Senior Communications Advisor

Important messages

Please read this advertisement carefully in order to ensure you provide all the required information. You will be required to explain how you meet the essential education and experience, as well as the asset education and experience for the initial screening by answering online screening questions. It is not sufficient to only state that the qualifications are met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Rather you must clearly demonstrate HOW, WHEN, and WHERE the qualification was met through substantiation by examples. Information on your described experience, etc. provided in screening questions should be supported by your resume which may be used as a secondary source to validate the information provided. 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.

Applicants must meet ALL essential qualifications but DO NOT need to meet all factors listed under “Asset Qualifications” to be eligible for consideration. However, depending on the requirements of the position or positions to be staffed, “Asset Qualifications” may be a deciding factor in selecting the candidate with the right profile for a position. Any of the other qualifications, operational requirements, and organizational needs MAY BE CONSIDERED at any time during this process. Therefore, IT IS IMPORTANT that you answer each of the questions related to the requirements.

Work environment

At Shared Services Canada we are working to change the landscape of IT for the Government of Canada. We look forward to working with you in the coming years and will support your career while you support our business. Therefore, we encourage you to be a part of our team for at least 2 to 3 years to ensure business continuity.

Intent of the process

A pool of partially qualified candidates may be established to staff similar positions within Shared Services Canada in the National Capital Region with various tenures (specified period or indeterminate) and/or various linguistic requirements and profiles (Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB and CBC/CBC or, in exceptional circumstances, English Essential) as well as various security requirements.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 3 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)

EDUCATION

A degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.

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

E1: Significant* experience in providing strategic communications advice to senior management (director general level and above, president or board of directors) and clients in a government department, or a large** private sector or non-governmental organization.

E2: Significant* experience in the development and implementation of communications strategies and plans aimed at supporting large-scale initiatives.

E3: Experience in identifying the communications needs of clients, providing the related communications services and developing the required communications products.

E4: Experience in coordinating the communications requirements of high-profile, complex programs and projects.

E5: Significant* experience in writing and reviewing various communications products (such as, but not limited to, news releases, communiqués, articles, promotional material, media lines, questions and answers, backgrounders, and social media content) aimed at diverse audiences.

*Significant experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience associated with having performed a broad range of complex activities related to this task, which are normally acquired over three (3) years. It is the applicant responsibility to give concrete example that show the depth and breadth of the experience.

**Large private sector or non-governmental organization is defined as an organization with a minimum of 50 employees or a communications/public relations firm with a broad client base.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB;
Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC;
English Essential.

Bilingual positions require the use of both English and French. For bilingual positions, there are three second language skills: reading, writing and oral interaction.

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge of the broad spectrum of communications tools, techniques, and products; and their most effective application to communicate and engage diverse audiences.

ABILITIES

Ability to identify environmental and communications issues and make recommendations.

Ability to advise senior management on strategic issues and their implication on corporate communications approaches.

Ability to develop and lead the implementation of communications strategies aimed at supporting large-scale programs or initiatives.

Ability to address client needs.

Ability to work effectively under pressure and within tight timelines.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY

Judgement

Attention to details

Thinking things through

Reliability/Dependability

Interpersonal Skills

Client service oriented

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

Applicants must meet ALL essential qualifications but DO NOT need to meet all factors listed under “Asset Qualifications” to be eligible for consideration. However, depending on the requirements of the position or positions to be staffed, “Asset Qualifications” may be a deciding factor in selecting the candidate with the right profile for a position. Any of the assets qualifications MAY BE CONSIDERED at any time during this process. Therefore, IT IS IMPORTANT that you answer each of the questions related to the requirements.

ASSET EXPERIENCE

AE1: Experience as a team lead of a communications group.

AE2: Experience in providing communications services in a sector related to information and communications technology.

AE3: Experience in strategic communications.

AE4: Experience in internal communications.

AE5: Experience in media relations and in carrying out the functions of a corporate spokesperson.

AE6: Experience in ministerial liaison.

AE7: Experience in speech writing.

AE8: Experience in event planning.

AE9: Experience in developing and implementing social media strategies.

AE10: Experience in developing and implementing marketing strategies.

AE11: Experience in developing and implementing outreach strategies.

AE12: Experience leading projects that demand close collaboration and coordination with internal and external partners or stakeholders.

AE13: Experience in the full-time performance of communications advisor functions for at least a period of one (1) year within the Government of Canada (departments, agencies or crown corporations).

AE14: Experience in managing human resources and/or financial resources.

AE15: Experience in developing user-centric web content, including writing, editing and/or organizing new and existing content.

AE16: Experience in change management and/or in communicating change management initiatives.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Willingness to work overtime on short notice.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - and Secret Security Clearance

Other information

ALL JOB APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED USING THE WWW.CANADA.CA WEBSITE. NO APPLICATION WILL BE ACCEPTED BY EMAIL.

Please provide contact information for three (3) references. Note that one reference should be your current supervisor, while the two additional references can include previous supervisors, co-workers and/or clients.

You will be required to complete an online questionnaire when you apply. If during the review of your résumé your experience is not clearly demonstrated, your application may be rejected. Any false and/or fraudulent information will result in the rejection of your application.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for travel costs associated with this selection process.

A test may be administered.

An interview may be administered.

Reference checks may be sought.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

Please identify clearly your substantive group and level and your employment status on your resume and/or application form, if applicable.

Please ensure that your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) is included in your application, if applicable.

You must provide proof of your education credentials. Candidates with foreign education credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

Our intention is to communicate with candidates via email. Candidates who apply on this selection process must include in their application a valid email address and to make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

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.