Program Support Officer

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Information on accommodation for persons with disabilities

Please note that your answers to the screening questions (essentials and assets) and resume may be used to assess the ability to “communicate effectively in writing”.

Work environment

These positions are with an inbound call centre located in Gatineau, Québec. A Program support officer provides services to the general public (verbally or in writing) with respect to the Canada Student Loan Program. Extensive training and development opportunities will allow you to acquire a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of this program.

The work environment will be attractive to people who are:
- highly motivated,
- a quick learner,
- quality oriented,
- customer focused,
- able to thrive in a fast paced, high volume environment.

We are looking for candidates who possess and demonstrate:
- strong communication skills,
- excellent customer service skills,
- problem-solving skills,
- information-gathering and computer-keyboarding skills.

This position may require the use of a headset for prolonged periods, working in an environment that contains background noise and constant exposure to a computer screen.

Work conditions require adapting to change, dealing with stress, and dealing with potentially angry clients.

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified candidates may be established through this process to staff identical or similar positions at Employment and Social Development Canada with various tenures, linguistic requirements and security requirements according to the position being staffed.

Positions to be filled: 4

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

EDUCATION

Secondary school diploma or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE

Experience in using technology (e-mail, Internet and word processing).

Experience in delivering services to the general public involving obtaining and providing information requiring explanation or clarification.

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

Bilingual - Imperative (BBC/BBC)

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 Privacy Act.

ABILITIES

Ability to manage and prioritize workload.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Ability to analyse and solve problems.

PERSONAL SUITABILITIES

Effective interpersonal skills

Client focus

Judgment

Dependability

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EXPERIENCE

Experience working in a high volume in-bound** call centre.

Recent* experience working in a government call centre.

Experience in preparing written correspondence such as written replies to inquiries from the public.

Experience in responding to enquiries pertaining to the Canada Student Loans Program.

*Recent experience is defined as experience that would normally be associated with the performance of these duties within the last year.

**An inbound call centre is a central service or group of people whose almost exclusive function is to provide an appropriate response to a large number of enquiries for information and advice initiated by clients.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS

At Employment and Social Development Canada, diversity is our strength. If you’re a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a visible minority and are interested in bringing in different perspectives and insights, let us know by completing the Employment Equity (EE) section in your application. Appointments of members of these EE groups could be made to ensure our workforce is inclusive and representative of the Canadian public we serve.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - OTHER CONDITIONS

Work day: 7.5 hours a day. Rotation of work day may be required between the current hours of work (8:00-17:00). Be available to work 9:00-17:00.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the targeted groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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

Applicants will be asked to indicate in their on-line application their preferred official language for each of the following: a) correspondence, b) written exam, and c) interview.

Public Service Employees: Please ensure that your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) is included in the “Employee Information” section of your on-line job application.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.

Reference checks may be sought.

An interview may be administered.

A test may be administered.

Candidates will be required to submit their proof of education documents at the time of assessment.

A random and/or top down selection of candidates may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

Candidates will be contacted by email and it is imperative that you provide a current email address that accepts e-mail from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Candidates are strongly encouraged to check their email on a regular basis. It is your entire responsibility to inform us at all times of any changes regarding your contact information.

A pass mark will be established for each essential qualification. Candidates must meet each essential qualification to be appointed to the position. A candidate may be appointed to the position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications, organizational requirements, or operational needs. However, meeting these criteria is desirable and may be used as a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for their own travel for various assessment phases.

All communication regarding this process will be administered via e-mail. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide a valid e-mail address and update their personal information when it changes. If special circumstances prevent you from having access to your e-mail, please communicate with the Contact person identified in this job opportunity.

If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your credentials and/or diploma assessed against Canadian education standards. The public service will accept any Foreign Educational Credentials as long as they are deemed comparable to Canadian standards, through a recognize credential assessment service. For more information please click on Degree Equivalency.

The hiring organization will accept applications on-line only. All job applications must therefore be submitted through the Public Service Resourcing System. To submit an application on-line, please select the button “Apply Online” below.

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

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.