Job Specification

Purpose :

- To prepare responses for the Minister and Deputy Minister by gathering information in order to respond to contentious and politically sensitive issues within the ministry.
- To act as information resource to ministry/branch staff on specific issues and ensures the timely flow and distribution of correspondence.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Issues Management Coordinator
- Coordinates the collection of information from managers and staff related to requests for information and/or briefing materials from the Minister, Deputy Minister and ADMs Office.
- Provides support to the ministry's computerized tracking system and maintains a computerized letter bank of approved responses to assist in future responses which includes keeping fully knowledgeable of current provincial political issues and maintaining a good understanding of areas of public concern.
- Ensures that materials are submitted within established deadlines and format and in accordance with OPS quality services standards and timelines.
- Anticipates and identifies emerging issues and trends with potential implications for the ministry and utilizes issues management strategies such as monitoring the House when the Legislature is sitting and conducting media analysis and research.
2. Material Preparation
- Writes, edits and proofreads a variety of materials such as briefing notes, memos, speeches, reports on behalf of the Minister and Deputy Minister. Proofreads a variety of documents from clients and provides feedback on approach, content and overall presentation.
- Researches such areas as material library, legislation, speeches, and news releases to obtain additional information in drafting materials. Consults with clients to obtain additional clarifying information to develop appropriate messaging of specific documents.
3. Internal/External Liaison
- Maintains regular contact with political staff, managers and analyst to identify general areas of information gathering and/or specific needs in order to prepare accurate materials as requested.
- Liaises with ministry policy and program areas to coordinate information collection from client managers.
- Conducts research and environmental scans of literature, studies, papers, etc. for information of relevance and interest to issues within the ministry.

Knowledge / Skill :

Knowledge of and skills in:
- Government and ministry mandate, legislative framework, policies programs and business goals to understand the issues when preparing correspondence on behalf of the organization.
- Knowledge of acts and regulations (e.g. Freedom of Information) to ensure the security of confidential information.
- Research and analytical skills to perform environmental scans and identify and review issues within the context of the political environment and the government's policy direction and priorities and to review and edit materials for review by manager and political staff.
- Oral and written communication skills to prepare and edit materials (e.g. briefing notes, memoranda, letters,) and to convey information and ministry position in a clear, concise manager.
- Computer proficiency to prepare reports and correspondence, access databases, research information, etc.

Interpersonal / Influencing Skill :

- Interpersonal skills to exchange and discuss ideas/information on the preparation of appropriate responses for the Minister, Deputy Minister and clients.
- Negotiation skills to negotiate deadlines for information and to ensure the timely flow and distribution of correspondence.
- Advisory skills to provide feedback to clients on approach, content and overall presentation when proofreading documents.

Analyzing / Problem Solving Skill :

Analytical and problem-solving skills to:
- Research, investigate and assess relevance of information and identify key issues to be addressed when preparing materials.
- Identify and advice manager on contentious issues
- Review and analyze responses completed by program areas and to simplify, condense, re-word or edit into plain language prior to forwarding it to for final approval.

Decision Making / Responsibility :

Responsible for:
- Preparing responses for the Minister and Deputy Minister by gathering information in order to respond to contentious and politically sensitive issues within the ministry.
- Acting as information resource to ministry/branch staff on specific issues and ensures the timely flow and distribution of correspondence.
- Bringing matters of political significance or inference arising from correspondence to the Minister and/or Deputy Minister to the attention of the supervisor and/or the issues manager and issues analyst.
- Has latitude to develop correspondence independently for review my manager. The broad framework of decision- making processes and briefing
practices guides the preparation of documents. Conducting poor research in preparing responses and lack of judgement in deciding whether or not to contact supervisor regarding politically sensitive issues could result in embarrassment to the Minister and Deputy Minster.

Contacts / Stakeholder :

- Policy/Program and inter and intra-ministerial staff and supervisor to discuss issues and exchange information.
- Counterparts in other ministries and other levels of government (municipal, federal) to obtain and exchange information.

Guidance / Supervision :

- Provides technical expertise to clients in preparing responses for the Minister and Deputy Minister.

Demands / Pressures :

Work Demands :

- Frequent requirement to balance many competing priorities (e.g. requests from Minister's or Deputy Minister's Office vs branches) at different stages of completion. Works to tight deadlines.

Mental / Sensory :

- Concentration is required when doing research to assess relevance of information and to identify key issues to be addressed when preparing materials.
- Listening skills is required when exchanging and discussing ideas/information on the preparation of appropriate responses with clients.

Conditions / Environment :

- Work is performed in a typical office environment.