Program Consultant (Program Administration Officer 3)

About Us

The Department of Labour and Advanced Education works to provide fairness, safety, and prosperity for all Nova Scotians by helping them live, learn and work to their highest potential. We have a staff of more than 500 employees working from offices throughout Nova Scotia. Together we are responsible for workplace safety, fire safety, pensions, apprenticeship, adult education, employment programs and services, and many other facets of everyday life.

About Our Opportunity

The Program Consultant (Program Admin Officer 3) provides program management and operational support to Employment Nova Scotia (ENS) managers, supervisors, staff, Skills and Learning Branch staff, external stakeholders, and partners. As the Program Consultant you are a key subject matter expert on Employment Nova Scotia policy, programs, and service delivery. You provide advice and guidance to staff and management implementing related initiatives, program development strategies and plans, including changes initiatives, to ensure program effectiveness and compliance to applicable policy and legislation.

The Program Consultant works collaboratively across the branch to align programs, analyzing potential gaps and opportunities for program improvement. The Program Consultant performs quality assurance functions for external service delivery systems funded by the division and for internal service delivery systems including data and file analysis identification of deficiencies and recommendations for corrective action.

This position reports to the Contract Liaison Manager.

Primary Accountabilities

The work of the Program Consultant includes:

• Providing support and oversight to ensure service delivery networks and programs are being delivered in accordance with appropriate policy, guidelines and applicable legislation and are effectively meeting the needs of the labour market in Nova Scotia.
• Assessing program and service delivery practices.
• Performing program, processes, and policy analysis.
• Developing recommendations for policy improvements.
• Planning, designing, maintaining, and evaluating program policies and procedures for all ENS programs ensuring adherence to both federal and provincial legislation as well as ensuring programs meet labour market demands.
• Monitoring and implementing strategies for program effectiveness by developing and maintaining accountability reporting mechanisms and actioning program and initiative promotional plans.
• Providing subject matter expertise, training, and horizontal collaboration on all ENS programs to a broad range of stakeholders - government departments, jurisdictions, community organizations, and training institutions.

Qualifications and Experience

A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline plus 5 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered.

As the ideal candidate you have extensive experience participating in, and often managing, various projects and project teams using project management techniques and you have the skills to manage project teams and large working groups. You are a strong facilitator and communicator, and can work with groups of all sizes to identify workflow structures using workflow analysis techniques and process efficiency tools to monitor and analyze workflows to determine and find ways to improve programs and services for external clients. You have also facilitated various working groups for other aspects including strategic planning and solution development.

You have strong research and analytical skills to assess the impacts and outcomes of programs and services, you can identify areas for improvement, and you can analyze the impact of new programs and services, policies, procedures and systems. You can identify various needs and gaps as applicable and can conduct and complete quality monitoring and program reviews to ensure that programs are being effectively delivered and that projects are being properly managed.

You can develop recommendations that are provided and presented to senior leadership, including the preparation of program and research reports. You can develop and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders and have experience with conducting various methods of research and analysis to identify, test, validate and recommend program and service changes. You possess exceptional communication (written and verbal) skills and you also have strong time and project management skills with an ability to manage competing priorities and concurrent projects. In addition, you possess strong collaboration, organization and analytical/problem solving skills with a proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of products.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and Union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click here to learn more about our various benefits offering and eligibility criteria.

Additional Information

Please note this position has no set location and the in-office workspace location can be determined by the location of the successful candidate and the Department of Labour and Advanced Education offices located across the province.

Program Consultants may also be required to work in numerous Labour and Advanced Education offices and regions throughout the province on occasion to fulfill their function.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• Countless Career Paths.
• Department Specific Flexible working schedules.