Senior Policy Advisor

Important messages

Do you want to help BC businesses create reliable, quality jobs for all? Are you interested in building stronger, more resilient local economies across BC? Do you have ideas and passion for growing the current and future prosperity of British Columbians? If so, we want to hear from you.

Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) is the new federal regional economic development agency for British Columbia. We have a mandate to develop and diversify the British Columbia economy and advocate for BC’s interests in Ottawa. PacifiCan will build on Western Economic Diversification Canada’s 34-year legacy to work more closely with BC businesses, innovators, and communities; promote connections and investments to foster economic growth; and help organizations navigate federal programs and policies.

Duties

Depending on work unit and assignments, duties may include the following:
• Conduct policy research and analysis
• Provide strategic advice to senior management
• Prepare briefing materials for senior management
• Establish and maintain relationships with partners (e.g., municipalities, industry, economic development corporations)
• Contribute to development of Memorandum to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions and other Cabinet documents on policy or program issues
• Contribute to reporting and measuring the impact of the Agency’s policies and programs
• Provide various supports to the Minister related to Parliament and Cabinet (e.g., coordinating development of Question Period and Cabinet committee materials)

Work environment

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 process, please contact Terry Griffin by email at . All information received in relation to a request for accommodation will be kept confidential.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to staff one permanent Senior Policy Analyst position in each of PacifiCan’s new office locations: Kelowna, Victoria, and Prince George. These positions will be part of the Strategic Policy work unit.

This process will also be used to staff permanent Senior Policy Analyst positions in the Lower Mainland (Surrey or Vancouver). Opportunities may be available in one or more of the following work units: Program Policy, Performance Improvement and Planning, Strategic Policy, and Government Affairs.

PacifiCan may also use this process to establish a pool of qualified candidates to staff similar positions of various tenures (including but not limited to term and indeterminate appointments, internal assignments, secondments, deployments, acting appointments, and casual work assignments). PacifiCan may use this process to staff positions with various security requirements, language requirements, and conditions of employment.

Positions to be filled: 8

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter

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

Essential Education:
• Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in economics, sociology or statistics.

Candidates must always have a degree. The courses for the specialization must be acceptable and may have been taken at a recognized post-secondary institution, but not necessarily within a degree program in the required specialization. The specialization may also be obtained through an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

Essential Experience:
• Experience leading analysis on policy or economic issues
• Experience establishing relationships and collaborating with external parties on policy or economic initiatives
• Experience preparing briefing materials (such as briefing notes or reports) for senior management* on policy or economic issues
• Significant experience** providing strategic advice and recommendations to senior management on complex*** policy or economic issues
• Significant experience** in the development of strategies, policies, or programs

*Senior management is defined as Director General-level or equivalent and above
**Significant experience is defined as having the depth and breadth of experience that would normally be acquired with the performance of full-time duties for a period of two years or more
*** Complex is defined as being sensitive and high profile or involving several stakeholders, multiple possible approaches, and synthesizing information from multiple disciplines or sources.

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

Asset Education:
• Successful completion of a graduate program from a recognized post-secondary institution with a specialization relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

Asset Experience:
• Experience leading quantitative or qualitative research on economic issues.
• Experience developing Memoranda to Cabinet and Treasury Board Submissions.
• Experience advocating for or championing projects or initiatives.
• Experience in planning and performance measurement.
• Experience in program policy (e.g., developing grants and contribution programs or business development initiatives).
• Experience monitoring, or coordinating the preparation of briefing materials for, Parliamentary or Cabinet Committee meetings
• Experience with Parliamentary and Government reporting, including proactive disclosure and responses to Parliamentary questions
• Experience working in, or with, Central Agencies
• Experience establishing relationships and collaborating with rural, remote, or Indigenous communities or organizations.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Essential Knowledge:
• Knowledge of economic challenges and opportunities in British Columbia

Essential Competencies :
• Values and ethics
• Thinking things through
• Initiative
• Partnership, network, and relationship building
• Ability to manage and deliver results under pressure
• 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)

Organizational Needs:
• Pacific Economic Development Canada is committed to having an inclusive and diverse workforce representative of the population we serve. Consideration may be given to candidates who self-identify as belonging to one of the following employment equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, persons with disability, visible minorities, and women.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment:
• Secret security clearance
• Willingness and ability to work overtime with short notice
• Willingness and ability to travel
• Fully vaccinated for COVID-19 unless being accommodated based on a certified medical contraindication or a prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

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

Communication for this process will be sent via email. Applicants must check their email 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).

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, 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.