Foreign Service Officer - Post-Secondary Recruitment

Important messages

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To request an assessment accommodation or if you have questions, including the physical environment of the exam room, please contact us as soon as possible at

Why work for the Public Service of Canada?

Canada’s Public Service is recognized as a world class public service. Through this one employer:

• you will have access to a variety of opportunities across the country in a broad range of specializations that offers training, development possibilities and career advancement;
• you will have access to work-life balance through a flexible work environment, excellent benefits and competitive salaries;
• you will be able to put your calling to work and have an impact on your community through your contribution and the quality of your work;
• you will be encouraged to innovate, collaborate and challenge the status quo in achieving results for Canadians and our communities.

Join us and be part of a modern, leading and performing federal public service! Apply today!

Duties

The Canadian Foreign Service consists of four streams of work. As a Foreign Service Officer (FS), you will have the opportunity to enter the Department in one of the streams indicated below. All FS can expect to have assignments rotating between missions overseas and Canada throughout their career. While at Headquarters, the FS provide operational support to programs as well as analysis and advice to senior managers and the government in support of Global Affairs Canada’s mandate and operations.

TRADE COMMISSIONER SERVICE (TCS)

Foreign Service Officers engaged in international business development are Trade Commissioners who assist members of the Canadian business community to navigate international markets and develop export and investment opportunities. They provide Canadian companies with key business insights and access to a network of international contacts. Officers in this area also negotiate and implement Canada’s broad trade agreement network giving Canadian companies preferred access to diverse markets all over the world.

FOREIGN POLICY AND DIPLOMACY (FPDS)

Foreign Service Officers in the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Service represent the foreign policy interests of Canada in countries and multilateral organizations across the globe. Through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, advocacy, and the negotiation and implementation of international agreements, diplomats engage and influence international players to advance Canadian interests and values. They enhance social and cultural ties and promote international security and democratic development in support of global stability.

MANAGEMENT CONSULAR OFFICER (MCO)

Foreign Service Officers who are Management Consular Officers provide management and administrative support for our missions abroad. MCOs provide consular assistance to Canadians who are travelling, working and living abroad. This includes travel advice and assistance to individual consular clients and more broadly in the event of emergency situations, conflicts and natural disasters. They also manage programs to ensure that Canadian personnel and facilities around the world are secure and able to fulfill their mandate.

INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE (IA)

Foreign Service Officers in the International Assistance stream work with Canadian, multilateral, international and local partners to develop policies, and manage programs, in support of Canada’s objectives in the field of international assistance. They also work to reduce the vulnerability of people in crises, such as during armed conflicts, acute food insecurity and natural disasters, by providing humanitarian assistance bilaterally and through multilateral institutions.

Work environment

Working at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) offers the opportunity for a global career, and provides a wealth of international experiences that enable employees to enhance their professional skills and broaden their global perspectives. A career in the department helps to shape Canada's place in the world. Our global network is made up of professionals working in Ottawa, across Canada and around the world. Global Affairs Canada manages Canada’s international platform—a global network of 178 missions in 110 countries that supports the international work of the department and 37 partner departments, agencies and co-locators. It also manages six regional offices across Canada. This network is supported by more than 11,000 employees. With rotating assignments at missions abroad and in Canada, a career at GAC is a career without borders. We offer: stimulating and rewarding work; unprecedented professional development; opportunities to learn a foreign language, to live, work and travel in Canada and abroad; the flexibility to specialize or have diverse career experiences; belonging to a motivated and results-oriented professional team, and; the opportunity to contribute, both in Canada and abroad.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to staff numerous indeterminate (permanent) or term (temporary) positions. A pool of qualified or partially qualified candidates will be established and may be used to staff similar positions with various tenures (permanent, temporary) within Global Affairs Canada.

Positions to be filled: 100

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 by June 30, 2020, with a degree* from a recognized post-secondary institution

Note: *Degree: Unless it is otherwise specified (e.g., Master’s degree), the term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCES:
• Experience in researching, analyzing and synthetizing information;
• Experience representing or advancing an interest on behalf of an individual, a group or organization OR experience working in a client service delivery environment;
• Experience leading or organizing events, group activities or projects.

