Policy Analyst and Senior Policy Analyst

Important messages

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is the new regional development agency supporting economic growth in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. PrairiesCan is committed to building a strong, competitive Canadian economy by supporting business, innovation, and community economic development in the Prairie Provinces. PrairiesCan is ranked as one of the Best Places to Work according to the Public Service Employee Survey. If you want to be part of a great organization that gets things done for Prairie Canadians, you want to work here!

We are creating an inventory for qualified candidates interested in joining the PrairiesCan team. Term opportunities are immediately available; however, the inventory may be used to staff positions of various tenure as they become available.

Please note:
• As a result of our learnings over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, PrairiesCan has implemented a flexible, hybrid working model involving a minimum of two days a week in office, and maximum of three days a week of remote work. Successful candidates will be expected to report to the PrairiesCan office in Saskatoon.

• Interviews and related assessments may be conducted virtually throughout this staffing process, and candidates who meet the screening requirements will be contacted further with specific details. In the event that assessment methods are conducted virtually, applicants are responsible to ensure they have a reliable Internet connection and access. If you are appointed to a position, PrairiesCan will provide tools and/or equipment to support both in person and virtual/remote work.

• Our PrairiesCan offices are open environments with well-regulated air quality, ergonomic sit/stand workstations, and a combination of natural and fluorescent lighting. 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 Jamie Warywoda by email at . Information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Duties

PrairiesCan is looking for dedicated and motivated people to support a vibrant economic future across the Prairies. As a member of the Policy, Strategy, and Analytics team, your work will support leaders from across government, business, academia, and not-for-profit communities building partnerships to grow Saskatchewan’s future. This could be the right fit for you if you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, working on high-profile files, and enjoy collaborating across teams with different perspectives.

PrairiesCan Analysts need to keep their fingers on the pulse of the Canadian economy, and Prairie economy challenges and opportunities. How can we support our communities and industries to build on our regional strengths? How can Saskatchewan produce the next global food ingredient, for example? How do we support Saskatchewan in building on its long-standing mining and agriculture industries to maximize the value-added processing opportunities here? How do we nurture new industries to grow? How can we align the jobs of tomorrow with the education and skills training of today? How can we strengthen the participation of women, youth, and Indigenous people in the economy? If you think these are interesting questions to answer, this could be your job!

Work environment

Governments worldwide are looking for new and innovative approaches to economic development funding and delivery and PrairiesCan is at the forefront. We foster a culture of experimentation and innovation to continually improve how we do business for the benefit of Western Canadians. We make strategic investments to grow an inclusive Canadian economy with a focus on business development, innovation, and community development.

PrairiesCan works to develop and diversify the Prairie economy by delivering grants and contributions programs and advocating on behalf of the West.

PrairiesCan is recognized as a top employer 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.

Why choose PrairiesCan:
• Work with amazing people who support each other and love the work they do;
• Contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference to our clients, our community, and the country;
• Enjoy an excellent compensation and benefit package;
• Enjoy the flexibilities of a hybrid work environment;
• Work with an innovative leadership team who are passionate about hiring and developing talent.

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. This process may be used for various positions and tenures (including but not limited to term and indeterminate appointments, internal assignments, secondments, deployments, acting appointments, casual) as well as various locations, security requirements, language requirements and conditions of employment. The pool of qualified candidates may also be shared and accessed with other federal government departments.

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 in business administration, commerce, public administration, economics, sociology or statistics or a related discipline – with an 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

EC-04 Experience:
• Experience researching and analyzing economic policy issues.
• Experience in the development of policy papers and reports that use both quantitative and qualitative information.
• Experience working with datasets and compiling and analyzing large amounts of complex information from multiple sources.
• Experience in interpreting and reviewing results of research and communicating its findings verbally and/or in writing.

EC-05 Experience:
• Experience leading research and analysis on a broad range of economic development issues and opportunities.
• Experience in applying quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to the evaluation of policy issues.
• Experience collaborating on policy initiatives with partners and stakeholders.
• Experience preparing briefing materials (such as reports and/or briefing notes) on policy issues for senior management.

EC-06 Experience:
• Experience leading research and analysis on a broad range of economic development issues and opportunities.
• Experience in applying quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to the evaluation of policy issues.
• Experience collaborating on policy initiatives with partners and stakeholders.
• Experience preparing briefing materials (such as reports and/or briefing notes) on policy issues for senior management.
• Significant* experience providing strategic advice and recommendations to senior government officials on complex** economic development issues and policies.
• Significant* experience in the development and implementation of government strategies, policies, or programs.

*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 policy issues are defined as policy issues that are ambiguous, poorly defined, and require input, expertise, and analysis from multiple sectors, organizations, or disciplines.

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

Various language requirements

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
• Knowledge of economic issues related to Western Canada.
• Knowledge of policy issues related to economic development in Western Canada.

Competencies:
• Showing initiative and being action-oriented
• Working effectively with others
• Thinking things through
• Demonstrating integrity and respect
• Excellent oral and written communication

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

Asset Qualifications:
• Depth, breadth, and scope in any one or combination of the experience factors.

Operational Requirements:
• Willingness to work overtime when required.
• Willingness to travel occasionally.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance
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

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 Experience element, 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.

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.