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

Assessment accommodation

*** INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW ***

You must submit a complete application, consisting of answers to screening questions which clearly demonstrate how you meet the screening criteria (education and experiences) and a résumé. The screening questions will be used as the primary tool in the screening process and the résumé will only be used to substantiate the information provided.

In your response to the screening questions, please provide concrete examples and the following MANDATORY information:
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.

Please note that point form, “copy and paste" from your résumé and comments such “refer to my attached résumé” will NOT be accepted. Failure to provide this information in the requested format WILL result in your application being rejected.

*NOTE: Please note your application and your answers to the screening questionnaire may be used to assess your ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Only on-line applications will be accepted in order to take advantage of the many benefits of using the electronic recruitment system. Some of the benefits for applicants include that you can:
- modify your application/résumé at any time BEFORE the closing date,
- complete screening questions which will highlight your qualifications to the hiring manager, and
- verify the status of your application and notification(s), at any time

Persons who are unable to apply on-line should contact the person identified at the end of this poster prior to the closing date.

Duties

Refugee Appeal Officers (RAO) provide direct adjudicative support to decision-makers (members), either in the same regional office as the member or to members in another regional office of the IRB. The Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) increasingly relies on an electronic file and is expected to have digitized 100% of its pending inventory by September 2019.

RAOs will review and triage appeals, conduct jurisprudence or country research, and prepare a precis of the appeal.

RAOs will receive direction from members on the actual content and nature of their adjudicative support work. Through this form of direct adjudicative support, it is expected that member time required on each appeal will lessen and that productivity will increase, while sustaining quality decision-making in a high volume, high performance division of the IRB. The position will be attractive to self-motivated individuals, able to work independently within tight time frames and committed to client service results. A sensitivity for establishing effective inter-personal relations and an ability to analyze and summarize extensive written submissions are essential for success.

This is a new position, and its future may be shaped and expanded by motivated, talented individuals who innovate and commit to the adjudicative support they provide.

Work environment

Are you looking for a career where you can make a difference in people’s lives? Do you want to contribute in creating tangible results?

Does the following sound like you?

→ I thrive in a dynamic and flexible work environment
→ I have strong analytical skills and researching abilities
→ I pay attention to detail. Producing high quality work is very important to me
→ I am sensitive and respectful in my interactions with others

If this is you, we strongly encourage you consider a career at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)!

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is Canada's largest independent administrative tribunal. It is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law.

Intent of the process

The intent of this process is to staff immediately four (4) positions on a temporary basis of various tenures (Acting, Assignment, Specified Period, and Secondment), for a period of one (1) year or more, for positions located in the National Capital Region and the Greater Montreal Area.

Anticipatory appointments of various tenures for Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary.

Please note that some appointments from this process may be staffed temporarily under the Irregular Migration Program which is sunset funded.

Indeterminate appointments may be considered at a later date. Those who are at the same group and level may be considered for a deployment first.

A pool of qualified candidates will also be created to staff identical or similar positions with various linguistic requirements, various security requirements, various conditions of employment, various operational requirements, various organizational needs and/or various tenures (acting, indeterminate, specified period, assignment, secondment and deployment) at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada across Canada.

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:

Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:

Experience conducting jurisprudential or factual research.

Experience analyzing complex** information from multiple sources.

Experience preparing a written precis of complex** information.

Notes:
*Experience is defined as having performed a broad range of complex activities for a cumulative period of at least three years within the past five (5) years. Depth and breadth of any of the experience factors may be applied. Depth and breadth is defined as experience normally associated with having performed a broad range of complex activities.
**Complex is defined as having at least two (2) of the following characteristics: 1) multidimensional, 2) sensitive, 3) highly technical, 4) precedent setting, 5) having a major organization-wide impact.

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

ASSET QUALIFICATION: EDUCATION

Graduation with a degree/certificate/diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution in a field related to the position, including but not limited to legal or notary studies, paralegal certification, legal technician course.

Degree equivalency

ASSET QUALIFICATION: EXPERIENCE

Experience providing advice and recommendations to lawyers or judges based on the analysis of data, trends, or policies, in order to facilitate fair and efficient case preparation or decision-making

Experience providing adjudicative support to a judge, member, or decision maker in their decision-making capacity in a tribunal and/or court setting

Experience working in a field related to the position, including but not limited to legal aid or legal office, court, non-governmental organizations working in a legal or judicial context.

