Director, Communications (Anticipatory)

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

The Communications and Public Affairs Branch, serving both Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada is looking for seasoned individuals to lead the departments’ communications functions supporting efforts to deliver on their mandates and also their response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If you are interested in these opportunities, please apply and in addition, let us know if you are substantively at the EX-01 level or have qualified in an EX-01 process, you might be who we are looking for!

Duties

Directors of Communications in the Communications and Public Affairs Branch (CPAB) are accountable for the development and implementation of strategic communications, or marketing, digital or corporate communications strategies. They act as the coordination and integration point for multiple teams providing a wide range of strategic advice and/or communications services to Health Canada (HC) and/or Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) clients. The Director ensures the alignment of operational services with the strategic vision of HC and/or PHAC, and leads activities that help achieve program or policy objectives. Directors also lead on critical, complex communications issues facing the organization.

Services under a Director in CPAB include one or a combination of the following functions: strategic communications, risk and emergency communications, marketing, creative services, digital communications (web and social media), media relations, media monitoring, public opinion research, public and stakeholder engagement, corporate and internal communications. Directors lead on high-profile files that have a direct impact on the health of Canadians including (but not limited to) the COVID-19 pandemic, cannabis, opioids and other controlled substances, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, food safety, prescription drugs, consumer product safety, recalls, nutrition, and environmental health.

Work environment

The Communications and Public Affairs Branch (CPAB) provides communications support and services to both Health Canada (HC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) through a shared services model. The Branch is divided into five Directorates under an Assistant Deputy Minister. The Directorates include Strategic Communications, Public Affairs, Ministerial Services, Pandemic Response Communications, and Public Education and Vaccine Communications. CPAB integrates national and regional perspectives and takes a portfolio approach in its strategies and communications activities. The work environment is fast-paced, collaborative, and promotes innovation. Workplace wellness and promoting respect is a priority.

Intent of the process

The intent of this process is to staff multiple EX-01 positions across the branch.

A pool of qualified candidates may be created and used to fill other EX-01 positions with various tenures within Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the core public administration.

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:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
Significant* experience in providing communications advice to ministers’ offices, deputies’ offices and senior management**.

Significant* experience in managing complex, sensitive, and horizontal communications issues.

Significant* experience leading the development and implementation and evaluation of communications, or marketing, or digital or corporate communications strategies and plans in support of government priorities.

Experience in managing human and financial resources. (To be rated). Please indicate number of employees supervised as well as size and type of budget managed.

Definitions:
*Significant experience is understood to mean the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with having performed the activities for two years or more.

**Senior management is defined as equivalent to, or higher than the following levels: Director General, Assistant Deputy Minister, Vice President, Board Chair, Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer.

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

Bilingual - Imperative (CBC/CBC)

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
Knowledge of government-wide priorities,and their impact on communications.

Key Leadership Competencies:
Create Vision and Strategy
Mobilize People
Uphold Integrity and Respect
Collaborate with Partners and Stakeholders
Promote Innovation and Guide Change
Achieve Results

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

Education and/or Occupational Certification:
Graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Communications or Journalism from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
Experience leading the management of crisis communications.

Experience in risk communications.

Experience in leading the management of digital communications, marketing, partnerships, advertising or the provision of creative services.

Experience in leading the management of public engagement and consultations, stakeholder relations, public opinion research and stakeholder intelligence.

Experience in leading the management of media relations.

Experience in leading the management of internal and/or corporate communications.

Experience in federal/provincial/territorial engagement on communications issues.

Organizational Needs:
In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, Persons with a Disability, Visible Minorities, and Women.

Conditions of employment

Secret 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

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

All applications must be submitted online at www.jobs-emplois.gc.ca through the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) at www.jobs.gc.ca.

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

Please identify clearly your substantive group and level, your employment status and your PRI on your resume and/or applications form.

Communication with candidates regarding this process will be conducted electronically; candidates are asked to provide an email address for this purpose.

We do not require a cover letter. Instead, you will be asked to answer screening questions for each essential and asset criteria (education and experience) through the electronic application. Please provide concrete examples, for each screening question demonstrating how you have acquired the education and experience criteria in one or two paragraphs of 500 words or less. BE SPECIFIC: It is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Management may invoke other qualifications and/or organizational needs at any point in the process.

Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate your answers to the screening questions. Failure to clearly demonstrate in your answers how you meet the screening criteria may result in the rejection of your application.

ASSESSMENT

Candidates should be aware that the evaluation process will be conducted under tight deadlines shortly after the closing date of the poster. Candidates are required to be available when scheduled for their assessment.

Other sources of information (such as performance agreements, work samples, board member knowledge, etc.) may be used to assess the criteria identified on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Various assessment tools may be used in this selection process, such as, standardized tests, interviews, references, etc. Please note that achieving a pass mark on any of the assessments used does not mean you will move forward in the selection process. Management may decide to use a cut-off mark that is higher than the pass mark on any of the evaluations used throughout the selection process. Please note that one, some or all of the asset qualifications could be used at the screening stage.

Candidates invited to the interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials.

You must indicate on your application if you require a technical aid for testing or an alternative method of assessment.

All the information collected during the selection process, from the time of application until the end of the process, may be used to assess the candidates.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE IN THE PROCESS

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.

VERIFICATION OF REFERENCE

Reference checks may be conducted (360). Candidates will have to bring their list of references to the interview (2 most recent supervisors, 2 colleagues and 2 subordinates). Referees must have an in-depth knowledge of your work and must be able to answer questions pertaining to your achievements and strengths.

The Assessments Committee reserves the right to contact references other than the ones submitted by the candidates (only within the Public Service), if found necessary, in order to make a suitable assessment of the candidates.

KEY LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
For information on the Key Leadership Competencies, please visit the following website: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/professional-development/key-leadership-competency-profile/examples-effective-ineffective-behaviours.html

APPOINTMENT TO POSITION

Employees at the same group and level may be considered first for deployment. If no deployment is made, candidates who qualified in EX-01 processes may be considered, however, given the potential opportunities, all applicants will be considered in the advertised appointment process.

Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position and may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

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.