Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Manager, ES Program Services, this position supervises the Permits and Variances Unit (PVU). The Team Lead oversees the Permit Technical Analysts (PTAs) responsible for performing research, providing technical advice, preparing documentation, and assessing permit and variance-related matters. The Team Lead analyzes the most complex and sensitive permit and variance applications providing timely, expert advice to the leadership team. This includes the preparation of briefing notes and supporting materials Other responsibilities include assigning work within the unit, tracking and reporting on PVU services and PVU performance, as well as developing and maintaining standard operating procedures. Working with branch quality assurance, the Team Lead contributes to the quality, consistency, and continuous improvement of PVU activities.

This position provides expert technical guidance and direction to team members. The decisions and recommendations made by this role can impact both employers and employees alike across the province. The Team Lead contributes to policy and legislative changes and activities are integral to the branch’s ability to achieve departmental, divisional, and program goals and objectives as well as the ability to deliver quality services on a province-wide basis. Decisions can also have monetary impact on businesses.

The Team Lead analyzes and provides guidance on the most complex and sensitive files that may have legal ramifications. The technical advice provided can influence management decisions concerning legislation, policy, and procedures.

Your strong problem solving, communication, analytical, coaching, and mentoring skills will be applied as this position works in a collaborative environment to ensure the fair and equitable process in requests filed by employers. You will build relationships between teams as well as with clients and stakeholders to facilitate consistent understanding, application, and enforcement of legislation. As a TL, you will foster a positive and respectful workplace and an environment conducive to staff engagement. In doing so, you will champion continuous improvement aimed at client service excellence.

The key responsibilities of the position include the following but not limited to:

• Provide leadership and coordination to the Permits and Variances Unit
  • Review PTAs’ assessment summaries of permit and variance applications for the Director’s consideration, draft letters, draft permits/variances, and recommendations prepared by the unit.
  • Coordinate research and information gathering as required, before permits, variances, or exemptions are issued and provide guidance where advanced skill and technical knowledge is required.
  • Review, analyze, and assess the most complex permit and variance applications and respond to written and/or verbal request for interpretation of legislation or policies ensuring the responses are technically ad legally accurate.

Role Responsibilities Continued

• Provide expertise and technical advice or information, internally and externally, based on legislation and policy
  • Draft responses to action requests for the Minister or Senior Management’s signature, including briefing notes.
  • Advise management of any legislative, procedural, or policy issues that may impact ESPD and ensure management is aware of any sensitive issues.
  • Liaise/coordinate with partners in the Education, Outreach and Partnerships unit (EOP) to ensure public-facing information about PVU’s work is up-to-date (includes ensuring the MVE, DVE, and permit registries are current and accurate).
     
• Contribute to the quality, consistency, and continuous improvement of PVU activities
  • Assist in developing quality assurance plans for the appraisal of staff including data collection analysis and performance indicators.
  • Perform quality assurance reviews of completed application assessments conducted by PTAs and provide feedback and direction to PTAs.
  • Oversee the development of PVU statistical reports and analysis using ESPD’s various databases as required.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of all permits and variances activities.

Please click on this link to view the job description.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviours that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in-depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf

Competencies for this position include:

• Systems Thinking - Takes a long-term view towards the organization’s objectives and on how to achieve them.
• Creative Problem Solving - Engages the community and resources at hand to address issues. 
• Agility - Identifies and manages required change and the associated risks.
• Drive for Results - Takes and delegates responsibility for outcomes.
• Build Collaborative Environments - Collaborates across functional areas and proactively addresses conflict.
   

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field such as Social Sciences, Social Work, Legal Relations, Labour Relations, plus 2 years considerable progressively responsible related experience working with legislation, developing policy, providing technical advice, preparing reports and/or analyzing data. 

Knowledge in performing research and assessments is required, along with significant applicable work experience with employment standards legislation and policy, the principles underlying the development of these and their application to the workplace. 

Leadership and supervisory experience are an asset.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities include: 

• Ability to understand, interpret, and apply complex workplace legislation.
• Thorough understanding of employment standards legislation and its application to the workplace.
• Ability to understand the principles and processes underlying the development of employment standards legislation and policy.
• Ability to understand process for issuance of permits and variances and their application to and impact on their respective industries.
• Experience working with external stakeholders amidst a dynamic and sensitive environment.
• Familiar with related legislation such as Labour Relations Code, Public Service Employee Relations Act, Canada Labour Code and human rights legislation.
• Ability to learn and apply risk-based assessment skills, techniques and processes related to employment standards’ work.
• Ability to understand employment standards policy, procedures, and guidelines for application to the workplace, along with the ability to identify policy concerns and initiate review/change of policy.
• Ability to research and analyze information from different sources/jurisdictions in order to make cross-jurisdictional comparisons.
• Ability to navigate complex and sensitive files. Paramount to this is excellent interpersonal skills, political acuity, and the ability to quickly establish and maintain rapport with both internal and external partners.
• Excellent skills in the following areas: interpersonal, written and verbal communication, conducting effective meetings, mediation, organization, facilitation, and team building.
• Familiarity with the use of computers and competent in job-related application programs such as MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

There is one permanent full-time position for 36.25 hours per week.

Work location is open to Edmonton, Red Deer or Calgary. Travel within the province is required. 

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example: January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs shifts/week).

The final candidate may be required to undergo a security screening.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies across the Government of Alberta, at equal or lower classification and salary.

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - About the Alberta Public Service | Alberta.ca

• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca

• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits

• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive

• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca

• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance

• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement

• Leadership and mentorship programs