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

The Government of Canada (GC) created Shared Services Canada (SSC) in 2011 to modernize how the government manages its information technology (IT) infrastructure. SSC has brought together people, IT resources and assets to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of the government’s IT infrastructure, increase productivity across departments and agencies, and support the vision of a 21st century public service.

SSC reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Services and Procurement. The department is mandated to deliver email, data centre and telecommunication services, including videoconferencing and Wi-Fi, to partner organizations. In addition, SSC provides workplace technology device procurement as well as cyber and IT security services.

At SSC 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 become 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

Significant* experience in providing communications advice to management and clients, in a government department/agency, or a private sector or non-governmental organization, regarding strategic communications activities and initiatives.

Significant* experience in developing a variety of communication products (such as media lines, news releases, backgrounders, questions-and-answers, speeches, articles, articles for internal newsletters, publications for the public, marketing content, promotional material, and communications documents intended for publishing on the web and other digital or social media platforms).

Experience in writing, managing and implementing communications plans and strategies.

* Significant experience is understood to mean the depth and breadth of the experience associated with having performed a broad range of various, complex related activities which are normally acquired over a period of three (3) years.

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.

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES

Ability to develop and implement communications plans aimed at supporting corporate programs or initiatives.

Ability to analyze issues and to provide appropriate recommendations related to communications.

Ability to manage multiple projects.

Ability to work effectively under pressure and within tight time constraints.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY

Judgment

Thinking things through

Dependability

Interpersonal skills

Client service oriented

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

ASSET EDUCATION

A degree from a university in communications or in a field related to communications such as journalism, public relations, marketing, political science, public administration, English or French major, translation/editing/revision.

Degree equivalency

ASSET EXPERIENCE

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

Experience in providing communications support to Chief Information Officers or working in the Information and Communications Technology Sector (ITC).

Experience in developing and implementing website or social media campaigns.

Experience in media relations.

Experience in speech writing.

Experience in developing and implementing marketing strategies.

Experience in developing and implementing public or internal (to an organization) outreach strategies.

Experience in planning and organizing departmental/corporate events.

Experience in the development of video, photographic, graphic or multimedia productions.

Experience in providing communications services in support of a corporate online or new media presence such as through social media, digital or web platforms.

Experience in developing processes, including supporting tools such as written procedures, checklists and tip sheets, to guide the delivery of communications services.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT

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 additional references should include a previous supervisor and a client or colleague.

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.