Stream 1: Team Lead Stream 2: Technical Advisor

Update: The closing date of this process was extended to Tuesday April 6th, 2021.

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

Leadership in Information Technology (IT)

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is looking for your energy and new ideas! The Information, Science and Technology Branch (ISTB) keeps mission-critical systems running and innovates to include new technologies to support our country’s borders 24/7. Candidates are expected to have extensive business acumen and IT technology expertise combined with a demonstrated track record in developing information technologies and systems.
Are you a motivated, highly committed individual who enjoys a challenge? We look forward to having you on the team!

*** NOTE: Candidates MUST submit their application through the online system available at: GC jobs. Applications submitted in any other format will not be accepted. If there are limitations or special circumstances preventing you from submitting your application via the PSRS online portal, you must contact us AND receive approval to apply via an alternate means PRIOR to the closing date.

When submitting your application to this selection process, you will be required to answer screening questions to demonstrate how you meet the Essential Qualifications (Education and all Essential Experiences) as well as any Asset Qualifications (if applicable). Please note that there is a 4000 character limit per answer.
 
When answering the screening questions, remember that the assessment board cannot make assumptions about your Education and Experience. It is not sufficient to say that you have the required qualifications or to list your current or past responsibilities. Rather, you must provide concrete examples with significant details to explain WHEN, WHERE and HOW you acquired each qualification. You must also provide the relevant timelines in which you acquired the experience by stating the Month-Year of the Start and Month-Year of the End dates. Include your key contribution / accomplishments in the examples as they provide context and evidence of your capacity to deliver results.
 
Candidates must also submit a resume with their application, which will only be used to validate the information provided in their answers to the screening questions.
 
Should your responses to the screening questions contain insufficient details to demonstrate that you meet the screening criteria, your application will not be given further consideration in this process. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.
 

Work environment

The Information, Science and Technology Branch (ISTB) of the CBSA supports the management of Canada's border through the strategic development, application and oversight of information management, technology systems and the delivery of science services.

The ISTB's responsibilities include information management; information technology infrastructure and solutions; planning and portfolio management; and science and engineering.

ISTB’s workforce is diverse and consists of employees from multiple disciplines, with the CS group making up the majority. The Branch believes in investing in their workforce and supporting employees in their career development and has developed a 3-year People Strategy that identifies various initiatives to support professional development, training and recruitment strategies as well as employee well-being. The focus is on having the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time and making ISTB an employer of choice.

Intent of the process

We are recruiting candidates in the following specializations:

Specialization 1: Technical Business Analyst
Specialization 2: IT Business Line Support Services (BLS)
Specialization 3: Application Development
Specialization 4: IT Infrastructure / Operations (I/0)
Specialization 5: Testing
Specialization 6: IT Security (ITS)
Specialization 7: Other relevant specializations as required

A pool of partially qualified candidates may be established from this selection process and may be used to staff similar positions with various tenures, various linguistic profiles as well as various security clearances and various work locations within the Canada Border Services Agency across Canada.

For specific opportunities, candidates may be evaluated further on qualifications that are deemed necessary, whether or not these qualifications have been listed on the job advertisement.

Positions to be filled: Approximately 23 Team Leads and 22 Technical Advisors.

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)

We encourage you to identify any skills, competencies and/or experiences you acquired through a career with the Canadian Armed Forces.

EDUCATION: BOTH STREAMS

Successful completion of two years of an acceptable post-secondary educational program in computer science, information technology, information management or another specialty relevant to the position to be staffed OR an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

NOTES:
Indeterminate period incumbents of positions in the CS group on May 10, 1999, who do not possess the education prescribed above are deemed to meet the minimum education standards based on their education, training and/or experience. They must be accepted as having met the minimum education standard whenever this standard is called for when staffing positions in the CS group.

It is a recognized educational institution (e.g., community college, CÉGEP or university) that determines if the courses taken by a candidate correspond to two years of a post-secondary program at the institution.

At the manager's discretion, an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience may serve as an alternative to the minimum post-secondary education stated above. Whenever the minimum education is met via this alternative, it is met for the specific position only and must be re-assessed for other positions for which this alternative has been specified by the manager.

The following example combinations of education, training and/or experience may be deemed as acceptable alternatives to the minimum post-secondary education:

Successful completion of 2 years of post-secondary education + 3 years of IT experience (experience in the maintenance, development or support of information technology systems and/or technology infrastructure and/or experience in the management of information technology systems projects).
OR
Graduation with a degree from a recognized university + 2 years of IT experience (experience in the maintenance, development or support of information technology systems and/or technology infrastructure and/or experience in the management of information technology systems projects.
OR
Completion of secondary school according to provincial/territorial standards + IT certificate from a recognized educational institution + 2 years of IT experience (experience in the maintenance, development or support of information technology systems and/or technology infrastructure and/or experience in the management of information technology systems projects).
OR
Completion of secondary school according to provincial standards + specialized IT training + 4 years of IT experience (experience in the maintenance, development or support of information technology systems and/or technology infrastructure and/or experience in the management of information technology systems projects).
OR
Other acceptable combination of education, training and experience at the screening Manager’s discretion.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE: BOTH STREAMS

Significant** and recent* experience working in an IT delivery environment in the development, testing, delivery, and/or support of IT solutions using defined methodologies and best practices.

Significant** and recent* experience analyzing client requirements and providing advice to Management or Clients on options and recommendations in the definition, development and implementation of IT solutions.

