Environmental Investigations Manager

Role Responsibilities

Join our team as a senior leader in investigations, where you’ll play a key role in guiding a dynamic team of investigators while driving impactful provincial initiatives!

Reporting to the Director, Environmental Investigations, this role provides direct guidance, leadership, expert advice, and direction to a team of investigators in the Environmental Investigation unit. The Manager, Environmental Investigations has delegated statutory decision-making authority for Environment and Protected Areas statutes and requires a thorough knowledge of legislation to issue civil enforcement actions.

This position serves as the statutory decision-maker within the Environmental Investigations Section (EIS), confirming informed decisions are made in alignment with legislation and departmental policies. These decisions will be delivered through a process that is timely, credible, defensible, reasonable, and transparent.

Some responsibilities of this role include: 
•    Acting as a Statutory Decision Maker, confirming that decisions follow principles of natural justice, are procedurally fair, and defensible in collaboration with the Environmental Law Section of Alberta Justice throughout investigations, decision-making, and appeal processes.
•    Determining appropriate enforcement tools for non-compliance issues, rationalizing and defending statutory decisions during legislated appeals, and providing recommendations to executive management on policy conflicts or knowledge gaps.
•    Leading and supervising investigators in alignment with departmental goals, effective resource management, and high-quality performance while addressing emerging issues and managing budgets.
•    Providing mentorship and leadership to influence strategic goals and promote behavioral change in the regulated community, while building competencies and fostering excellence through staff development.
•    Overseeing a robust case management system, maintaining high standards for investigation records, legal processes, and appeals, and timely communication of sensitive issues to executives, Alberta Justice, other departments, and Minister or MLA offices. 
•    Serving as an operational liaison between ministries, agencies, law enforcement partners, and divisions, while representing the Environmental Investigations Section in departmental committees on regulatory and enforcement matters.

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.

The following key competencies will be critical behavioral characteristics required of successful candidates:

Agility: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience and work effectively in changing environments.

Systems Thinking: Considers and plans for how current policies, processes and methods might be affected in the short, medium, and long-term by broader trends.

Creative Problem-Solving: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Develop Networks: Proactively building networks, connecting, and building trust in relationships with stakeholders.

Build Collaborative Environments: Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.

Drive for Results: Knowing what outcomes are important and maximizing resources to achieve results that are aligned with the goals of the organization while maintaining accountability. 

Develop Self and Others: A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.

Qualifications

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.

Requirements:
•    University Degree or post-secondary education in a related field such as Law Enforcement (Environmental or Conservation Law preferred), Resource Management, Environmental Sciences, Environmental/Natural Resource Law, Business Administration or related.
•    A minimum of six years directly related work experience in civil enforcement actions.

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.

Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working in an environmental/natural resource enforcement environment. Demonstrable management or senior management experience is also preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
•    Applicable legislation, regulations, codes of practice, ministerial orders and guidelines including but not limited to the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Water Act, Emissions Management and Climate Resilience Act, Alberta Land Stewardship Act, and Public Lands Act.
•    GoA and Ministry decision-making processes and applicable directives and policies.
•    Solid technical understanding of conducting investigations such as gathering of evidence, taking statements, charter/caution, sampling, chain of custody, serving documents, legislative authorities.
•    Procedural fairness and the principles of Natural Justice as it applies to investigations, statutory decision making and appeals/legal challenges.
•    Procedures and processes in relation to the judicial system and prosecution services.
•    Strong skills in leadership, communication, and conflict resolution. 
•    Effective facilitation and presentation skills.
•    Developing strong interpersonal relationships at all levels with internal and external organizations.
•    Assessing complex situations and providing advice to staff, divisional, and regional branch leadership teams, ADM and DM. 
•    Working knowledge of natural resource management, issues management, risk management, and change management.

Notes

This position can be based in Edmonton, Calgary, or Red Deer. Other locations may be considered.

This is a permanent position working Monday – Friday, 36.25 hours per week.

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.
•    Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.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.