Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Services Officer

FOREIGN POLICY AND DIPLOMACY SERVICES OFFICER

The Consulate General of Canada in Dallas has an opening for a dynamic, results-oriented person to undertake political and economic relations activities on behalf of the Government of Canada. The successful candidate will use his/her knowledge of and network with the U.S. political, economic, NGO, academic, think tanks, and business communities to promote, advance and strengthen Canada’s priority interests with federal/state/local officials and private and public sector organizations. The position will be located in Dallas.

POSITION TITLE:

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Service Officer

SECTION:

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Service

LOCATION:

Consulate General of Canada in Dallas

POSITION NUMBER:

409119

POSITION LEVEL:

LE-09

STARTING SALARY:

$89,406 USD, plus benefits

DATE POSTED:

April 7, 2017

CLOSING DATE:

April 28, 2017

EMPLOYMENT TENURE: There is one term position to be filled, having a specified period of employment for five (5) years, with the possibility of extension or change in employment status to indeterminate. 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, assignment/transfer, and acting opportunities at the Canadian Consulate General in Dallas, TX. When you submit your application, you must specify all types of employment tenures for which you wish to be considered, e.g., indeterminate, term, assignment/transfer, and/or acting.

OPEN TO:

• Persons residing in the territory covered by the Consulate General of Canada (Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico)
• Persons working in Washington, D.C. who are employed by a Member of Congress representing a district in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas or New Mexico; and
• Current employees of any Canadian Mission in the United States of America.

Please note that relocation fees will not be paid in any circumstance.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

Under the direction of the Consul, Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Services (FPDS) Program Manager at the Consulate General in Dallas, and in accordance with international priorities of the Government of Canada and its specific objectives in the United States, the incumbent is responsible for delivering the seven core services of the FPDS program: advocacy; access; information and analysis; visits guidance; policy development and integration; program delivery and other duties as requested. Delivery of these core services is aligned with the Government of Canada and Global Affairs Canada’s current priorities in the United States (e.g. economic and trade relations; energy and environment priorities; defence and security partnership; values and brand promotion).

The FPDS Officer will work closely with the other members of the FPDS team, the International Business Development team at the Consulate, including its regional presences, as well as the Canadian network of Consulates in the United States to coordinate activities and initiatives. The candidate will demonstrate a strong ability to think innovatively around program delivery, plan effectively in a highly demanding environment, develop and engage a network of external partners, work independently in a proactive, accountable manner and communicate effectively. The FPDS Officer will also be responsible for leading the Consulate’s Social Media Committee to monitor, respond and develop content on various social media platforms.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:

A superior command of English is essential, including excellent writing capabilities.

RATED REQUIREMENTS

A covering letter in 3,000 words (maximum). Your cover letter must clearly demonstrate how you meet the Essential Education and Experience criteria noted below. Simply stating that you meet the requirement or listing current or past responsibilities is not sufficient. Indicate how, when and where the qualification was met, using the Education or Experience factors as the heading and including specific examples. Failure to provide this information in the required format may result in your application being rejected. The information provided in your cover letter must be supported by your résumé. Candidates invited to an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcripts (original documents only). Please ensure that your application includes a valid, functional e-mail address that accepts messages from unknown users.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION:

Graduation with a four-year bachelor’s degree from a recognised university in International Relations, Political Science, Business, Communications, Public Policy or another field directly relevant to the duties of the position.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in government or international relations or in an advocacy/policy/economic-oriented sector;
• A minimum of 3-5 years’ experience writing, researching and editing a variety of materials e.g. reports, briefs, scenarios, key messages, talking points, backgrounders, speeches for the use of management or clients;
• Significant experience in project management or events planning, including setting goals, identifying targets, allies and opponents, executing the project or event, tracking/reporting results and managing a budget;
• Experience in researching and analyzing issues on economic or government policy or public affairs issues to provide superior advice to senior management;
• Experience in using social media tools professionally for promotion or to engage targeted audiences.

KNOWLEDGE:

The successful candidate will possess knowledge of:

• Political and economic issues and trends – in the U.S. generally and for the South Central U.S. in particular – that could affect Canadian interests;
• The Government of Canada’s international mandate and priorities, including Canadian priorities in the United States;
• Key partners and stakeholders for Canadian advocacy activities in the political, business, NGO and academic sectors; and
• Current public sector social media trends and practices.

ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, including ability to prepare professional documents such as briefs, scenarios, reports, presentations;
• Ability to analyse and provide strategic advice;
• Ability to develop and maintain a network of clients and influencers;
• Ability to plan, manage and deliver effective outreach events and advocacy campaigns that reach appropriate targeted audiences;
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with tight deadlines;
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment in a proactive and accountable manner; and
• Excellent command of Microsoft® Office suite, particularly Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®, and Outlook® in addition to Social Media tools such as Twitter®, Facebook® and Instagram®.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:

• Interpersonal relations, including with clients and colleagues;
• Client focused;
• Sound judgement;
• People/Team Leadership, and
• Integrity.

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

A Master’s Degree from a recognized university in one of the fields or disciplines relevant to the position is an asset.

Ability to work in French, orally or in writing, would be an asset.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT (must be met):

• Eligibility for a Government of Canada Reliability Status, which includes a criminal and credit background check;
• Independent work authorization in the United States and status in accordance with U.S. protocol directives for foreign missions;
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the Consulate General’s territory and admissible for travel to Canada.

HOURS OF WORK:

Normal hours of work for this position are in accordance with Locally-Engaged Staff regulations of 37.5 hours per week. The successful candidate must be willing to work overtime on occasion and when required.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

This position requires frequent travel throughout the South Central United States (Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico) and periodic travel to Canada and other parts of 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 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE FACTORS ELIMINATES CANDIDATES FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN THE COMPETITION. The Asset criteria may also be applied in the initial screening of applicants. The assessment may 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. All candidates are required to show proof of legal status to live and work in the United States. All candidates must show proof of educational requirements.

Only those applicants who meet all of the essential/asset requirements will be contacted by the Canadian Consulate General in Dallas for an interview or other form of assessment to evaluate the applicant’s knowledge, abilities and personal suitability for the position.

The Consulate General of Canada in Dallas is committed to conducting inclusive, barrier-free selection processes. The Government of Canada is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from diverse sections of the community. Candidates will be considered on merit regardless of ethnic origin, religious belief, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or any other irrelevant factor. The Consulate General of Canada offers a competitive salary, generous leave and a strong benefits package to include medical, dental, long-term disability, and a retirement savings plan, to name a few.

METHOD OF APPLICATION:

Interested parties should send their résumé, along with a covering letter of no more than 3,000 words, outlining how they meet all the essential requirements of the position. Applications are to be sent by e-mail by the closing date to the address provided on this site.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $89,406.00 /year

Required education:

• Bachelor’s

Required experience:

• writing, researching: 3 years
• government or international relations in an advocacy/policy/economic sector: 5 years

Required language:

• English