NOTE: Experience can be demonstrated through paid or volunteer work or scholastic activity or achievement.

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

A person may be appointed to the position even though they do not meet any or all of the asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs. Meeting these criteria is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed, but a candidate will not be eliminated from the appointment process if they do not meet the asset qualifications.

EDUCATION:
Graduation by June 30, 2020, with a Law degree* or a Master’s degree in an area of study related to the core business of the Department, such as, but not exclusive to:

- Business Administration
- International Assistance
- International Relations
- Public Administration

*Graduation by June 30, 2020 with a professional degree from a Canadian law school (J.D., LL.B., B.C.L., LL.L.) ; OR a law degree from outside Canada AND a Certificate of Qualification issued by the National Committee on Accreditation; OR a law degree judged as equivalent by the board of directors of the Barreau du Québec.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCES:
• Experience working or studying abroad;
• Experience working in an organization with an international interest (e.g. public, private or non-governmental organizations);
• Experience contributing to negotiation(s) (private or public sector, international, federal/provincial, or between other levels of government);
• Experience contributing to consultations or engaging with stakeholders (industry, civil society, NGOs, academia).
• Experience in business, investment attraction or Information Management and Technology.

OTHER:
Proficiency in another foreign language spoken in countries of interest to Global Affairs Canada.

Note: Proficiency is defined as at least level 2 on the Interagency Language Roundtable scale (IRL). Candidates indicating a working ability in another foreign language may be tested by the Department as part of the hiring process.

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

Bilingual - Imperative (CCC/CCC)
Selected candidates who meet the essential qualifications except the official language proficiency requirements may be hired on an "ab initio" status, meaning the candidate is not an employee under the Public Service Employment Act. "Ab initio" hires will undergo full-time paid official language training for a maximum of 2,940 hours. They will be eligible for an appointment ONLY if they successfully complete their official language training i.e. if they obtain the required level at their official language tests (CCC/CCC). If they are not successful, they will not be retained and therefore will be eliminated from this process.

Language training will be provided in the National Capital Region only.

If you have limited to no prior knowledge of your second official language, please select ‘beginner’ on your application when prompted to indicate your level of proficiency; the selection of ‘none’ would not allow you to submit your application to this process.

Information on language requirements

INTERNATIONAL CORE COMPETENCIES:
• Judgment within a Global Context
• Influencing and Alliance Building
• Intercultural Proficiency
• Resilience and Adaptability

COMPETENCIES:
• Integrity and Respect
• Analytical Thinking and Reasoning
• Results orientation

ABILITIES:
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing
• Ability to communicate effectively orally

Note : Candidates who are Global Affairs Canada employees and have applied for the FS-01 internal process will be assessed for competencies and abilities only once.

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

Employment equity may be used to address the underrepresentation of the following designated groups: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Willingness to accept assignments in different locations in Canada or abroad on short notice;
• Willingness to travel periodically, including internationally;
• Willingness to work overtime as required.

Conditions of employment

Top Secret security clearance

Rotationality: Rotationality is a condition of employment by which the employee agrees to accept assignments to positions anywhere in Canada and abroad on a regular basis and as determined by the department.

Appointed candidate(s) must meet and maintain the Conditions of Employment throughout their employment.

Tests

How and when will I be assessed?

- You will receive an unsupervised internet test (PSEE UIT 370) at the end of October 2019 to be completed within a five (5) day window.

- If you are successful at the unsupervised test, you will be invited to the supervised in-person test (PSEE 371) that will be administered starting in November 2019.

For more information on these tests, the testing process and assessment accommodation, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/recruitment/graduates/post-secondary-recruitment.html

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

Top down selection may be used at any point during the assessment phase.

Each assessment accommodation request will be individually reviewed. You will be asked to provide information regarding your limitations. If needed, professional documentation could be requested to determine the appropriate accommodation measures. For more information about assessment accommodation, please visit our website at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/services/assessment-accommodation-page.html

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.