Business Officer

Important messages

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is looking for an individual to join our team. PrairiesCan is routinely ranked as one of the Best Places to Work according to the Public Service Employee Survey, and we were recognized as one of Alberta's Top 75 Employers in 2020. If you want to be part of a great organization that gets things done for Western Canadians, you want to work here.

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 Allison Higgins at . All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

Duties

We are looking for people who think independently, work creatively and enjoy working in a team environment to support the priorities of the department. As a Business Officer, you will be connect with people, build relationships, conduct research, and develop creative approaches to addressing challenges or opportunities related to economic development in the West. Successful candidates will work in a team environment to provide planning, development, implementation and assessment of complex programs, in support of the PrairiesCan mandate to enhance economic development.

Some of the functions of a Business Officer involve one (or more) of the following areas:

Program Design, Coordination, and Implementation
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., Regional Development Agencies (RDAs)) and key personnel in program design and implementation.
• Support the design of program processes, tools (e.g. forms and manuals), and policy direction.
• Develop and maintain processes and tools to support consistent program implementation, including approval processes.
• Address program delivery issues as they arise and bring these issues to Management for resolution as required.
• Review and seek continuous improvement of business processes for program administration.

Program Policy Development and Implementation:
• Support development of program policies and maintain to strengthen program delivery, enhance efficiencies, and mitigate risks.
• Provide guidance to regional and corporate units on the development, interpretation, and enforcement of the contribution agreement.

Program and Legislative Reporting
• Coordinate, conduct, and support regular department wide reporting .
• Conduct ad-hoc reporting to respond to questions from the Minister, other government departments, parliamentarians, and members of the Senate.

Western Canada Business Services Network (WCBSN)
• Strengthen the relationship amongst stakeholder and between regions to ensure a consistent approach to program implementation and policy application.
• Work across RDAs to ensure collaboration and coherence where possible.
• Facilitate opportunities to showcase the work of third party delivery organizations and to work with them to promote and support Government of Canada priorities.

Collection of Accounts Receivable
• Support the development and implementation of accounts receivable policy for the management and enforcement of accounts receivables.
• Manage and report on repayable and non-repayable contributions that have gone into Default.
• Review, analyse, and collect on accounts receivable files through regular recipient engagement and, where necessary, civil litigation.
• Address issues as they arise and bring these issues to management for resolution as required.

Work environment

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) works to develop and diversify the economy of Western Canada by delivering grants and contributions programs and advocating on behalf of the West.

PrairiesCan is recognized as one of Alberta’s top employers because of its support for employees, innovative workplace, and ability to make a difference in the lives of Western Canadians. In the annual public service employee survey, PrairiesCan employees consistently rank the department as one of the best places to work in the federal government.

NOTE: PrairiesCan is excited to be able to return to our offices through a hybrid working model. As such, fully virtual working arrangements may not be considered.

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified candidates (fully assessed or partially assessed) will be established and may be used to staff similar positions at this group and level. Currently, there is the intent to staff 4 temporary positions, for up to an 18 month period, with the possibility of extension.

This selection process is a continuous intake of applications for a defined period of time to create an inventory for current and future opportunities. This process may also be used for various other positions and tenures (including but not limited to term and indeterminate appointments, internal assignments, secondments, deployments, acting appointments) as well as other various locations, security requirements, language requirements and conditions of employment.

Positions to be filled: 4

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)

Education:

Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position.

Degree equivalency

Experience in:
• Monitoring progress against the terms and conditions of contractual agreements.
• Establishing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Conducting research, analyzing information, and summarizing key findings to provide advice and recommendations to management.
• Using databases (ie PowerBI) and Excel based analysis and reporting functions.

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

Education:
• Graduation with a master’s degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with a specialization in a field related to the position.
• A recognized professional accounting designation.

Degree equivalency

Experience in:

• Engaging diverse stakeholder groups that support the economic inclusion of underrepresented groups (e.g., BIPOC, Indigenous Peoples, rural and remote communities, LGBTQ2S+).
• Delivering or developing initiatives through Grants and Contributions programs.
• Supporting the evaluation of economic development or related project proposals, applications for funding or business plans.
• Applying legal analysis in relation to contracts and creditor’s rights.

• Managing projects and/or conducting research in one or more of the following areas:
o Business development, productivity, and innovation
o Community economic development
o Project assessment and monitoring
o Economic sectors

• Providing advisory or implementation services in one or more of the following areas:
o Commercial Banking
o Financial Consulting
o Business insolvency
o Business financing
o Business restructuring
o Bankruptcy or receivership
o Collection of loans

• Assessing financial claims and/or statements under a Contribution Agreement model.

Depth, breadth and scope of experience in any one or combination of the experience factors used in screening.

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

English or French
English essential and Bilingual BBB/BBB

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of:
• How Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) and other federal, provincial and regional/municipal economic programs/policies support economic development in Western Canada.
• Key factors influencing the Canadian economy and of the current economic and business trends, opportunities and challenges in Western Canada.

Competencies:
• Demonstrating integrity and respect
• Thinking things through
• Working with others
• Showing initiative and being action-oriented
• Attention to Detail
• Effective Oral Communication
• Effective Written Communication

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

Knowledge of:
• Financial audit/analysis procedures
• Collection/Financial or Funds Recovery processes

Depending on the needs of the position to be staffed, an asset qualification may become essential for appointment.

Organizational Needs:

• In support of achieving a diverse workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and women.

Conditions of employment

• Secret or Reliability security clearance
• Willingness to travel occasionally.
• Willingness to work overtime on occasion as required.
• 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

TIPS FOR APPLICANTS: When answering the screening questions, ensure that you provide complete and thorough details of your experience. Do not assume that the screening board has any previous knowledge of your background, qualifications, or work history. You must be specific and provide concrete examples/details for each qualification, as applications will be screened only on the information provided. Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being screened out of the competition.

Depending on the number of applicants, the needs and/or Human Resources plans, 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.

On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced details of its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service.

As per the new Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment and it applies to indeterminate (permanent), determinate (term), casual, and student hiring. Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment, the hiring manager or a human resources representative will contact you in order to complete an attestation.

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.

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.