Role Responsibilities

The Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team as an Education Assessor!

Reporting to the Assessment Team Lead, the Education Assessor is responsible for ensuring consistency, fairness and accuracy of assessments of international education credentials. The work of Education Assessor plays a critical role in facilitating better recognition of international education credentials and the equitable access to employment and further education in Alberta for immigrants.

The Education Assessor supports IQAS leadership team in evaluating and improving processes and policies, by proactively providing suggestions for changes and actively participating in operational excellence reviews. The Education Assessor manages positive working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders in Canada and across the world, including immigrants, employers, educational institutions, professional licensing bodies, and federal/provincial governments to promote understanding and recognition of international education credentials. This position seeks the fair and reasonable resolution to all disputes of assessment outcomes from applicants and stakeholders.

In your role as an Education Assessor, you will:
•    Evaluate international education credentials and issue assessment certificates to internationally educated individuals to support fair and accurate recognition of their international education credentials. 
•    Develop and issue final assessment outcome decisions as well as accountable for the quality of assessment decisions issued to clients.
•    Conduct research to support the development of assessment outcomes / precedents when guidelines do not exist for new credentials. 
•    Use an in-depth professional understanding of credential assessment methodology and guidelines to fairly and accurately assess unique credentials and educational patterns.
•    Use French language expertise to review educational documents and reference material in the original language.
•    Develop operational policies and procedures to achieve successful outcomes and meet key departmental performance targets. 
•    Complete projects to improve systems and processes to ensure that IQAS is innovative, effective and utilizes operational excellence principles. Implement change management strategies to support improvements as part of ongoing business. 
•    Manage security and accuracy of information by ensuring that the IQAS database and electronic resources with specialized corporate knowledge and personal information are secured and current. 
•    Provide recommendations for improvement of guidelines and processes based on research and collaboration with the network of assessment agencies. 
•    Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of IQAS services and to strengthen the foreign credentials recognition system in Alberta and Canada. 
•    Prepare and deliver presentations and workshops to target audiences in Alberta. 
•    Provide content and support for briefing notes, action requests, and information resources.

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.

Systems Thinking - Integrates broader context into planning: Plans for how current situation is affected by broader trends; supports organization vision and goals through strategy; addresses behaviors that challenge progress.

Creative Problem Solving - Works in open teams to share ideas and process issues: Uses wide range of techniques to break down problems; allow others to think creatively and voice ideas; brings the right people together to solve issues; identifies new solutions for the organization.

Agility - Proactively incorporates change into processes: Creates opportunities for improvement; is aware of and adapts to changing priorities; remains objective under pressure and supports others to manage their emotions; proactively explains impact of change on roles, and integrates change in existing work; readily adapts plans and practices.

Drive for Results - Works to remove barriers to outcomes, sticking to principles: Forecasts and proactively addresses project challenges; removes barriers to collaboration and achievement of outcomes; upholds principles and confronts problems directly; considers complex factors and aligns solutions with broader organization mission.

Build Collaborative Environment - Involves a wide group of stakeholders when working on outcomes: Involves stakeholders and shares resources; positively resolves conflict through coaching and facilitated discussion; uses enthusiasm to motivate and guide others; acknowledges and works with diverse perspectives for achieving outcomes.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:
•    University graduation in a related field plus 2 years progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent as described below.
•    Proficiency in the French language.
•    For application consideration, you must attach a cover letter explaining your qualification and suitability for this role.

Equivalency: 
Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:
•    1 year of education for 1 year of experience.
•    1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

The following knowledge or experiences are considered as assets:  
•    Experience in educational credential research and assessment. 
•    Knowledge of past and current educational systems of the world, including the structure of educational programs in Canada.
•    Experience in a fast-paced, target-oriented work environment.
•    Strong research and analytical skills to find, collect, evaluate information. Skills to extract relevant information from complex material to formulate broad concepts.
•    Negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution skills to work effectively with clients and stakeholders, considering various cultural and business perspectives.
•    Knowledge of international economic, social, political issues and their impact on educational systems.
•    Organization and prioritization skills to balance multiple ongoing projects at one time and ability to meet tight timelines.
•    Experience in developing briefing notes, conducting research, preparing reports, presenting and conducting analysis.
•    Strong relationship building and interpersonal skills to work with stakeholders and colleagues.

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

This is a permanent full-time position working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

This position is located in Edmonton, Alberta.

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.

As part of the interview, short listed applicants may be asked to perform a written assignment.

The final candidate may undergo pre-employment checks (security screening and academic verification) and reference checks.

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.