Communications Officer ***AMENDMENT TO IMPORTANT MESSAGES:COVER LETTER***

Update: Please provide a cover letter to your submitted application, to :

Important messages

***Please NOTE that the merit criteria “Focus on Quality and Detail” will be assessed with your application, as part of the screening process. Candidates who fail to meet this criterion will be eliminated from the selection process.***

Candidates must clearly demonstrate IN THEIR COVER LETTER how they meet the education and experience factors listed in the essential qualifications. Candidates must use the experience factors as a header and then write no more than two paragraphs demonstrating how they meet the experience required.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE CLEAR AND CONCRETE EXAMPLES, INCLUDING WHEN (FROM-TO), WHERE (OCCUPATIONAL TITLE, ORGANIZATION) AND HOW YOU OBTAINED YOUR EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. You must describe the situation/task, the action you took, and/or what you accomplished. Lack of EXAMPLES and DETAILS or simply providing a LIST of current or past responsibilities may result in your application being rejected. You may be required to provide evidence at a later date.

If you meet the asset qualifications(s), PLEASE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE IN WRITING HOW YOU MEET THEM.

Resumes may be used as a secondary source to validate the experience described in the cover letter.

Failure to provide this information in the requested format will result in your application being rejected.

PLEASE SEND YOUR COVER LETTER TO:

Work environment

As one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, AAFC is proud to celebrate our achievement in creating a diverse, respectful, and positive workplace where all employees are valued and recognized for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives.

Intent of the process

IMPORTANT: The immediate need is to staff 1 indeterminate FULL-TIME position for the location indicated for this process.

Anticipatory: A pool of partially qualified candidates may be established and may be used for similar positions with various tenures, various linguistic profiles and various security requirements.

In the event that an employee of the public service is qualified through this process, and there is a temporary need, he/she may be considered for acting or assignment/secondment opportunities.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 2 references.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

A *degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.

*Degree Unless it is otherwise specified (e.g., Master’s degree), the term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

Notes:
1. Based on their education, training and/or experience, indeterminate incumbents of positions in the IS classification are deemed to meet the minimum education standard whenever a bachelor’s degree without specialization is called for in a position classified as IS.

2. At the manager's discretion, an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience, may serve as an alternative to the minimum education standard.

Degree equivalency

Experience in researching and writing a variety of communications products (such as: news releases, media lines, backgrounders, feature articles, messages, event proposals, as well as material for the Web and/or social media) in a deadline driven environment.

Experience in contributing to and/or implementing communication plans and/or projects.

Experience in providing communications advice and support to supervisors, managers, and partners/clients.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of the Government of Canada Communications Policy and acts, regulations, standards and policies related to the communications function.

Knowledge of key issues currently affecting the agriculture and agri-food
sector.

Interactive Communication
Teamwork
Initiative
Judgement
Writing skills
Strategic Thinking
Focus on quality and detail

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Experience in media relations.

Experience in responding to queries from the general public, orally and/or in writing.

Experience in exhibits or tradeshows.

Experience working with Social Media.

Experience in Project Management.

Experience in regional communications (i.e. in a location outside the National Capital Region).

Experience designing and producing various digital communication products including videos.

Strategic communications experience.

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following employment equity groups: aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, visible minorities and women.

Some positions may require the ability and willingness to work overtime and to adopt flexible work hours as per operational requirements.

Ability and willingness to carry a government-owned mobile device during and outside working hours.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Some positions may require the ability and willingness to travel.

Required to have a driver’s licence.

Require the ability to lift at least 10 kilograms.

Other information

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. You must apply on-line through www.jobs.gc.ca.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

Appointment decisions may be based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed.
- Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience.
- Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.

The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise the Public Service Commission or the departmental official in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.