Significant** and recent* experience working on at least two (2) different complex IT projects***.

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

Various language requirements
STREAM 1: TEAM LEAD
Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB

STREAM 2: TECHNICAL ADVISOR
English Essential
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

STREAM 1: TEAM LEAD

Experience supervising or mentoring Information Technology (IT) staff.

STREAM 2: TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Significant** and recent* experience in creating and maintaining technical IT documentation, such as, but not limited to, design documents, deployment guidelines, test plan / test cases, etc.

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

**Significant experience is defined as evidence of accomplishments that demonstrate the delivery of effective results in the resolution of Information Technology (IT) operational issues/problems which would normally be acquired over a period of three (3) years.
.
***Complex IT project is defined as having one (1) or more of the following factors:
1. Requires new specialized expertise or key technology;
2. Multidimensional: a multi-platform or a multi-tier diverse set of technologies requiring integration;
3. Sensitive in terms of having high critical risk factors, critical time sensitivity, or classified security issues.
4. A precedent setting project of national or significant corporate scope, or development of an emerging technology;
5. Requirement for high availability and mission critical (7/24) system;
6. Represents a large number of stakeholders with diverse interests, or distributed large (500+) client base;

KNOWLEDGE: BOTH STREAMS

Knowledge of project management theories and best practices.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES: BOTH STREAMS

Analytic Thinking
Planning and organizing
Client Service Orientation
Initiative
Adaptability
Written Communication
Oral Communication

STREAM 1: TEAM LEAD
Team Leadership

STREAM 2: TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Teamwork

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS: BOTH STREAMS

EDUCATION
Successful completion of an acceptable post-secondary (community college or university) educational program in computer science, information technology, information management, or another specialty relevant to the position to be staffed such as project management, business administration, etc.

Note:
Prior to being placed in a pool, the successful candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate how they meet the asset qualifications through a detailed questionnaire that will be provided to them at the end of the staffing process. The information may be validated by the references.

Degree equivalency

ASSET CERTIFICATIONS SUCH AS

Certification 1: Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
Certification 2: Project Management Professional (PMP) or Prince II Certification.
Certification 3: Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP).
Certification 4: Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
Certification 5: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
Certification 6: Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP).
Certification 7: Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).
Certification 8: Other relevant certifications.

ASSET EXPERIENCE

Experience as a Technical Business Analyst.
Experience in IT Business Line Support Services (BLS).
Experience in Application Development.
Experience in IT Infrastructure / Operations (I/0).
Experience in Testing.
Experience in IT Security (ITS).
Experience in the Internet of Things (IoT)
Experience leading IT Projects including contributing to project documentation.
Experience in System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Methodologies.
Experience with the Life-Cycle Management Framework (SLMF).
Experience in Agile methodologies and frameworks such as SCRUM and Kanban.
Experience with emerging IT technologies such as Edge Computing, 5G, Quantum Computing and/or Cybersecurity.
Experience negotiating with clients, partners or stakeholders.
Experience in other relevant specializations.

ASSET COMPETENCIES

Continuous Learning
Creative Thinking

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

BOTH STREAMS

Some positions may require:

Willing and able to work overtime, sometimes on short notice.
Willing and able to work flexible hours.
Willing and able to be on standby or on call-back, as required.
Willingness and ability to travel within the National Capital Region.
Willing and able to work remotely.
Willingness to carry a personal communication device and respond after working hours and on weekends.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance.
Some positions may require a 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

To promote a fair and more productive society, the CBSA is committed to inclusiveness and diversity. We are committed to having a skilled and diversified workforce representative of the population we serve, with a particular focus on increasing the representation of members of designated employment equity groups in our organization.

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

You may be assessed using a variety of assessment tools, such as, but not limited to: standardized tests, written exams, interviews, simulation exercises, reference checks, recent and past performance evaluations, self-assessments, candidate achievement record, etc.

Please note that your overall conduct and communications, including email correspondence, throughout the entire process may be used in the assessment of qualifications and competencies.

You must provide proof of your education credentials. If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. For more information please click on “Degree Equivalency” in the Education section above.

LEAVE/ABSENCES DURING THIS SELECTION PROCESS: It is the responsibility of the candidate to notify the Departmental contact of any pre-approved leave throughout the duration of the process in order to facilitate scheduling of evaluations. One (1) alternate date will be possible only if requested for the following reasons: 1) Medical reasons with doctor’s certificate 2) Death in your immediate family 3) Confirmation of pre-approved travel plans or training plans (made before the advertisement posting date) 4) Religious reasons or 5) Participation in an assessment for another selection process.

Please note that achieving the 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 score that is higher than the pass mark on any of the evaluations used throughout the selection process. Management may also decide to use top-down selection at any stage of the process.

Management may choose to invoke an asset(s) at any point of the process.

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OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
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Persons are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Official language proficiency could be assessed and required solely upon appointment. Also, a person who initially failed linguistic testing could be introduced into the pool of qualified candidates during the pool’s validity period if he/she is assessed again through another selection process or following linguistic training.

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COMMUNICATION
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Communication for this process will be sent via email. Applicants MUST check their e-mail accounts frequently as there may be a deadline for responses. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). Please note that we will have to consider that you are no longer interested in participating in the selection process and that you have withdrawn your candidacy should you not provide us with an up-to-date email address or respond to our communications.

If you need to communicate with us during any stage of this process, please indicate the selection process number in the subject field of your email.

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OTHER INFORMATION
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Please ensure that your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) is included in your application.

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

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.