Parks Information Officers and Parks Lead Information Officers

Role Responsibilities

Information Officers (IOs) and Lead Information Officers (Lead IOs) provide a front-line government contact for public campground registration, queries and comments related to travel in, and recreational use of Provincial Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildland Parks, Natural Areas and surrounding area.

This position's primary purpose is to provide exceptional front-line customer service in person at a booth/store or visitor centre, on the phone and through email to assist visitors, deliver information, problem solving issues and delivery of the Alberta Parks reservation service for campgrounds.

The Lead Information Officer role focuses on higher level administrative and leadership tasks, scheduling, staff training, visitor concern management, on-site troubleshooting, retail inventory management, cash reconciliation, and reporting.

As an Information Officer (AS2), duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Visitor Services Operations
•    Understand shop.albertaparks.ca functions to register campers, update visitor information, and process payments or refunds using the system.
•    Participate in all required visitor services operations, which may include camper compliance, shower coin collection, self registration collection and reconciliation, retail services, group unit counts, and public information sharing.
•    Operate computer-based point-of-sale terminals to perform retail of gift store products and services which include firewood, concession items, and rentals.

Administrative Duties
•    Review and reconcile revenue for daily cash-outs and accurately enter date into Excel workbooks.
•    Record and organize statistics for public visitation and demographics. 
•    Respond to in-person and telephone/email requests for information on area amenities and recreational activities.

Information Services
•    Advise the public of the various rules, policies, and regulations that apply within a Provincial Park.
•    Stay up to date on relevant activities, special events, opportunities, and conditions (trails, water, fishing, etc.) and provide this information to the public.
•    Provide on-site visitor concern management, troubleshooting, and reporting and follow up with customer complaints.

Please click on this link to view the job description for Information Officer (AS2).

Continued Role Responsibilities

As the Lead Information Officer (AS3), primary duties include assisting with and performing AS2 duties in addition to some front-line administrative and supervisory tasks such as:

•    Coordinate day-to-day tasks of the team and ensure daily procedures are followed.
•    Provide ongoing support to IOs through regular check-ins on progress, one-on-one training, and seasonal performance reviews - empowering IOs to be independent in their roles by setting clear expectations and processes for decision-making.
•    Maintain open communication with other program areas to ensure visitors’ needs are met. 
•    Demonstrate strong communication skills when working with visitors, staff and coworkers, and an ability to interact in a friendly, informative, diplomatic, adaptable and professional manner.
•    Place orders for booth and store inventory (where applicable) to ensure the proper supplies are available prior to busy campground times.
•    Maintain and improve knowledge of relevant recreational and tourist opportunities to respond to in-person and telephone/email requests for information on recreational activities, facilities, public safety issues, tourism and travel opportunities and provide area orientation.
•    Support the distribution of information-based communications such as posters, brochures, and program advertisements throughout the park.
•    Review and reconcile administrative paperwork and revenue, submitting according to deadlines.

Please click on this link to view the job description for Lead Information Officer (AS3).

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.

Agility – You must be agile in order to anticipate and quickly adapt to changing priorities and situations to effectively meet diverse visitor needs.

Drive for Results – This position requires staff to have the ability to champion innovation and display high standards in programs, initiatives and services and pay attention to detail, be proactive, and demonstrate good work ethics.

Develop Self and Others – You must be able to proactively learn about the needs of park visitors, reflect on public interactions to identify areas of improvement and create a shared learning environment to lead the delivery of top level customer service; have the willingness to cross-train for other areas or duties such as occasionally assisting the maintenance staff.

Build Collaborative Environments – You have the ability to promote collaboration and commitment, encourage broad thinking on projects, work together to eliminate barriers to progress, and facilitate open and respectful dialogue using excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a positive and inclusive attitude.

Systems Thinking – This position is one component of a larger work environment that includes other program areas. It is important to understand how the position contributes to achieving broader Alberta Forestry and Parks goals and outcomes.

Creative Problem Solving – Occasionally challenges arise, and staff must assess options, understand implications and determine appropriate actions to achieve the necessary solutions and need to be able to use a wide range of communication, problem-solving skills to promptly and professionally address issues.

Qualifications

Required:

Information Officer (Administrative Support 2)
•    High school diploma.
Equivalency: 
•    Directly related experience considered on the basis of one year of experience for one year of education.

Lead Information Officer (Administrative Support 3)
•    High School Diploma
•    One year of related experience.
Equivalency: 
•    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.

Additional requirements to be successful in this role:
•    Valid Class 5 Driver’s License or equivalent.
•    Driver’s Abstract.
•    Criminal Record Check.
•    Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) certificate.
•    Current Standard First Aid and CPR Level "C"/AED certificate.

Assets
•    Previous supervisory or leadership experience for Lead Information officers.
•    Post-secondary education.
•    Experience with revenue/cash handling.
•    Administrative experience.
•    Experience with Shop.AlbertaParks.ca
•    Familiarity with campground operations, park regulations, campground etiquette and surrounding Park amenities.
•    Experience working both in a team and independently with little to no supervision.

To succeed in this role, you should also possess: 
•    Strong written and verbal communications skills to clearly communicate with the public.
•    Available to work weekend and evening shifts during the season.
•    Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, and Publisher).
•    Customer service, retail and cash-handling experience and/or administration experience.

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

•    Fulfill seasonal contract (anticipated April / May 2026 – September / October 2026).
•    This position is based on a 40-hour work week, dependent on operational needs.
•    Evening and weekend work is required; a premium is paid for these shifts.
•    Access to reliable transportation to and from place of work.
•    Adherence to Alberta Parks Uniform Policy.
•    These positions may require some outdoor work in a variety of weather conditions.

Additional notes:
•    Those selected for an interview will need to supply three work related references.
•    Interviews will take place in February/March, 2026.
•    Training will be provided to successful candidates.
•    Shared rental staff housing may be available, dependent on Park location.

Any costs associated with obtaining 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.

Instructions for your Resume:
•    Include date ranges (month and year) associated with all education and work experience – we are unable to assess resumes without this information. 
•    Indicate whether your work experience was casual, part-time or full-time.
•    Example: Camp Counsellor: Jan 2016 – June 2019 (PT, 3 eight-hour shifts per week).

What We offer:
•    Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool - https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
•    Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive 
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
•    Mentorship Programs.

Resources for applicants:
•    https://www.alberta.ca/apply-for-jobs-with-the-alberta-public-service.aspx
•    https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-hiring-process.aspx
•    https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/