Senior Advisors, Western Canada Growth Strategy (WCGS)

Important messages

We did it! We launched Grow West: The Western Canada Growth Strategy!

For those of you not in the know, the Western Canada Growth Strategy is a call to action. It is an invitation to governments, communities, industry, and other partners to work differently and seize opportunities to position the West for success over the next ten years. For more information, visit Grow West at https://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/eng/19700.asp.

At its core, the Western Canada Growth Strategy is about growing jobs, exports and the economy, and it sets priorities for four pillars: diversification, trade, skills, and communities.

This is an exciting time for our organization. We’re undertaking a bold new way of doing business and engaging our partners in new ways to grow and diversify the western economy. It’s also a terrific time to join our team to help implement the WCGS!

We’re looking for motivated individuals who embrace change, can adapt to new business styles, have a demonstrated track record for excellence in partnership building, and can deliver results. Perhaps most importantly, we’re looking for individuals who have a sincere willingness to advocate for change that benefits western Canada.

Work environment

We’re hiring Senior Advisors in two streams:

Regional Leads: They will be located in one of each of the four WD Regional Offices (Vancouver, Edmonton, Saskatoon or Winnipeg). They will report directly to Regional Assistant Deputy Ministers, and focus internally and externally on engagement, convening, and initiative development with key stakeholders in their province across all four pillars of the WCGS. They will ensure the execution of Western Canada Growth Strategy initiatives in their regions and contribute to effective performance measurement.

Pillar Leads: They will be dedicated to advancing one of each of the four foundational WCGS pillars across all four western provinces. They will report to the corporate WCGS Director General and focus on developing and leveraging policy expertise and networks to advance initiatives and work closely with the lead federal departments in their respective pillars. These positions can be located in any office of WD. They will ensure the execution of Western Canada Growth Strategy initiatives in their respective pillars and contribute to effective performance measurement.

The pillars are:
1. DIVERSIFICATION - Build a broader economy, Grow emerging sectors -Transform traditional sectors
2. TRADE - Seize global opportunities - Improve export access - Grow markets
3. SKILLS - Talent for the new economy - Strengthen education and upskilling
4. COMMUNITIES - Connected to innovation & growth -Build resilience and livability - Enhance digital access

What you need to bring to the role:
• You are motivated and you embrace change, can adapt to new business styles, have a demonstrated track record for excellence in partnership building, and can deliver results.
• You have a sincere willingness to advocate for change that benefits western Canada.
• You have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, to work with minimal direction, and to build effective working relationships across multiple levels of an organization
• You have a depth of experience collaborating on successful policy-related or economic-related initiatives with partners or stakeholders.

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified candidates (fully assessed or partially assessed) may be established and may be used to staff similar positions at this group and level. This process may be used for various tenures (including but not limited to term and indeterminate appointments, internal assignments, secondments, deployments, acting appointments), as well as various security requirements and conditions of employment. As a result, we encourage all candidates seeking this type of opportunity (including current employees) to apply to this process.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 1,000 words (maximum)

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

Education:
• You have a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in business administration, commerce, public administration, economics, sociology or statistics or a related discipline.

Degree equivalency

You bring experience in each of the following areas:
• Experience representing an organization in successful outreach, engagement, and negotiation with external stakeholders.
• Experience collaborating on successful policy-related or economic-related initiatives with partners or stakeholders.
• Experience providing strategic advice and recommendations to senior management on complex economic development issues, priorities, or strategies.
• Experience in project management processes and project administration.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

Although not required, these qualifications are considered assets:
• Successful completion of a graduate post-secondary program of study in a field relevant to the position.
• Depth, breadth and scope of experience in any one or combination of the experience requirements.
• Experience in working on Indigenous economic development.
• Regional Leads: Knowledge of regional economic development issues in western Canada.
• Pillar Leads: Knowledge of economic development issues related to skills, trade, economic diversification, community well being.

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

Various language requirements
English essential AND Bilingual - imperative

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

Our ideal candidates will demonstrate:
• Knowledge of economic challenges and opportunities in Western Canada.
• Knowledge of federal, provincial, and economic stakeholders' roles and activities related to economic development in Western Canada.

Successful candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work with minimal direction.
• Exemplary interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across multiple levels of an organization.
• Ability to influence key partners and decision makers.
• Sound judgement and strategic thinking skills.
• Ability to anticipate needs and develop creative solutions.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Comfort with a degree of ambiguity.

Candidates will demonstrate the KEY LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES at the managerial level:
• Create vision and strategy
• Promote innovation and guide change
• Achieve results
• Uphold integrity and respect

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

In support of achieving a diversified workforce and our employment equity goals, we encourage candidates to self-identify as belonging to the following Employment Equity groups: Visible Minorities; Aboriginal Persons; Persons with Disabilities.

Conditions of employment

The conditions of employment for these positions include:
• Secret security clearance
• Ability and willingness to travel
• Ability and willingness to work overtime

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

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.