Communications Advisor

Important messages

Candidates must clearly demonstrate how they meet the education and experience factors listed in the essential qualifications. Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate the experience described in the screening questions. Failure to provide this information may result in your application being rejected.

FOR EACH ESSENTIAL AND *ASSET(if applicable) CRITERIA, please provide the following MANDATORY information in no more than 400 words per criteria:
1 - Name of the department or organization where the experience was acquired;
2 - Title of the position occupied and duration for which you exercised the functions;
3 - Specific details of tasks, projects or accomplishments demonstrating how the experience was acquired.

Duties

Common Duties:
Planning, developing and managing communications programs and services.
Writing and editing communications products.

Providing advice on communications issues, trends and strategic directions to clients and other stakeholders.

Consulting with clients to develop and recommend communications strategies and courses of action.

Supervising working groups and/or leading project teams involved in analyzing and developing communications strategies and initiatives.

Conducting or overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of communications plans, programs and services.

Specific:
Position A)
Editor-in-chief of online employee magazine.
Editor of weekly email news bulletins.

Position B)
Developing and implementing communications approaches for corporate and government-wide communications activities.
Participate in departmental working groups to provide communications advice.

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

The immediate need is to staff 2 indeterminate position for the location indicated for this process.

A pool of qualified candidates may be established to staff similar positions with various tenures as well as various linguistic requirements within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

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: 2

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.
*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.

If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. Click the link below to contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC).

Degree equivalency

Experience in providing communications services and advice to supervisors/managers and clients.

Experience in developing and implementing communications plans and strategies.

Experience in writing, editing and implementing a full range of communications products (such as news releases, media lines, brochures, webpages, social media, articles, etc).

Experience in analyzing and responding to public or internal communications issues.

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

Bilingual - Imperative (BBB/BBB)

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of the Government of Canada Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.

Knowledge of current trends in communication techniques.

Knowledge of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) priorities.

Interactive Communication
Writing Skills
Judgement
Strategic Thinking
Client Focus
Teamwork
Initiative
Planning and organizing
Problem solving

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

A degree* from a recognized post-secondary institution with a specialization in communications, journalism, public relations, or political science.
*Unless it is otherwise specified (e.g., Master’s degree), the term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. Click the link below to contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC).

Degree equivalency

Experience in coordinating diverse communications activities in support of at least two of the following: public events, press conferences, and internal or external outreach activities.

Experience as a professional writer.

Experience using SharePoint platform to self-publish content, including photos.

Experience using Photoshop.

Experience in providing communications advice to senior management*** on employee communications and engagement matters.

Media relations experience

Experience in using social media tools to promote a federal government department’s initiatives

Experience working with a Minister’s office

Experience in public environment analysis (including media analysis or correspondence analysis)

Experience in Project Management

Experience in providing communications advice to senior management*** on high profile issues in the media

Recent* and significant **experience in managing projects and co-ordinating multiple communications products.

*Recent means within the last three years.

**Significant means experience that was a core part of the candidate’s employment for at least two years.

*** Senior management means Director General, Assistant Deputy Minister, or equivalent.

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

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, Women.

Ability and willingness to work overtime or adjust work schedule according to organizational needs on short notice.

Some travel may be required.

Conditions of employment

Condition of Employment
Security Clearance : Reliability or Secret

Other information

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

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.

AAFC is committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection and appointment processes and work environments. If you are contacted in relation to this process, please advise us of your need for accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

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.