Notes:
*Experience is defined as having performed a broad range of complex activities for a cumulative period of at least one year within the past five (5) years. Depth and breadth of any of the experience factors may be applied. Depth and breadth is defined as experience normally associated with having performed a broad range of complex activities.
**Complex is defined as having at least two (2) of the following characteristics: 1) multidimensional, 2) sensitive, 3) highly technical, 4) precedent setting, 5) having a major organization-wide impact.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual – Imperative (CBC/CBC) (Montreal and Ottawa)
English Essential (Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver)
English or French Essential (Ottawa)*
*Please note that the staffing of English or French Essential positions would only be considered if there were no qualified bilingual candidates.

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES:
Ability to work independently within tight timeframes
Ability to analyze complex information and summarize it
Ability to communicate effectively orally
Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

PERSONAL SUITABILITIES:
Teamwork
Effective interpersonal skills
Adaptability
Initiative

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

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS

The IRB would like its workforce to be reflective of the population it serves. As a result, preference may be given to candidates who are members of one or more of the Employment Equity groups (Aboriginal persons, members of visible minorities, women, and persons with disabilities), and have voluntarily completed the self-declaration form on their application. Therefore, we encourage candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a member of one of these groups.

Placement of IRB employees affected by Workforce Adjustment (WFA):
In order to ensure placement of IRB employees affected by Workforce Adjustment (WFA), we are asking all affected employees who are interested in this position to apply. Since a pool of qualified candidates will be established from this process, we will proceed with the assessment of all candidates.

However, should affected employees qualify; they will be appointed prior to other qualified candidates.

It is important to note that if an employee is no longer affected by WFA at the time of appointment, he/she cannot be appointed ahead of other affected qualified candidates.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

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

GENERAL INFORMATION

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

Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications, the operational requirements or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

Candidates are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of their choice. Candidates are required to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

For this selection process, our intention is to communicate with candidates by e-mail. This includes: invitations, information requests, assessment results, etc. Candidates MUST check their email accounts frequently as there may be a deadline for responses.

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

APPLICATIONS

Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS): will time out after 60 minutes; this may result in your inability to save your work or loss of data. It is recommended that you draft ALL RESPONSES as well as your CV/résumé in another document on your PC which may be saved (e.g. in MS Word or WordPerfect) and copy/paste into the PSRS when completed.

If you are a Federal Public Servant please identify your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) on your résumé and/or application.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Proof of your education credential(s) will be required. Education MUST have been acquired at the time of application.

For Public Servant Employees: A copy of your current letter of offer will be required.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

Qualifications indicated on this advertisement may be assessed throughout the selection process effective from the time you submit your application. This includes any correspondence (written or oral) with Human Resources and Management.

Asset Qualification(s) may be used as part of the screening criteria and/or selection decision.

You may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: standardized tests, written exams, interview, simulation exercise, reference check, and other assessment tools.

Pass marks will be established for each qualification. However, achieving the pass mark is not a guarantee of an appointment or that candidates will be put through the next stages of the assessment process. A cut-off score, top-down approach or random selection may be used at any step if there is a sufficient number of candidates to meet anticipated staffing needs. You will be notified if this approach is used.

Decisions regarding final selection may be based on the level, extent or degree of skill achieved in one or more qualifications; for example, we could select candidates who achieved the highest rating for a specific qualification or for a combination of qualifications.

Timelines for this process are very strict. The onus is on candidates to make themselves available for each assessment session.

Scheduling of alternative assessment dates will ONLY be considered for the following reasons with proof:

o Religious reasons;
o Death in the family;
o Medical reasons;
o Conflicting exams; or
o Other exceptional circumstances

TRAVEL

Please note that in order to proceed with assessments, candidates may be required to travel to the closest assessment location (such as IRB Regional Offices or other assessment centres).

Attempts may be made to assess candidates through methods such as teleconference and videoconference.

Travel costs for individuals who are not Federal Public Servants will not be covered.

Federal Public Servants' travel will be covered in accordance with the National Joint Council's Travel Directive.

RELOCATION

All newly appointed employees other than EX/GIC appointees to the Federal public service, who accept an indeterminate or term position of at least one year, will be relocated under the Initial Appointees Relocation Program.

The Initial Appointees Relocation Program provides newly appointed employees with the sum of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), subject to certain provisions.

For more information on the Initial Appointees Relocation Program please visit the following website: http://www.tbssct.
gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/tbm_113/iairp-prinefp-eng.asp

Federal Public Servants who accept a position will be relocated under the National Joint Council Relocation Directive.
For more information on the Relocation Directive please visit the following website: http://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/index.php?dlabel=nrddrc&lang=eng&did=6&merge=2

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.