Policy Advisor

Job Information
Job Title: Policy Advisor
Job Requisition ID: 88414
Ministry: Environment and Protected Areas
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary/Wage: Permanent
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: November 17, 2026
Classification: Program Services 4
Salary: $3,148.20 - $4,126.82 bi-weekly ($82,168 - $107,710/year)

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding career opportunities.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas is dedicated to safeguarding Albertas natural resource and ecosystems awhile balancing environmental and economic needs. We focus on wildlife conservation, managing protected areas, creating environmental policies, conducting research and engaging the public through educational initiatives. Our commitment is to sustainably, ensuring Alberta’s landscapes and resources are persevered and responsibly managed for future generations.

Corporate Strategic Services Branch and Policy Alignment and Legislative Services
The Corporate Strategic Services Branch provides strategic leadership, direction and coordination of a broad range of planning, policy and administrative services for the Department to support the ministry’s environmental mandate. The Policy Alignment and Legislative Services team within the Branch is responsible for supporting the Departments Cabinet and Legislation work.

Role Responsibilities

Are you a strategic thinker who thrives on complex policy challenges and enjoys turning various information and perspectives into clear, actionable advice?

This is an opportunity to help shape and advance Environment and Protected Areas’ strategic policy and legislative agenda while strengthening policy development and decision-making across the Department.

Reporting to the Manager, Policy Alignment and Legislative Services (PALS), the Policy Advisor works alongside legislative and policy specialists to advance complex policy initiatives and ensure strategic policy changes are coordinated and aligned with Government of Alberta and departmental priorities.

In this role, you will navigate complex and evolving policy issues, provide strategic advice, and help move priority initiatives through government decision-making processes. You will develop high-quality policy advice and decision documents, coordinate initiatives across the department, and build strong working relationships with program areas. You will also strengthen policy capacity across the department by providing guidance, sharing best practices and delivering department -specific policy training.

Your key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Policy Advice and Project Management:

• Analyzing complex policy issues and evidence to assess options, impacts and trade-offs across environmental, social and economic considerations, and developing balanced, well-supported policy advice aligned with departmental and government direction.
• Synthesizing varied perspectives and considerations into clear, concise and compelling advice for decisionmakers.
• Drafting and supporting development of policy decision documents, including Cabinet Reports, briefing notes, presentations and speaking notes.
• Providing strategic advice to program areas on policy and government decision-making processes, including analytical requirements, responsibilities, approvals, documentation and timelines.
• Coordinating complex policy initiatives across program areas to deliver high-quality decision packages within tight and evolving timelines.

Strategic Planning and Alignment:

• Coordinating initiatives and developing integrated plans to advance the departments strategic policy and legislative agenda.
• Maintaining awareness of the broader policy and political environment, including government commitments, departmental priorities and public concerns, and identifying implications and opportunities for department initiatives.
• Applying sound judgment and political acumen to anticipate sensitivities, competing interests and emerging issues that may affect policy development and decision-making.
• Identifying connections, dependencies and opportunities for collaboration among departmental and cross-government partners working on related policy initiatives.
• Advising departmental staff on government and departmental decision-making processes to support realistic sequencing, timelines and approvals.
• Supporting departmental tracking of strategic policy and legislative initiatives to identify priorities, interdependencies and upcoming decision points.

Policy Capacity and Continuous Improvement:

• Strengthening policy capacity across the department by identifying knowledge gaps and developing practical training tailored to Environment and Protected Areas.
• Collaborating across the division and department to strengthen policy processes, procedures and promote consistent, high-quality policy advice.
• Developing and sharing templates, guidance documents, and presentations to support department staff on navigating government policy processes and decision-making processes.

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

Systems Thinking: Understand the department’s strategic policy and legislative goals within the context of Government of Alberta priorities and the evolving social, political and economic environment.

Agility: Ability to thrive in dynamic environment and takes initiative to anticipate and adapt to changing priorities. 

Build Collaborative Environments: Establish and maintain strong collaborative partnerships within the department and Government of Alberta to solve complex problems.

Drive For Results: Develop recommendations and plans to support ministry priorities, anticipates risks and capitalizes on opportunities.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirement:

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, environmental sciences, political science, social sciences, humanities or related field and 4 years of related experience such as Government policy development or Government decision and approval processes.

Equivalency:

Directly education or experience considered on the basis of:

1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or

1 year of experience for 1year of education

Assets:

• Experience developing or supporting government policy, legislation, regulations or related decision documents.
• Experience preparing Cabinet Reports, Executive briefing material, presentation & speaking notes, , briefing notes or similar government decision materials.
• Knowledge of government policy, legislative and decision-making processes.
• Experience developing policy guidance, procedures, training or other resources that strengthen organizational policy capacity.
• Strong written communication skills and attention to detail – experience with cabinet documents and drafting instructions an asset.
• Project management skills, including time management and organization.

 Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

This position is a permanent, full-time role, with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday.

Candidates may be asked to complete a written assignment as a part of the interview process.

Application Information:

In your application, please include a cover page detailing your interest, and role related experience.

In your resume, include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example, January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs. shifts/week).

Three (3) work-related references are required for those selected for an interview.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)  
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.

How To Apply 

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.

Candidates are required to apply online. Please see Job Application Resources for more information.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 - June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information.

It is also recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Jane McEwen at Jane.McEwen@gov.ab.ca.