Associate General Counsel

Important messages

The NEB is a federal regulatory tribunal that regulates, among other things, the construction, operation and abandonment of pipelines that cross provincial or international borders, international power lines and designated interprovincial power lines, imports of natural gas and exports of crude oil, natural gas liquids, natural gas, refined petroleum products, and electricity, and oil and gas exploration and production activities in certain areas. The NEB is also charged with providing timely, accurate and objective information and advice on energy matters. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta with Regional Offices in Montréal, and Vancouver, the NEB has a staff of approximately 450 employees and an annual budget of over $70 million.

The National Energy Board is recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This is an annual competition that recognizes the country's best places to work by Mediacorp Canada.

Duties

Strategic risk based legal and policy advice provided at a senior level by counsel with a broad breadth of experience and knowledge on a plethora of complex and confidential issues. This senior advice must be correct and complete as it can be pivotal in assisting the Board to make decisions.

The Associate General Counsel will manage, lead and coach a number of lawyers as assigned by General Counsel. The Associate General Counsel will be responsible for certain administrative assignments including the LSU budget and assignment of work within the LSU BU. The Associate General Counsel will be expected to stand in for the General Counsel at Board and Executive level meetings and otherwise when the General Counsel is unavailable.

Intent of the process

A pool of candidates may be created. Qualified candidates may be used to staff other similar positions at an equivalent or lower level on a term, indeterminate or acting basis. Appointment of qualified candidates will be based on the assessment results of the essential or essential and asset qualifications and with regard to breadth and depth of experience.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 1,000 words (maximum)

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)

Education: Law degree from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

Membership in good standing in the Law Society of one of the provinces or territories in Canada and admission or qualifications to be admitted to the Law Society of Alberta.

Experience:

E1: Significant and recent experience in providing legal and strategic advice on complex administrative law issues.

E2: Litigation experience including significant cross examination before administrative tribunals or courts.

E3: Experience in providing legal and policy advice in aboriginal, regulatory, and environmental assessment law.

E4: Experience working with senior management.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

Asset Qualifications

AQ1 Experience budgeting, tracking monies and managing financial resources.

AQ2 Experience managing Human Resources.

AQ3 Significant and recent experience providing legal and policy advice in the area of aboriginal law (relating to the duty to consult) as it relates to the NEB’s mandate.

AQ4 Significant and recent experience providing legal and policy advice in the area of environmental law as it relates to the NEB’s mandate.

AQ5 Significant and recent experience providing legal and policy advice in the area of pipeline tolls and tariffs as it relates to the NEB’s mandate.

AQ6 Knowledge of the Acts, Regulations and Standards administered by the NEB.

AQ7 Experience in appeal process to Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Organization-wide and Leadership Competencies:

LC1 Strategic Thinking – Guide/Shape level
Understand the business environment, making links, scanning the environment, analyzing key issues and trends, anticipating issues and impacts/opportunities, developing plans, giving advice, and making decisions.

LC2 Valuing People – Guide/Shape level
Builds a culture of continuous learning through coaching, mentoring, formal learning, and developmental opportunities
Personal Suitability – positive and effective, job related people skills and attitude.

LC3 Management Excellence – Guide/Shape Level
Clearly defines, analyzes and solves problems, resolves issues and gets results that effectively support internal and external decisions.

OC1 Oral Communication – Shape level
Orally communicates clearly, concisely, and effectively with co-workers and clients.

OC2 Written Communication – Shape level
Communicates clearly, concisely, and effectively with co-workers and clients in writing.

Technical Competencies:

TC1 Principles of Administrative Law - Shape Level
Provides advice on very complex administrative law problems.
Provides innovative solutions to difficult administrative law situations.

TC2 Legal Research and Analysis - Shape Level
Ability to provide clearly written advice and solutions on complex legal issues.
Ability to influence the strategic direction of policies/programs through their written legal analysis.

Competency Level Definitions

Learn is defined as developing a basic knowledge of the competency and ability to apply.
Apply is defined as demonstrating sound understanding of the competency and ability to apply and contribute.
Guide is defined as thorough knowledge and capability of the competency. Able to influence and guide others in its application.
Shape is defined as recognized as an expert. Shapes direction of the NEB with regards to the competency.

Conditions of employment

1) Willingness to undergo, successfully pass and maintain a secret status security clearance.

2) Compliance with the National Energy Board’s Code of Conduct is required.
Note: It is strongly recommended that potential applicants read and consider the NEB’s Code of Conduct prior to applying. This document is available on the NEB Website http://www.neb-one.gc.ca/code-of-conduct.

3) Must be willing and able to travel and to work overtime when required.

4) Must be willing to move within and between business units and teams, based on operational requirements and/or as individual development needs are identified.

Other information

1. The National Energy Board has a classification system that differs from the greater public service. This NEB-14 position is similar to a LA-3A in terms of salary range only. The benefits offered, including relocation assistance, may be significantly different than those offered in the greater public service. This position is subject to NEB’s Executive Terms and Conditions.

2. Number of Positions: 1 indeterminate position

3. Application Requirements: Applicants must submit, by the closing date, a resume and cover letter clearly demonstrating how they meet the essential qualifications of language and education. Candidates must also respond to on-line application questions on how they meet each essential experience qualification and any asset qualifications (maximum 250 words for each essential experience and asset qualification). Failure to provide sufficient information will result in applicants being screened out. This information will also be used to assess OC2 Written Communication.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail address and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users. Our intention is to communicate with applicants by e mail for assessment purposes including sending invitations for written tests, interviews and issuing selection process results.

4. Assessment: You may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: interview(s), writing sample, your application, cover letter, interactions with internal staff during the process and personal knowledge and reference checks(s).

5. Appointment Requirements: Candidates must meet each essential qualification and the conditions of employment to be appointed to the position. A person may be appointed to the position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications, organizational needs or operational requirements; however, meeting these criteria is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing right fit for appointment.

6. Salary: Effective 1 July 2013 NEB-14, $128, 600 to $160, 800 (under review)

The National Energy Board has the following forms of additional compensation that are separate from base salary, the eligibility for which is determined, in accordance with the provisions in the collective agreement or terms and conditions of employment for the duration period specified:
• Members of the Executive Group are currently eligible to receive a lump sum performance award as a percentage of base salary and may also be eligible to receive an annual retention bonus.

7. Terms of Employment: The NEB Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executives apply to this position.

8. Proof of Education: Proof of education is required prior to appointment. If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. Please contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) for more information www.cicic.ca.

9. Organization Future Needs: The National Energy Board is committed to having a skilled and diversified workforce representative of the population we serve. In support of our strategy to achieve our employment equity goals, selection may be limited to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Women, Aboriginal Persons, Visible Minorities and Persons with Disability.

10. Head Office Location – Calgary, AB: 517, 10th Avenue SW

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.