Bring your strong communication, editing, and issues management skills to this exciting position with the Coordination and Analysis Unit team in the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry where you will provide writing, editing, communications planning and project coordination services.
What can I expect to do in this role?
In this challenging role with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Strategic Initiatives Branch, you will:
• coordinate and monitor work-flow to ensure timely production of correspondence, and adherence to government/ministry correspondence policies, procedures and standards
• provide technical leadership to unit correspondence officers for the screening, review, research and response to ministry correspondence, including orientation, guidance and resource services on unit policies, procedures and standards, and correspondence content and style
• liaise with Minister and Deputy Minister offices to discuss priorities, key messaging on current issues, the progress of individual correspondence files, and the handling of specific correspondence issues
• coordinate inter-ministerial correspondence files and projects with senior management and staff of other ministries
• liaise with staff of the Correspondence Services Unit (CSU), Cabinet Office, on CSU correspondence files and issues, and coordinate, monitor and ensure urgent research/response by ministry staff
• liaise with other units within the Communications and Marketing Branch to coordinate cross- communications initiatives, standards, branch processes, and to identify/resolve issues
• participate in the training of new correspondence officers and monitor their training progress, meet daily with staff to advise on complex correspondence assignments, and work with staff to eliminate backlog and resolve inefficiencies
How do I qualify?
Technical expertise:
• You have knowledge of communication principles/practices and correspondence writing methods and styles to coordinate day-to-day operations and provide technical training and guidance to correspondence officers.
• You are able to gain and apply knowledge of policies, procedures, processes, regulations and standards related to the research and preparation of official correspondence to coordinate correspondence activities, liaise with division, ministry, inter-ministry and central agency management/staff on correspondence projects, and ensure that unit services are consistent with corporate policies and standards.
• You are able to gain and apply knowledge of the ministry's mandate, policy direction, legislative framework organization structure, policies, programs, and corporate communication objectives.
• You have demonstrated communication skills to proofread and edit correspondence and prepare briefing documents, analysis, reports and presentations, ensuring documents are aligned with ministry mandate and prepared in plain language.
Interpersonal and influencing skills:
• You can effectively manage relationships and liaise with management/staff in the offices of the Minister/Deputy Minister, senior management, and management/staff of other ministries to exchange information, determine timelines and obtain consensus and feedback on correspondence issues.
• You have training and advisory skills to explain correspondence policies, procedures, and standards to correspondence officers and to provide technical support/advice related to specific correspondence assignments.
• You have consultation and negotiation skills to provide ongoing customer services to ministry officials/management/staff on correspondence issues/priorities, and to resolve priority and workload issues related to specific assignments/projects and requests made by Minister/Deputy Minister offices.
• You have leadership skills to resolve unit staff concerns and to lead the coordination of correspondence responses among several policy and program areas.
Analyzing and problem-solving skills:
• You can identify and evaluate unit operational backlog/workload issues, develop strategies to address issues in consultation with unit staff and clients, and resolve conflicts, problems and issues.
• You can review the broader communications context of ministry correspondence issues related to proposed ministry policy changes/announcements, and discuss/advise on effective and consistent ministry messaging in the preparation of correspondence.
• You can research and review the content of high profile, complex and/or contentious correspondence issues, and prepare draft correspondence responses for the signature of the Minister and/or Deputy Minister.
• You can identify and review correspondence issues with inter-ministerial impact, and develop or participate with others in the development of solutions/initiatives.
• You can recognize the complexity and political sensitivity of issues in order to avoid a negative perception of the ministry and public misunderstanding of ministry programs/policies when preparing correspondence; assess the political impact of correspondence issues and advise the manager.
Organizational and coordination skills:
• You can act as the key unit liaison with the offices of the Ministers, Deputy Ministers, other divisions, and other ministries related to correspondence priorities, issues and joint correspondence projects.
• You can lead/participate in the development/implementation of unit correspondence processes, guidelines and tools, and identify and recommend opportunities for increased unit effectiveness and efficiency.
• You can provide advice and recommendations on immediate and long-term issues/trends which impact the correspondence unit.
• You can independently coordinate the daily activities of the unit including determining priorities, monitoring workflow, resolving workflow/workload issues, providing training and technical guidance to correspondence officers in the preparation of correspondence responses, and ensuring adherence to OPS/ministry policies and standards.
Computer skills:
• You are proficient with computer programs, databases and the internet to create correspondence and conduct research.
• You are able to use presentation programs (i.e. PowerPoint) to create and give presentations.
• You are proficient with correspondence tracking system to report on and monitor correspondence tracking records and to produce own work.
OPS Commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism: We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful, and equitable workplace.
We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
Visit the
OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the
OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.
We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's
Human Rights Code. Refer to the application instructions below if you require disability-related accommodation.