Senior Trade Advisor

Role Responsibilities

This position reports to the Manager, Trade Policy and Projects. The Senior Trade Advisor will 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. The position includes leading project management/planning, responding to action requests, and coordinating/advising work of junior level staff. This role also engages in policy review and program development for our branch's strategic grants. This position requires extensive problem solving, systems thinking, decision-making, relationship development and business communication skills. The incumbent represents the department in cross ministry initiatives and in events with external stakeholders.

Responsibilities include:

1. Support and maintain strong collaborative relationships within the ministry, across government and with external stakeholders: Develop strategic relationships across the Government of Alberta and its trade ecosystem partners to ensure JETI's perspectives are considered on files that have implication to export promotion projects and program development with impacts or opportunity to international trade facilitation. 
2. Project leadership and support to branch operations: In collaboration with department staff, manage projects through effective planning, cross-ministry coordination, preparation of briefings, monitoring, reporting and execution of activities/initiatives.
3. Lead the planning and coordination of ministry-led and cross-ministry initiatives: Support the implementation of initiatives identified as a priority by the ministry and GOA, assist in organizing branch participation at events including conferences and trade shows, and help manage logistical aspects of initiatives, including contract management when required.
4. Research, analysis and project management for trade initiatives and issues: 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.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviours 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.

• Systems Thinking - In developing policy responses, this position must consider international, national, and provincial policy context and trends and how they affect Alberta's investment 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.
• Build Collaborative Environment - 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.
• Drive for Results - Responsible to pro-actively conduct comparative analysis and jurisdictional/environmental scanning to build awareness of investment and economic trends and issues at the sub-provincial, provincial, national, and international level. This role will also do policy review and program development.
• Creative Problem Solving - Leads 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 key 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.

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field like Public Administration, Business, Economics, Arts/Humanities, Social Sciences plus four years of progressive experience including is required; or equivalent as described below.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience is considered on the basis of one year of education for one year of experience or one year of experience for one year of education.

• Possess superior project management knowledge and experience with the ability to lead projects and research across diverse teams in developing investment strategies, conducting analysis, or in policy and program development.
• Experience preparing and providing options analysis, reports, briefings, and presentations.
• Experience writing reports and/or executive briefing notes is considered an asset. 
• A practical knowledge of data, economic, statistics, cross-jurisdictional scanning. 
• Able to foster stakeholder relationships with internal and external clients; evaluate information collaborate with staff in the department and partner ministries, solve problems when information is not supplied.
• Experience in, or understanding of, international trade and export promotion.
• Possess a big picture systemic approach to assess impacts and conclusions through research and analysis.
• Awareness and understanding of the business plan goals of the Alberta Government and Jobs, Economy Trade and Immigration and good knowledge of the Alberta economy and its key sectors.
• Able to function well in a team-based environment which includes a high level of interpersonal skills.
• Able to complete tasks independently when 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

There is one (1) permanent full-time position working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

This position is based in Edmonton or Calgary.

Kindly include a succinct cover letter addressing your qualifications and experiences as it relates to trade and the position’s responsibilities. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered as this will be used as part of the screening process.

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a writing assignment, followed by interviews anticipated in late April 2026.

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.