FPDS Program Assistant

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Services Program Assistant

The Consulate General of Canada in Boston seeks an energetic, detail oriented and reliable team player with a strong interest in Canada-U.S. relations and advocacy to provide program and administrative support to the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Services (FPDS) Section, whose mandate is to promote Canadian political and economic interests abroad through advocacy, access, programs, public affairs, social media and official visits in New England.

The Consulate is seeking someone who is innovative, adaptable, skilled and ready to work with mission employees in the United States and abroad as well as local partners to advance Canadian interests.

Position title: FPDS Program Assistant

Section: Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Services

Location: Consulate General of Canada in Boston

Position number: 415382

Level: LE-05

Salary: $54,321 USD per annum plus benefits

Competition no: BOSTN 2017-05

Date posted: October 23 2017

Closing date: November 13 2017

Employment tenure: There is one term position to be filled: it has a specified period of employment of five (5) years, with the possibility of a term extension or change in status to indeterminate as required by operational needs. This competitive staffing process may be used to create an eligibility list of qualified candidates for this position and similar positions with various tenures, including indeterminate, term, and/or acting opportunities at the Consulate General of Canada in Boston.

Open to:

• Persons who meet all the essential qualifications and whose applications are received by the closing date.

• Persons residing in the working vicinity of the Consulate General of Canada in Boston, including Rhode Island and southern New Hampshire.

• Employees of the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., or of any Canadian Mission in the USA. Relocation will not be paid in any circumstance.

All applicants must:

• Meet all of the essential requirements stated below

• Reside in the U.S.

• Have independent work authorization in the U.S. and status in accordance with U.S. protocol directives for foreign missions.

• Submit a resume and a cover letter by the closing date. The covering letter must specify, using concrete examples, how you meet the essential requirements for this position. References will be requested later in the process.

Summary of Duties:

Under the direction of the FPDS Manager, the FPDS Program Assistant manages a wide-ranging program of support services to facilitate the delivery of political, economic and public affairs activities in New England. Duties include providing financial management and administrative support services in the FPDS section by following Government of Canada financial procedures and policies and using our financial system (SAP); assisting with the Mission’s public affairs outreach by drafting content for the different digital platforms and the social media activities of the FPDS section; event planning and implementation; media monitoring and researching activities on legislation and other political or social issues.

Language requirement:

Fluency in English (oral and written); the ability to work in French is considered an asset. Please indicate your level of knowledge in each language in your application.

Conditions of employment (must be met):

• Eligibility for a Government of Canada security clearance at Reliability Status which includes a criminal and a credit background check;

• Independent work authorization in the United States.

• Driver’s licence valid in the United States. The position requires occasional driving of the mission’s vehicle within our territory.

Essential requirements:

Candidates must demonstrate clearly how they meet the Education and Experience requirements listed below:

Education:

Degree from an accredited college or university in a field related to the duties and specific areas of competence required by the position; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• Minimum two (2) years of experience in office environment including providing administrative support to a high performing team and event planning and execution;

• Experience in financial administration, such as budgets, financial transactions and controls, and the preparation of reports;
• Experience in research including online research and familiarity with research tools, such as Factiva and EIU publications, etc.;
• Experience preparing well written and accurate summary reports;

• Experience within an organization in the use of social media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter; and,

• Experience in the use of Word, Excel, and Outlook, databases and contacts management.

Rated requirements:

Candidates who meet the Education and Experience requirements will be assessed on the following qualifications. The assessment may be a written test, an interview, an in-basket exercise, a skills test, a reference check, or any combination of these methods.

Knowledge:

 Knowledge of the Canadian government and Canada-US relations, including Canadian interests in the United States in general and in New England in particular.

Abilities:

• Provide excellent client service in person, by telephone, and electronically;

• Research, analyze and evaluate information effectively, and provide briefings and written reports;

• Manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines;

• Plan and organize work with outstanding attention to details;

• Work independently when required or as a team member; and

• Demonstrate solid judgement by taking initiative to identify and solve problems.

Personal suitability:

• Superior communication and interpersonal skills;

• Sound judgement;

• Dependability; and,

• Flexibility and adaptability.

Travel

This position requires some business travel within New England as well as rare trips to Canada and elsewhere within the United States.

Selection procedure:

The staffing process will consist of a review of all applications to ensure that applicants meet the essential requirements. Please note that failure to meet any of the essential requirements eliminates candidates from further consideration in the competition.

Only those applicants who meet these will be contacted by the Human Resources Section for an interview or other form of assessment of the Rated Requirements.

The assessment can include an interview, a written test, reference checks and other tests that will consist of a series of questions designed to evaluate each applicant’s knowledge, abilities and personal suitability for the position. An eligibility list of qualified candidates will be established for this position, and for similar positions. Confirmation in post is subject to security clearance.

The mission offers a competitive salary, generous leave and a strong benefits package to include medical, dental, long term and short term disability, and a retirement savings plan to name a few.

The Mission is committed to conducting inclusive, barrier-free selection processes.

Method of application:

Applications are to be sent by e-mail by the closing date. In completing their applications, candidates will confirm that they meet all the essential requirements and take care to relate their work experience to the position description and indicate the position number.

On subject line of email, you MUST write only your last name in all caps followed by this competition number: BOSTN 2017-05. For example, if your name is Peter Jones, you would write: JONES – BOSTN 2017-05. Mistitled applications and hard copy will not be accepted.

Hours of work:

Normal hours of work for this position are in accordance with the Locally Engaged Staff (LES) regulations of 37.5 hours per week. There may be a need for overtime work, when required and at short notice.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $54,321.00 /year