Secretary 3 (Administrative Assistant)

About Us

The Department of Advanced Education (AE) works in collaboration with its partners to help ensure Nova Scotia has a:

• Student-centered post-secondary education system where all learners thrive.
• High-quality, relevant, accountable, and sustainable post-secondary education system.
• Post-secondary education system that advances excellence and equity in research and innovation.

AE is also committed to ensuring equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility are the foundation for Nova Scotia’s post-secondary system and these lenses are applied into our policy, funding and strategic guidance for the system.

AE has approximately 70 employees and has oversight responsibility over the ten universities and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and regulates over 40 private career colleges and ten language schools. The Department is also responsible for administrating the Canada Student Loan Program and the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Program, which provide financial assistance to students to enable them to obtain a post-secondary education.

This position will support the Strategy, Policy, and Partnerships Branch of the Department of Advanced Education. The Strategy, Policy and Partnerships Branch oversees policy and strategic direction for the post-secondary education system including partnership engagement and funding for research and innovation. Strategy, Policy, and Partnership Branch also provides corporate services for the Department.

If you are detail oriented, and want to join a dynamic organization, we have an exciting opportunity for you to explore as an Administrative Assistant (Secretary 3).

About Our Opportunity

As the Administrative Assistant, you will serve as a main point of contact and quality control for a large volume of inquiries (including ministerial), providing quality assurance of documents. Working under minimal supervision, you will perform a wide range of complex secretarial and admin support duties of a responsible and confidential nature. You will provide senior level support, undertaking more complex administrative assignments.

As the Administrative Assistant, you will report to the Executive Director and support the branch operations.

Qualifications and Experience

This may be the right opportunity for you if you completed a 1-year business course with 4 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

You are resourceful, reliable, have attention to detail and have a high degree of organizational skills. You will be required to determine priorities with minimal supervision in a busy environment. You possess sound knowledge of office practices and procedures and a comprehensive knowledge of departmental functions.

You are an exceptional communicator (written and verbal) with strong time management skills. You have sound judgement and initiative, often working independently to resolve administrative issues, selecting alternative courses of action.

A high degree of confidentiality, sensitivity and discretion is essential.

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.

Working Conditions

Majority of time will be spent in a comfortable office setting.

Additional Information

This competition is currently for one (1) permanent employment opportunity, reporting to the Executive Director Strategy, Policy & Partnerships.

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.
• Numerous career paths.
• Department-specific flexible work options