Trade Analyst

Role Responsibilities

The Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade has an exciting opportunity for you to join our positive and collaborative team as a Trade Analyst! We prioritize opportunities to learn and grow through training and leadership opportunities. The Trade Policy and Projects team is a unique space that allows an individual to gain a variety of skills and knowledge through leading different projects that serve Alberta’s trade interests.
 

This position plays a critical role in supporting major ministry priority items including developing, reviewing, and administering trade policy programs and strategic grants. 
 

Reporting to the Manager, Trade Policy and Projects, the Trade Analyst will support various projects and balance several competing priorities. The role will lead and/or support project management of policy and program initiatives. It provides strategic and policy advice related to trade and develops analysis and recommendations for decision materials. It also innovatively identifies opportunities to stimulate trade through grant policy development and program design.
 

This role requires a broad knowledge and understanding of current and emerging trade policy issues to create innovative solutions that balance the competing perspectives and interests of public and private stakeholders. The incumbent will help achieve the business plan goals and foster solutions to address key barriers to trade in Alberta.
 

In your role as the Trade Analyst, you will:  

• Support and maintain strong collaborative relationships within the ministry, across government and with external stakeholders. 
• Research into the impact of policy and programs through effective participation with other municipal, provincial, federal jurisdictions and/or research or think tanks. 
• Work with trade staff across the branch and division, and coordinate with relevant contacts across the ministry, to develop and implement activities and initiatives that support division goals. Support cross-ministry coordination, preparation of paperwork including briefings, monitoring, and reporting, in cooperation with managers and other key contacts. 
• Support project management for strategic grants, program reviews, program designs, software, and other types of projects for the branch, division and ministry.  
• Research, analyze and prepare trade data, reports and/or briefings with recommendations for decision-makers on issues that can help inform strategic decisions by government and industry. 
• Ensure coordination and integration of multi-unit, branch and division initiatives including trade and cross-jurisdictional policy analysis. 
• Support the development of strategic policy options and analysis to support key decisions in the trade space.  
• Support work of the branch related to program and service delivery, projects and initiatives related to key Alberta trade and export activities, and meetings, visits and engagements planned with foreign/national officials and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate strategic planning sessions and branch engagement. 

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.
 

In this role, you will contribute to our team by demonstrating the following behavioral competencies: 
 

• Build Collaborative Environments: Demonstrates ability and experience to work with a diverse group of stakeholders. Ability to gain respect, trust, credibility and confidence of internal and external stakeholders. 
   
• Creative Problem Solving: Supports projects with multiple stakeholders simultaneously. Ability to use planning skills, analytical and creative thinking to arrive at innovative solutions.
   
• Develop Self and Others: This position will play a role in developing the unit team and sharing information to provide for knowledge and research methodology and in turn help develop policy capacity across the branch and the division. 
   
• Systems Thinking: In developing policy responses, this position must consider international, national, and provincial policy context and trends and how they affect Alberta's trade policy and strategy interests, as well as the impact of current choices on future policy decisions. This position must also consider the Alberta international trade ecosystem. 
   
• Drive for Results: Support comparative analysis and jurisdictional/environmental scanning to build awareness of trade trends and issues at the sub-provincial, provincial, national, and international level. This role will also do policy review and program development.

Qualifications

Minimum Recruitment Standards 

University graduation in Business, Economics, Public Administration, Political Science or in a related field plus 2 years progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent as described below.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered based on:  

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or  
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education 

The following knowledge or experiences are considered as assets:  

• Extensive problem solving, systems thinking, decision-making, relationship development and business communication skills. 
• Experience/knowledge in project management, program design and delivery. 
• Experience preparing and providing written reports, analysis, briefings, letters, and presentations. 
• Experience in, or understanding of, international trade and export promotion. 
• Effective communications skills (written and oral) to collaborate with colleagues, internal and external stakeholders. 
• Knowledge of data, economic, statistics, cross-jurisdictional scanning. Organization and prioritization skills to balance multiple assessments and able to meet tight timelines. 

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

This competition is for a temporary position based in Edmonton, offering a work schedule of Monday to Friday, totaling 36.25 hours per week.
 

Candidates are required to submit resume and cover letter that succinctly demonstrate their qualifications against the job requirements, including education, experience, and relevant competencies. It’s important for applicants to ensure their resume and cover letter clearly articulate how their past work experiences align with the role’s qualifications and needs. 
 

Resumes must include precise employment dates (month and year) to assist in assessing written communication skills and attention to detail.
 

The final candidates for this position will be asked to undergo an academic check, references, provide a suitable security screening and may be asked to complete a written exercise and/or assessment. 
 

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

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.
 

• 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.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.