Lands Officer

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Lands Team Lead, this role is responsible managing Alberta's Crown lands by reviewing, authorizing, and overseeing industrial, commercial, recreational, municipal, and public land use activities. You will apply legislation, policy, and Integrated Resource Management principles to ensure Crown lands are developed responsibly while protecting environmental, cultural, and public values. Working independently, you will collaborate with Indigenous communities, municipalities, industry, government agencies, and stakeholders to support sustainable land stewardship for current and future generations.

Key Responsibilities:
•    Review, assess, and process applications for activities on Crown and park lands, ensuring compliance with provincial legislation, policy, and regulatory requirements.
•    Evaluate land use proposals and make evidence-based recommendations or decisions on approvals, refusals, amendments, renewals, assignments, and cancellations of dispositions.
•    Balance economic development with environmental protection by considering ecosystem health, biodiversity, Indigenous interests, public access, recreation, and cumulative land-use impacts.
•    Coordinate referrals and consultations with municipalities, Indigenous communities, government departments, regulators, industry, and other stakeholders to support integrated land-use decisions.
•    Conduct inspections, compliance audits, and field investigations to ensure authorized activities meet regulatory conditions and identify unauthorized land use.
•    Recommend and implement appropriate compliance and enforcement actions, including remediation, reclamation, abatement, or referrals through established compliance processes.
•    Review and monitor operational, conservation, reclamation, and business plans for industrial, commercial, tourism, recreation, and aggregate operations.
•    Provide professional advice and technical guidance to applicants, stakeholders, government partners, and the public regarding Crown land legislation, approvals, regulatory processes, and land management practices.
•    Resolve land-use conflicts through negotiation, mediation, and collaborative problem-solving while maintaining positive stakeholder relationships.
•    Support land stewardship initiatives by contributing to regional planning, policy development, endangered species recovery, access management, and conservation planning.
•    Maintain accurate records, spatial data, and regulatory information using departmental databases and mapping systems.
•    Identify opportunities to improve regulatory processes, reduce administrative burden, and enhance service delivery through innovation and continuous improvement.
•    Participate in emergency response activities, cross-functional initiatives, and provide mentorship or operational support to colleagues as required.

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.

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

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

Agility: Adapt to changing priorities while maintaining resilience and working effectively in changing environments.

Develop Networks: Building networks and trusting relationships with stakeholders.

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.

Qualifications

•    A completed 4 years Degree in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Technology, Forest Technology, Natural Sciences, Land and Natural Resource Management or a related field.
•    Minimum 4 years of environmental and Crown land management experience in regulatory compliance, inspections, and land-use management. 
•    A valid Class 5 Driver’s License (or equivalent).

Equivalencies may be considered:
•   A related two-year diploma plus 6 years related experience.
•   Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of: one year of experience for one year of education or one year of education for one year of experience.

Assets: 
•    Experience operating specialized field equipment, including electronic information and tracking systems, GPS units, ATVs, 4x4 trucks in off-highway conditions, and trailer units.
•    Current certifications in TDG (Air & Ground), WHMIS, H2S Alive, Standard First Aid & Basic CPR, ATV Rider Course, and Defensive Driving.
•    Field operations experience using GPS, compass navigation, 4x4 vehicles, ATVs, side-by-sides, and snowmobiles.

Additional Requirements:
•    Experience in administering applicable government legislation, regulations, and policies (i.e. Public Lands Act, Public Lands Administration Regulation, Provincial Parks Act, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Water Act, Weed Control Act, Forests Act, Forest and Prairie Protection Act, and the Mines and Minerals Act).
•    Experience assessing Crown land applications by considering wildlife, soils, water resources, forestry, public use, Indigenous interests, and cumulative effects.
•    Knowledge of integrated land management and reclamation standards to reduce environmental liabilities and ensure regulatory compliance.
•    Experience conducting inspections, compliance monitoring, investigations, and enforcement activities.
•    Proficiency with government and GIS-related systems, including CLAT, EDS, DSPT, GLIMPS, DRAS, ECSS, and IGX.
•    Advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint.
•    Knowledge of Occupational Health and Safety, Transportation of Dangerous Goods, working-alone procedures, and wilderness safety.
•    Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution with industry, government agencies, Indigenous communities, and the public.
•    Proven ability to manage competing priorities and make independent decisions in a fast-paced regulatory environment.
•    Knowledge of soil science, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, reclamation, erosion control, riparian management, and water resource management.
•    Experience leading working groups and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams. 

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 full-time peremenant position located in Slave Lake
•    Monday – Friday, 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week.

Applicants are advised to provide a cover letter summarizing information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience and relevant examples of required competencies.

Instructions for your Resume:

For Employment Experience:
Please indicate duration of employment (month, year)
Please specify employment status (i.e. casual, part-time or full-time)
E.g.: Youth Worker, Jan 2006 - June 2009, Part-time (three, 8 hour shifts/week)

For any Post-Secondary Education:
Please specify your major and length of program
Please specify the year you graduated
E.g.: Bachelor of Social Work, 4-year Degree (Graduated 2017)

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
•    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