Research and Policy Officer

Important messages

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Assessment accommodation

The advertised positions are classified at the RE-04 level, which are equivalent to the position levels identified above.

Please note that there are two streams to this staffing process:
Stream A : Research and Policy Officer (RE-04), Strategic Policy Team
Stream B: Research and Policy Analyst (RE-04), Research and Experimentation Team

Duties

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) protects Canadian financial consumers. The agency supervises federally regulated financial entities, ensuring that they comply with consumer protection measures set out in legislation, and promotes financial education, strengthening the financial knowledge, skills and confidence of Canadians and raising awareness of consumer rights and responsibilities.

To deliver on this mandate, FCAC draws on the skills and experience of a broad array of professionals. The Strategic Policy, Research and Experimentation Division provides strategic policy advice and recommendations on consumer protection and financial well-being issues to senior management, based on research outcomes and emerging trends.

The Strategic Policy Team is responsible for:
• Providing strategic policy advice and recommendations on consumer protection issues in response to research outcomes and emerging trends scans (e.g., open banking, digital IDs, cyber security, prepaid cards);
• Identifying forward-looking, emerging policy, consumer protection issues, and international best practices;
• Conducting legislative reviews, in collaboration with the Supervision and Enforcement Branch; and,
• Coordinates, analyzes and makes policy recommendations, informed by working groups and collaboration with other government departments and agencies.

The Research & Experimentation team is responsible for:
• Leading the development and delivery of the Agency’s Integrated National Research Plan and a Research Data Platform;
• Leading the development of foundational datasets and surveys (e.g., Canadian Financial Capability Survey, Financial Well-Being Survey, etc.) and key national assessments (e.g., Program for International Student Assessment);
• Leading the evidence-based development and implementation of experimental pilots and behavioural interventions; and,
• Analyzing and validating data, trends and issues to identify priority areas of research and policy.

Our people are our strength and we're looking for highly engaged and talented individuals to join our team! If you have strong analytical and communication skills and a willingness to collaborate to make a difference for Canadian financial consumers, now is the time to apply. Come and join our team!

Work environment

Located in downtown Ottawa (but fully equipped to work virtually), FCAC is a small separate agency subject to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA). We offer the same pension and benefits plans as the core public administration. In addition you will benefit from a minimum of four (4) weeks of vacation leave per year, earn a competitive salary, and be eligible for performance pay. We are also pleased to offer flexible work arrangements and a broad range of learning opportunities to help you grow and contribute your best. We have our own unique classification system (RE and REX) with relevant equivalences noted above. Our people are our strength and we're looking for highly engaged and talented individuals to join our team!

Intent of the process

The intent of this process is to staff 3 positions (2 indeterminate and 1 temporary position) within the Strategic Policy Team. The process for the Research and Experimentation Team is anticipatory staffing.

This selection process may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates, which could be used to staff similar or identical positions with various linguistic profiles and requirements, security profiles and various tenures.

Preference may be given to applicants who are members of one or more of the following groups: women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of a visible minority group.

Volume management strategies may be used at any time during this selection process.

Positions to be filled: 3

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

A degree from a recognized university with specialization relevant to the position, or an acceptable combination of relevant education, job-related training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

Experience for both streams (Stream A & B):
E1. Experience in researching and synthesizing information from various sources.

E2. Experience preparing written documents, (such as briefing notes, executive summaries, correspondence, presentations or research reports) for management or external stakeholders.

E3. Recent* and significant** experience undertaking research and/or policy analysis in a field relevant to the position (e.g., economic research, social research, statistical analysis, etc.).

For stream B only: In order to be considered for stream B (Research and Experimentation team), candidates must also have the following experience:

E4. Experience in applying quantitative analysis techniques such as regressions, ANOVAs or T-tests using statistical software such as STATA, SAS, R or SPSS.

NOTE:
*Recent experience is defined as having acquired the experience within the last 3 years.
** Significant experience will be evaluated in terms of depth and breadth of activities, complexity and diversity of work performed, and level of autonomy. This is normally associated with having performed a broad range of activities, and normally acquired over a period of approximately 2 years or more.

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

Graduation with a Master’s degree from a recognized university in a field relevant to the position, such as Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Finance or Statistics.

Degree equivalency

AE1. Experience interpreting or applying legislation and/or regulations in a regulatory context.

AE2. Experience in providing strategic advice orally and in writing to senior management on policy issues.

AE3. Experience in conducting experimental research and analysis to support policy or program development.

AE4. Experience liaising with a variety of stakeholders (e.g. other government departments/agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector entities etc.) to advance organizational mandates.

For stream A only:
AE5. Experience in applying quantitative analysis techniques and tools to support research and policy work.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB;
English Essential

Information on language requirements

Demonstrating integrity and respect
Thinking things through
Working effectively with others
Showing initiative and being action oriented

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
Ability to communicate effectively orally.

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

Knowledge of emerging trends in Canada's financial sector and their implications for the National Strategy for Financial Literacy.

Willingness and availability to travel.
Willingness and ability to work overtime.

Conditions of employment

Various security requirements:
Reliability Status
Secret Status

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

Candidates invited to an interview will be required to provide proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).

Various assessment tools may be used in this selection process such as: cover letter written tests, performance assessments, interview, reference checks etc. All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence may be used in the assessment of qualifications identified on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Candidates may be required to meet some or all the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

You may be assessed using a variety of tools (online test, written examination, interview, presentation, recent and past performance assessment, reference check, etc.).

Depending on the number of applicants, volume management strategies such as random selection, top-down approach and/or establishing cut-off scores to determine who will continue in the staffing process, may be used for the purpose of managing applications. Please note that although you may attain the established pass mark on any of the assessments used in this staffing process, management may decide to use a higher cut off score.

We will only accept on-line applications received via the jobs.gc.ca site. There are some benefits associated with applying on-line: Applicants can create a profile and retrieve stored application(s) (personal information, covering letter and résumé) previously submitted and modify them, if necessary, before submitting the application. Applicants can modify their application/résumé at any time BEFORE the closing date indicated on the job advertisement.

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.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

The Public Service of Canada recognizes that the diversity of its employees' population contributes to its strength and integrity. We are committed to achieving employment equity and developing a highly capable workforce that is representative of Canadian Society. We therefore encourage women (especially in non-traditional occupations), Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups to apply and declare themselves as part of one or more of the above-mentioned Employment Equity Designated Groups.

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.