Role Responsibilities

Are you a procurement and contracting professional looking for your next opportunity in the public service? Do you wish you could spread your enthusiasm for trade agreements, generic specifications, and well-crafted RFx documents?

If the answer is yes, we want you to join our team!

We are looking for Contract and Reporting Specialist to lead procurements and contract management for public service learning, engagement, and talent management programs for a two-year term. The procurements and contracts have a broad scope that includes supplies and services.  

The Contract and Reporting Specialist is a core enabler for L&E programming across the APS. In this role, you will:

•    Run fair, transparent procurements: Lead end-to-end procurement projects that align with trade agreements, legislation, and Government of Alberta purchasing policies.
•    Manage the full contract cycle: From drafting to approvals to close-out, you’ll oversee contracts with care and attention to detail.
•    Turn needs into clear asks: Work with managers and senior leaders to develop solicitation documents that are accurate, concise, and easy for vendors to respond to.
•    Work the IT system: Use 1GX (the APS’s enterprise resource planning system) to manage procurement and contract processes efficiently and accurately.
•    Solve problems with vendors: Proactively address contract issues to keep vendor relationships positive and productive.
•    Build smart tools and reports: Design templates, trackers, and dashboards that support effective reporting and contract oversight across the team.
•    Support fiscal accountability: Help coordinate forecasting, invoicing, and contract-related reporting so our programs and practices stay strong and compliant.

To be successful in this role, you need to:

•    Be detail-driven and systems-savvy: You know how to navigate complex processes, and you bring structure to every project to get the details right.
•    Understand public sector procurement inside and out: You’re confident interpreting trade agreements and financial policy, and you know how to apply them.
•    Communicate with clarity: Whether drafting an RFP clause or writing an email, you make sure your message is clear, complete and appropriate for the audience.
•    Balance consistency with flexibility: You bring rigor to processes while adjusting tools and timelines to meet evolving needs.
•    Stay organized and proactive: You manage multiple priorities, track timelines, and follow up to keep things moving.
•    Collaborate with purpose: You work well with internal teams and external vendors, and you bring a service mindset to every interaction.

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: Considers inter-relationships and emerging trends to attain goals.
Drive for Results: Actively sets goals and remains open to advice on reaching them.
Creative Problem Solving: Is open to new ideas and breaks problems down to identify solutions.

Qualifications

Your cover letter and resume will be used in lieu of a writing assignment to assess your qualifications, including your written communication skills and your attention to detail.

Ensure your cover letter meets all of the following criteria:

• Includes a professional salutation;
• Identifies the relevant job opportunity (i.e. Contract and Reporting Specialist);
• Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errorsl; and
• Clearly identifies the number of years of experience you have leading procurements and managing contracts.
• Clearly identifies the number of years of experience you have working in a public sector organization (e.g. federal/provincial/municipal government, school board, hospital, etc.); and
• Clearly explains why you have chosen to pursue a career in the public sector.

Ensure your resume meets all of the following criteria:

• Includes starting and ending month & year of each role;
• Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errors;
• Has a clear, consistent layout that demonstrates your attention to detail; and
• Provides information about each role using clear and concise bullet points.

Applications without a cover letter and resume that meet all of the above criteria will not be considered.

Minimum recruitment standard: University graduation in a related field and 4 years of progressively responsible related experience.

Equivalency: Related education or experience is considered on the basis of:

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

Other requirements (i.e. “must haves” to be considered for the role):

• Knowledge of all aspects of public sector procurement, including trade agreements and requirements for open, competitive tendering;
• Experience developing functional specifications for inclusion in RFx documents;
• Experience as a contract manager.

Assets (i.e. “nice to haves”):

• Professional purchasing certification (e.g. SCMP or similar);
• Experience using Ariba supply chain management software (or similar);
• Experience navigating the APS’s 1GX technology system;
• Knowledge of APS policies, organizational structures and machinery of government.

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

To be considered for this competition, your application must include a well-written cover letter and resume. Carefully review the Qualifications section to see the specific requirements for the cover letter and resume that are unique to this role. If your application does not include a cover letter and resume that clearly meet these requirements, your application will not be considered.
 

This is a two-year, full-time temporary position. APS employees are encouraged to speak with their supervisor about the possibility of a secondment before applying.

Location and Hour of Work:
Our office is located in downtown Edmonton. Alternate work locations are not available at this time, however hybrid work options may be available on a case-by-case basis, subject to government policy and operational viability.

Business hours are Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:30 pm. Hours of work are 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week. Modified work hours may be available on a case-by-case basis, subject to government policy and operational viability. 

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening. 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.

More information about 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