AS-01 - Program Support

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 specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

// What is an inventory? //

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory to fill upcoming employment opportunities at the AS-01 group and level within the Public Health Agency of Canada. Applicants who apply to an inventory process may be referred for one or more opportunities if they meet the needs of the position identified for staffing. Management can decide to access applications at any point so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible.

// How can you apply? //

We want to attract top talent. Therefore we are focusing on your competencies not your knowledge. We are also taking a simplified approach for you to apply to this process. To apply for this process:
• provide your resume (no cover letter needed)
• answer a questionnaire online

When you apply you will be asked a series of screening questions based on the education and experience criteria below. When answering the screening questions, please provide:
• Concrete and detailed examples to demonstrate how you meet the qualifications;
• Where, when and how the experience was acquired.

We can’t make any assumptions about your experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties is not enough. We’ll only use your résumé as a secondary source of information. The depth and breadth of experience of an applicant may be considered as part of screening or selection of a candidate, which is why it is recommended you quantify your experience. The screening questions are the primary source of information the screening board may use and your resume may only be used as a secondary source to verify information.

We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Apart from general inquiries, further documentation and applications emailed to the poster contact will not be accepted. You will only be asked for further documentation if you are contacted for further assessment. If you have a disability or are residing in a location that is preventing you from applying on-line you are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

More information about maintaining your application, screening & assessment can be found at the bottom of this advertisement.

Intent of the process

This inventory will be used to staff immediate and future AS-01 vacant positions of various linguistic profiles, conditions of employment, geographic locations, security requirements and various tenures (permanent, specified term, acting, deployment, assignment, secondment) within the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Therefore, all applicants seeking this type of position and/or group and level are encouraged to apply, including those already at the AS-01 group and level.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

Education:
A secondary school diploma or acceptable experience and/or training in a field relevant to positions.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
EX1. Experience working in a client services environment
EX2. Experience providing administrative support (examples of this could include, but are not limited to: performing invoice verification, reconciling of data between various systems, credit card reconciliation, managing correspondence)
EX3. Experience in providing executive support (examples of this could include, but are not limited to: organizing meetings, managing electronic calendars, managing
correspondence)
EX4. Experience in the use of various software programs such as: Excel, Microsoft Word, Outlook and Powerpoint

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

Various language requirements
English Essential
Bilingual Imperative
Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
K1. Knowledge of the role of the Public Health Agency of Canada

1. Communication (oral and written)
2. Working Effectively with Others
3. Showing Initiative and Being action-oriented
4. Demonstrating Integrity and Respect
5. Attention to Detail
6. Dependability

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

Candidates MAY be required to meet ONE OR MORE of the following experience qualifications, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed, as they may be deemed as either an Essential or Asset qualification. Candidates must clearly indicate on their online application which experience qualifications they meet and describe the depth and breadth to which they meet it.

Asset Qualifications
A1. Experience in providing administrative support in Human Resources
A2. Experience in providing administrative support in finance
A3. Experience in providing administrative support in contracting or procurement
A4. Experience in preparing invoices
A5. Experience preparing and coordinating travel arrangements
A6. Experience in editing, proofreading and formatting documents/correspondence
A7. Experience using financial systems such as SAP

Conditions of employment

Reliability or Secret Clearance (Depending on position)

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 designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

// Information about Applying to Inventories //

■ The inventory will be updated every 120 days. You will receive periodic system-generated e-mails advising that your application will expire in a certain number of days, and asking you to log in to your GC Jobs account to resubmit your application. It is important that you monitor your e-mail and resubmit your application when prompted, or your application will be removed from the inventory. This ensures that the information that is provided to hiring managers is current and up-to-date, as well as ensuring that the candidates in the inventory are still interested in employment. You can click on the link in the e-mail to access your account, and you will have a message informing you that your application is set to expire. Click on “Update My Inventory Status” to resubmit your application.

// Are you ready to apply? //

■ To apply for any position, you need to first create a profile in the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS), which should only take about 10 minutes. Then, after ensuring you meet the position requirements, scroll to the bottom of the poster and click on "Apply online."

