Role Responsibilities

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Education in Alberta!
 

Alberta Education is offering an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated Field Services Assurance Officer. If you excel in collaborative environments, have a strong understanding of education policy and legislation, and are passionate about strengthening accountability and supporting student success, this is the role for you!
 

As a Field Services Assurance Officer, you will serve as a subject matter expert, supporting the Director and departmental staff in delivering assurance and guidance to a range of educational partners including independent (private) schools, charter schools, First Nation education authorities, and provincial education authorities.
 

Working within the Program and System Supports Division, and aligned with Alberta Education’s vision and strategic goals, you will play a key role in strengthening accountability and compliance across the education system.
 

In this role, you will:
 

• Lead the ongoing process for monitoring and evaluation of independent (private) school authorities, supporting the development and implementation of action plans as required.
• Lead the ongoing process for the commencement of new independent (private) school authorities.
• Support the overall accreditation process for independent (private) schools led by Standards, Accreditation, Monitoring & Print Services (SAMPS).
• Coordinate and provide leadership to the Independent (Private) School Cross-Sector Coordination Team.
• Lead the review and analysis of annual operating plans for independent (private) school authorities.
• Lead and develop sector communication to stakeholder organizations (i.e.  The Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta (AISCA), The Alberta Home Education Association (AHEA), etc.).
• Support the ongoing processes for receiving Home Education Notifications and communicating with stakeholders as required.
• Support the review and analysis of education plans, and annual education results reports, for independent (private) school authorities within Alberta’s funding and assurance framework.
   

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors 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.
 

In this role, you will contribute to our team by demonstrating the following behavioral competencies:
 

• Systems Thinking - Advancing recommendations to the Guide to Education and/or Funding Manual addressing gaps, providing clarity or setting expectations of independent and charter schools.
   
• Creative Problem Solving - As a subject matter expert, advance recommendations to the Guide to Education and/or Funding Manual addressing gaps, providing clarity or setting expectations of independent and charter schools. Identify gaps and recommend solutions for online notification system for home education.
   
• Develop Self and Others - Facilitates coordination and collaboration of functional areas to complete the monitoring and evaluation processes. Facilitates sharing of experiences and challenges with the perspective that approaches and recommendations span multiple areas where impacts may not be fully understood; and the importance of making those connections prior to decisions being made.
   
• Develop Networks - Pro-actively connects with the Head of School (independent schools) and Charter School Superintendents to address questions, issues and challenges; connects with Ministry colleagues and external stakeholder organizations (i.e., AISCA, TAAPCS) to provide clarity, to leverage expertise and to resolve issues before the need to escalate.
   
• Agility - As a subject matter expert, identify, provide advice and recommendations on a number of issues/concerns associated with provincial school authorities, charter schools, independent schools, First Nation Education authorities while maintaining grant expectations.

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field plus 4 years progressively responsible related experience. Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis.
 

The position requires thorough knowledge in the following areas:
 

• Ministry and divisional strategic plan, operational plans and activities/initiatives/projects.
• Ministry related policies, regulations and legislation. Particularly:

 - Education Act.
 - Funding Manual for School Authorities.
 - Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12.
 - Private Schools Regulation.
 - Charter Schools Regulation.
 - Early Childhood Services Regulation.
 - Education Grants Regulation.
 - Certification of Teachers and Teacher Leaders Regulation.
 - Practice Review of Teachers Regulation.
 - Student Records Regulation.
 - Kindergarten Program Statement.
 - Ministerial Order on Student Learning; and Home Education Regulation.

• Ministry decision-making processes and practices.
• Operational and program requirements of independent schools.
• Operational and program requirements of charter schools.
• Operational and system requirements of school authorities such as:

 - Annual Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reporting.
 - Provincial Approach to Student Information (PASI).
 - Provincial Achievements Tests (PATs)/Student Learning Assessment (SLAs).
 - Teacher Workforce Information System (TWINS); Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy; and other systems required for school reporting and administration.
 

Assets:
 

• Master’s Degree is an asset
• An active Alberta Teaching Certificate.
• In-depth knowledge of the ministry's and division's strategic plans, operational plans, initiatives, and projects, as well as related policies, regulations, and legislation.
• Thorough understanding of government strategic priorities, policy directions, and the ministry’s business plan objectives. Some Project Management Experience since the role requires working on multiple projects with coinciding deadlines.
• Knowledge of ministry decision-making processes and administrative practices.
• Understanding of the operational and program requirements specific to independent (private) schools.
• Familiarity with the unique operational and program requirements of charter schools.
• Awareness of the operational and system-level responsibilities of school authorities, including planning, reporting, and compliance expectations.
• Overall operations of the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system, including the management of numerous school authorities and schools.
• Knowledge of MS Office Products primarily MS Word and Excel.
• Experience/training in First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit education.
• Facilitation, mediation and consensus building skills in complex and conflicting circumstances involving multiple people or organizations.
   

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

Notes

These are permanent, full-time position working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
 

Work location is in 44 Capital Boulevard, 10044 108 St NW, Edmonton.
 

A cover letter is required. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
 

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.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.
 

Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
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.