stakeholders, including Indigenous communities and organizations, police services, service delivery partners, regulatory bodies, and people in pursuit of recovery.
• Representing the SDO and Ministry on cross‑ministry committees, working groups, and initiatives to foster collaboration and alignment.
• Supporting the day‑to‑day operations of the SDO, including responses to action requests, corporate reporting requirements, and management of assigned contracts or grants.
• Providing expert, timely advice on complex, sensitive, and high‑impact issues affecting Alberta’s mental health and addiction system.
  
  
  

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.

Creative Problem Solving: Engages the community and resources at hand to address issues: Engages perspective to seek root causes. Finds ways to improve complex systems. Employs resources from other areas to solve problems. Engages others and encourages debate and idea generation to solve problems while addressing risks.

Agility: Identifies and manages required change and the associated risks: Identifies alternative approaches and supports others to do the same. Proactively explains impact of changes. Anticipates and mitigates emotions of others. Anticipates obstacles and stays focused on goals. Makes decisions and takes action in uncertain situations and creates a backup plan.

Drive for Results: Takes and delegates responsibility for outcomes: Uses variety of resources to monitor own performance standards. Acknowledges even indirect responsibility. Commits to what is good for Albertans even if not immediately accepted.  Reaches goals consistent with APS direction.

Build Collaborative Environments: Collaborates across functional areas and proactively addresses conflict.  Encourages broad thinking on projects and works to eliminate barriers to progress.  Facilitates communication and collaboration.  Anticipates and reduces conflict at the outset.  Credits others and gets talent recognized.  Promotes collaboration and commitment.

Develop Networks: Leverages relationships to build input and perspective:  Looks broadly to engage stakeholders.  Open to perspectives towards long-term goals.  Actively seeks input into change initiatives. Maintains stakeholder relationships.

Qualifications

University degree in Public Administration, Mental Health, Health Sciences or related field with a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience related to the role; or equivalent as described below.

Equivalency: 

• Directly related education or experience may be considered on the basis of 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.
  
  

Required Experience:

• Demonstrated experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research, environmental scanning, data analysis, and synthesis.
• Experience working with policy development processes and policy implementation.
• Proven ability to develop clear, concise, and well‑structured executive‑level materials (e.g., briefing notes, Cabinet documents, presentations)
• Experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders across ministries and sectors.
  
  

Assets: 

• Experience working in mental health and addiction policy, recovery‑oriented systems of care, or complex social policy environments.
• Experience in developing operational policies, guidelines, and manuals for front-line service delivery staff in the social services and/or health sectors.
• Experience leading performance measurement and/or evaluations for an organization or program.
• Knowledge of or experience applying Alberta mental health and addiction legislation (Mental Health Act, Compassionate Intervention Act).
• Familiarity with Government of Alberta or public‑sector policy development cycles, approvals, or reporting processes.
  
  

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

Two permanent full-time positions.

Hours of Work:

• 8:15 am to 4:30 pm
• 36.25 hours per week (full-time) Monday to Friday
  
  

Location: 

• Commerce Place Building, 10155 - 102 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 4G8
  
  

A cover letter outlining how your qualifications and experience align with the role is required.

We recognize that lived experience with mental health challenges, addiction, and recovery provides unique insight that strengthens our work. We welcome applicants who have personally navigated these experiences and who are comfortable integrating that knowledge into their professional practice.

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.s
• 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.