■ Work your way through the list of requirements, completing each section and saving as you go. Before submitting your application, please ensure that there are green check marks on every single category before submitting your application.

■ If there are any red Xs on the categories, please click into that category and ensure that everything has been filled out. Screening questions have been built into the application process and occasionally an applicant may miss a field on the Screening Questions page. Please thoroughly review to ensure that you have responded to each question, including all the "Yes / No " questions.

■ PSRS will automatically disconnect candidates without warning after 60 minutes if there is no activity. You need to save or move to a new screen to maintain your connection. Typing information without saving does not prevent you from being disconnected. Applicants may find it helpful to first use a word processing software to complete their responses using concrete and detailed examples, then copy and paste the responses into PSRS afterwards.

■ If you have further questions on how to apply or experience technical difficulties with your application, please visit the following website: http://www.cfp-psc.gc.ca/contact-jobs/index-eng.php

■ We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Persons with disabilities or residing in locations that prevent them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

// Updating your Application //

■ You can choose to update your application when you resubmit it to the inventory, or anytime that something changes that will impact your application. For example, if you gain more experience in an area that is related to the qualifications outlined in the inventory, it would be beneficial to update your application to reflect this. Since hiring managers screen applications based on the information you provided in the screening questions, it is recommended that you include experience gained after you initially submitted your application to ensure they have all of the relevant information. This also applies to changes in your education level, locations or positions you are interested in, or any of the answers you provided to the screening questions.

To update your information you need to log into your GC Jobs account and retrieve your application. Your application will revert to In Progress, and allow you to make the necessary changes. You must resubmit your application to have it included in the inventory. If you do not wish to remain in the inventory you can delete your application at this stage.

// Screening //

■ Screening criteria is established to determine which candidates will qualify for further consideration and assessment. During the screening stage, the screening board will review your application to determine if you meet the essential education and essential experiences. However, some managers may opt to use asset education and asset experiences as well. This is why it is essential to provide concrete examples when answering the experience questionnaire section in your application.

■ If you are a candidate that has been “screened-in,” this means that you may undergo further assessment to determine if you meet the other essential and/or asset criteria (i.e. knowledge, abilities, competencies, etc.).

// Assessment //

■ Managers can use a combination of assessment methods they deem relevant. Some common assessment methods are written exams, interviews, and reference checks. However, managers have the flexibility to use role-play, simulations, and performance / talent management considerations as part of their assessment.

■ When candidates are invited to the assessment stage, they will be notified of the qualifications being assessed and the assessment method (interview, written take home test, etc.). To help you prepare for assessment, you should think about examples that will best highlight how you meet the qualifications being assessed. During the assessment, use the “STAR” method to best explain your example. STAR stands for the following:

▪ Situation: Think of a situation in which you are/were involved.
▪ Task: Describe the tasks involved in the situation.
▪ Action: Specify what actions you took to achieve your results.
▪ Results: What results followed due to your actions? List them and describe each one briefly.

■ Each board will have specific criteria to assess and each pull from the inventory may be treated separately, therefore if you are referred for more than one opportunity you may be re-assessed on the same criteria.

■ Based on the hiring division’s needs, additional essential qualifications, asset qualifications, organizational needs, operational requirements and/or conditions of employment may be identified and applied during the assessment and/or selection of candidates.

■ In assessing candidates, assessment boards may use a variety of tools and methods including, but not limited to, reviews of past performance and accomplishments, written tests, interviews, simulations, PSC tests, reference checks, board member knowledge etc. In addition, all information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

■ Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

■ Depending on the number of applicants, needs and/or plans, volume management strategies such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, asset selection, random selection and/or assessment may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates and/or determining which candidates will continue in the staffing process. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.

■ Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

■ Appointment decisions may be based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed.
- Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience.
- Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.
- The organizational need of restructuring/budgetary constraints

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

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

// Important Notes //

▪ Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

▪ 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). It is also the candidate's responsibility to ensure accurate information is provided and updated as required.

▪ 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.

▪ All information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

▪ Proof of citizenship will be requested if you are considered for a position.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.