Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer

Update: **Second amendment to closing date**

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

We are urgently looking for additional support to help drive the Public Health Agency of Canada’s planning and response to COVID-19.

Do you have a disability or functional limitation?

Give yourself the best chance to succeed when applying on GC Jobs!

Request accommodation if you have a temporary or permanent functional limitation that may impact your performance during an assessment, such as a test or an interview. Your request will be treated confidentially. Changes could be made to the assessment procedure, format or content of an assessment tool. Supporting documentation regarding your limitation(s) may be needed to identify what measures would be required to fully demonstrate your abilities.

For more information about assessment accommodation: canada.ca/assessment-accommodation

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed.

Screening questions have been built into the application process, when answering the screening questions you must provide concrete and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate how you meet the qualification. We can’t make any assumptions about your experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties is not enough. Instead, provide concrete and detailed examples that clearly explain where, when, and how you gained the experience. We’ll only use your résumé as a secondary source of information. The breadth and depth of experience may be considered during screening, assessment and/or selection of candidates.

Duties

The EPR officer assists in the planning, coordination, analysis and delivery of integrated multi-partner Regional Emergency preparedness and response plans, programs, services and training for the federal health portfolio. The position responds to incidents, gathers situational awareness that contributes to plans and protocols while working in an environment that requires juggling of multiple priorities that are dynamic and changing.

Work environment

The Public Health Agency of Canada has been created to deliver on the Government of Canada's commitment to help protect the health and safety of all Canadians. Our current focus is COVID-19 and responding to this public health emergency. Other efforts and activities within the agency are preventing chronic diseases, like cancer and heart disease, preventing injuries and responding to other public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks.

WHY WORK AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA?
The Public Health Agency of Canada is known for providing their employees with an exceptional workplace, opportunities for professional development, and access to continued learning throughout their careers.

If you are interested in joining an organization that is dedicated to creating a positive and dynamic environment, where employees with new ideas and fresh perspectives can make a difference, especially as part of this emergency response, don't hesitate - apply now!

Intent of the process

The immediate intent of this process is to staff:
- 1 (one) English essential position on a temporary basis with a possibility of extension or indeterminate appointment in Halifax, Nova Scotia
- 1 (one) bilingual BBB/BBB position on a temporary basis in Fredericton, New Brunswick
- 1 (one) bilingual CBC /CBC position on an anticipatory or temporary basis in Montreal, Quebec
- 1 (one) English essential position on an anticipatory or temporary basis in Toronto, Ontario
- 1 (one) English essential on an anticipatory or temporary basis with a possibility of extension or indeterminate appointment in Winnipeg, Manitoba or Regina, Saskatchewan
- 1 (one) English essential position anticipatory in Edmonton, Alberta or Vancouver, British Columbia
- 1 (one) English essential position on a temporary basis with a possibility of extension or indeterminate appointment in Whitehorse, Yukon; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; or Iqaluit, Nunavut

Each region may assess interested applicants at different paces based on their position needs.

A pool of qualified candidates (fully assessed or partially assessed) may be established to staff similar positions at this group and level within the Public Health Agency of Canada with:
* various tenures,
* various language requirements and linguistic profiles,
* various security requirements and/or
* various conditions of employment.

Positions to be filled: 7

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 with specialization in a health, social or environmental science OR an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience

Degree equivalency

Experience(s) – Common to AS-04 & 05:
1. Recent* experience in planning, coordinating and managing projects.
2. Recent* experience in gathering, assessing and analyzing information.
3. Recent* experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders.
4. Recent* experience in health and/or all-hazard emergency preparedness and response.

*Recent experience is defined as having been acquired within the last five (5) years.

Experience (AS-05 only):
5. Significant** experience in leading a team or supervising a team in a work environment.

Significant** is defined as the depth and breadth of the experience normally acquired by performing these activities over a period of 2 years.

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

Various language requirements
English essential
Bilingual imperative BBB/BBB
Bilingual imperative CBC/CBC

Information on language requirements

Competencies or Personal Suitability:
1. Collaboration and Partnerships
2. Flexibility
3. Showing Initiative
4. Demonstrating integrity and respect

Abilities – Common to AS-04 & 05:
1. Ability to develop and deliver presentations.
2. Ability to work effectively under pressure.

Ability - AS-05 only:
3. Ability to mobilize people.

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

Asset Qualifications

Asset Education:
1. Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in emergency management.
2. Certificate-level training in emergency management.

Degree equivalency

Asset Experience:
Experience working on operational aspects of emergency management, for example, infectious disease outbreaks or natural disasters.

Organizational Needs:
The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to Employment Equity. In order to ensure a diversified workforce, preference may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the four designated Employment Equity groups provided the candidate meets all essential qualifications listed on the job poster and any applicable asset qualification(s): Indigenous Peoples, Persons with a Disability, Visible Minorities, and Women.

Operational Requirements:
Willingness and ability to travel
Willingness and ability to work overtime as required

Conditions of employment

Security: Various - Reliability or Secret (dependent on position being staffed).

NOTE: Candidates must meet and maintain the above conditions of employment throughout their employment.

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

Please ensure that you read ALL points listed below, as this section contains important information about the application process. Failure to read these notes and follow these instructions could result in your application missing required information which may result in your application being eliminated from this selection process.

a) You are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of your choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

b) We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Persons with disabilities or residing in locations that prevent them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

c) For this selection process, we will communicate with you by email. You must provide a valid email address to which you wish to receive communication regarding this selection process. You must ensure that you check your email account including spam, promotion or other folders regularly as there may be a deadline for responses. If you respond past the deadline you risk being removed from the selection process.

d) Applicants who are screened in to this selection process will be sent further information by email regarding what to expect during subsequent phases of this selection process.

e) Depending on the number of applicants, volume management strategies such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, random selection and/or assessment may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.

f) During the application or assessment process both cheating and plagiarism are considered forms of misconduct and are not permitted. Any person found cheating, including those who help others to cheat, may be subject to removal from the selection process.

g) Your ability to communicate effectively in writing will be assessed via your resume, the application, and all email correspondence throughout this staffing process

h) Various assessment tools may be used in this selection process such as: standardized tests, reference checks, written tests, an interview, etc.

i) All written and verbal communication obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidate.

j) Based on the hiring division’s needs, additional essential qualifications, asset qualifications, organizational needs, operational requirements and/or conditions of employment may be identified and applied during the assessment and/or selection of candidates.

k) 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.

l) Appointment decisions may be based on one or more of the following criteria:
i) Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
ii) Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed.
iii) Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience.
iv) Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.
v) The organizational need of restructuring/budgetary constraints
vi) Relocation may be a consideration for more difficult to recruit locations
m) Proof of education will be requested if you are considered for a position. Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

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.