Area Information Coordinator

Role Responsibilities

Consider joining a dynamic team at the Government of Alberta as an Area Information Coordinator, where you will play a crucial role in wildfire management, emergency communications and community engagement. Reporting to the Forest Area Manager, this position offers a unique opportunity to lead strategic initiatives, build partnerships and contribute to the safety as well as the wellbeing of Albertans and their environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Division-wide initiatives encompassing wildfire, forest management, youth programs, social media and more to influence behavior change in Alberta for emergency preparedness.
• Provide emergency and crisis communications leadership and direction on incidents and within communities under crisis.
• The Area Information Coordinator builds relationships, strategies and conducts planning with a structured tool set; often starting with needs assessments to determine the appropriate approach for each stakeholder group.
• Increasing awareness, understanding and concern for wildfire-related topics within ecosystem management.
• Building communication plans and strategies to integrate and support landscape management planning initiatives like wildfire management plans.
• Manage program budget and plans with reportable performance measures and deliverables. The position is accountable for delivery of a yearly budget plan, contingency planning and ongoing financial management.
• Responsibile to participate on provincial task teams on provincial behaviour change or crisis communication initiatives. The Area Information Coordinator, on a rotational basis, will also act as a provincial wildfire information officer, making themselves available 24/7 during wildfire season for immediate comment on behalf of the Alberta Government. 
• Train internal staff on techniques to change behaviours of Albertans as well as professional communication in and out of crisis events.
• Participate in the planning, execution and management of national-level corporate events like the FireSmart Community Series and the Wildland Fire Canada Conference as well as designing and organizing multi-jurisdictional mock disasters and exercises.

This role offers a unique opportunity to lead strategic communication efforts in wildfire management and emergency preparedness. If you are passionate about making a difference, building partnerships and ensuring the safety of communities and the environment, we encourage you to apply.

Please click this link to view the job description.

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: Anticipates, assesses, and readily adapts to changing priorities while maintaining resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Takes a collaborative approach with work to foster open communication and leverage team skills.
• Agility: Identifies alternative approaches in uncertain, complex situations while supporting others in determining and assessing strategy.
• Systems Thinking: Considers the changing environment, recognizes the work impacting a vast network of stakeholders. 
• Develop Self and Others: Aims to learn from experiences, shift, and keep current with our skills and knowledge to remain competitive.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirement:

• A degree in journalism, communications, public relations or a related natural resource education, as well as two years of progressively responsible experience or a diploma in in related field and 4 years of related experience or or equivalent as described below.
• Directly related experience and or education may be considered based on one year of education for one year of experience or vise versa.

Assets:

• A wide breath of knowledge of department (and GOA), our policies, emerging environmental issues and concepts are also required; this also enables development and design of materials and curriculum for Albertans.
• The ability to develop, implement and deliver high level engagement processes including: world cafes, focus groups, surveys, literature reviews, etc. 
• Skills in planning multi-faceted behaviour change models while simultaneously implementing and reviewing projects already in place. 
• Knowledge of strategic tools and relationships models needed to manage media in high pressure situations. 
• Knowledge of key messaging – including the ability to take highly technical or complex issues and make them clear and concise to be accessible to a wide variety of stakeholders.

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 is a full time permanent position with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday. The incumbent may be requested to work overtime, evening and weekends due to the emergency nature of wildfires.

Travel within the area and throughout the province will be required as part of your responsibilities to coordinate with Ministry staff and colleagues, other government departments, clients and other external stakeholders. 

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. 

Candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment as a part of the interview process.

Application Information:

• In your application, please include a cover letter detailing your interest and role-related experience. 
• In your resume include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part time or full time. For example, January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Foreman (PT three 8-hour shifts/week).
• Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview.

What the GoA has to offer:

• 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.