Senior Advocacy Officer (LEO2) & Political Affairs Officer (LEO1)

Summary of Duties:

Within the Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Service program and under the direction of the Counsellor, Political and Public Affairs, the Public Affairs Officer and Senior Advocacy Officer support the promotion of Canada’s interests and advocacy priorities by:

• acquiring and maintaining, through various sources of information, an up-to-date awareness of political and social developments in Poland and Belarus;
• building and developing networks of relationships with government officials, non-governmental contacts, diplomatic missions, and other stakeholders; offering strategic insight and making recommendations on key target audiences for advocacy including governmental and non-governmental networks;
• assisting in the development, planning and execution of events (such as conferences, national day receptions), cultural activities (such as film festivals, art shows, and other cultural products) as well as official visits;
• supporting the development, implementation and impact monitoring of the embassy’s social media strategy and overall communication strategy, preparing content for social media posts, ensuring effective communications in Poland and in Belarus, and then producing analyses and reports on the effectiveness of initiatives (including analysis of social media outcomes);
• identifying key political and economic developments in Poland and Belarus, producing in-depth analysis and writing reports that link their significance to Canada’s foreign-policy priorities (for Senior Advocacy Officer);
• supervising a team consisting of the Public Affairs Officer and the Program Assistant/Outreach Officer (for Senior Advocacy Officer).

 

Area of Selection:

This position is open to internal and external candidates who have the right to reside and work in Poland who meet all the essential requirements stated and whose applications are received by the closing date.

Please note that the Embassy of Canada to Poland does not sponsor work authorizations directly or indirectly.

The Government of Canada is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from diverse sections of the community. Candidates will be considered based on merit. Our organization offers an inclusive workplace where respect, teamwork, and collaboration are part of our culture. Canada’s missions abroad are committed to promoting and supporting an environment free from harassment and discrimination, as well as encouraging and supporting employees to learn and develop their skills and competencies.

 

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates will initially be screened against the Essential Qualifications relating to education, language* and experience.

Candidates must clearly demonstrate when applying to the position how they meet each of these essential qualifications.

*Language will be assessed further during the process. 

 

Education:

Candidates will be required to provide proof of the completion of their education.

• Bachelor’s-equivalent degree from an accredited college or university, in a field related to the activities of the Political and Public Affairs Section (such as International relations, Political Science, Economics, History, Business, Communications or Public Policy)

OR 

• A degree from a recognised university in any field and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in political or public affairs.

 

Language:

• Written and oral fluency* in Polish.
• Written and oral fluency* in French or English.

* “Fluency” is equivalent to the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Language ability will be assessed by a variety of means which may include a written assessment and an interview.

Experience:

For both positions:

• Experience in delivering advocacy and/or cultural programs.
• Experience producing and publishing social media content in a business setting.
• Experience conducting research and providing high-quality analysis in verbal and written forms.
• Experience preparing a variety of documents, presentations, correspondence, and reports.
• At least 2 years of experience working in developing and leading research and analysis (including report-writing) for a governmental or corporate audience in a political/economic-oriented sector

For Senior Advocacy Officer only:

• Minimum of 2 years experience in Human Resource management

 

RATED REQUIREMENTS

The Rated Requirements are part of the essential qualifications and are relating to knowledge, abilities and competencies. Methods of assessment for rated requirements may include, but are not limited to, a written examination, an oral interview (online pre-recorded/live or in-person), role-play, practical tests, presentations and/or psychometric assessment.

 

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the Polish political/economic environment and the factors that influence policy in Poland, and to a lesser extent of Belarus.
• Knowledge of Canada’s foreign policy and economic priorities.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point) and main Social Media Apps (notably Instagram and X), as well as Internet research skills.

 

Competencies:

• Flexibility and adaptability
• Effective interactive oral and written communication
• Professional integrity
• Teamwork
• Showing initiative and being action-oriented  
  
  

 

Abilities: 

• Ability to manage competing priorities effectively with a high level of detail.
• Ability to research, analyze, evaluate and present information to facilitate decision making.
• Ability to interact effectively with stakeholders/contacts and to build and maintain a network.

For the Senior Advocacy Officer: 

• Ability to manage a team.

 

Asset Qualifications:

Preference may be given to candidates who meet the Asset Qualifications. Where applicable, candidates must clearly demonstrate how they meet any asset qualifications.

• A master’s degree in a related field (for example public advocacy, cultural promotion, political science, international relations, etc.).
• Ability to use Canada’s other official language at the spoken and written B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• Knowledge of the political/economic environment and the factors that influence policy in Belarus.
• Knowledge of Canadian politics.
• Past experience working for an international organization or diplomatic mission in a similar role.

 

Operational Requirements:

• Working hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday (7.5 hours per day)
• May be required to work overtime
• May be required to work outside normal working hours (i.e. evenings and weekends)

 

Conditions of Employment:

Conditions of employment must be met or complied with before being appointed to a particular position, and are to be maintained throughout the employment while being the incumbent of this position.

- Valid work authorization: Ability to obtain and hold a valid work authorization covering the entire employment period.

- Security screening: Obtain and maintain a Reliability Status (security level) which includes a criminal and credit background check from the Government of Canada covering the entire employment period.

- Other conditions of employment:

• ability to obtain a medical certificate prior to commencement

 

 

How to Apply

• You must submit your application using the "Apply online" function. Only applications submitted via VidCruiter will be considered, unless a valid reason is presented and accepted prior to the closing date.
• Do not include personal data such as; age, date of birth, gender, marital status, family status, religion or a picture in your application form, CV nor cover letter (as required). Please only include information relevant to the vacancy as requested in the job poster.
• You must clearly demonstrate in answering the screening questions how you meet the education and experience factors listed in the essential and asset qualifications. You must provide specific examples to demonstrate clearly how you meet the qualifications. Global Affairs Canada cannot make any assumptions about your studies nor experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties will not be sufficient. Instead, you must provide concrete and detailed examples that clearly explain where, when, and how you gained the experience. No additional information will be sought beyond what you submit in your online application.
• Candidates may be required to upload a CV and/or a cover letter in English or French. These documents may be used as a secondary source to validate the answers to the screening questions.
• Applications which do not include all of the requested documents or information and/or which are not received by the closing date will be rejected.
• Candidates who are unable to submit their application due to technical difficulties must report these to LES-E-Recruitment-BRLIN@international.gc.ca prior to the closing date. Failure to do so will result in the application being rejected.

Important Notes

• Only applications submitted in one of the official languages of Canada will be accepted (English or French).
• The language requirement for this position is identified under the essential qualifications (language). In consequence, the assessment process for this vacancy will be conducted in English.
• Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidates to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.

• Candidates must provide an email address that accepts email from unknown users and regularly check their email, including spam folder.
• Reference checks may be sought for candidates who succeeded all of the assessments.
• Please note that the Embassy of Canada to Poland does not reimburse any travel costs to and from interviews/exams nor does it reimburse any relocation costs.
• Before an offer of employment can be made, successful candidates must provide a local residence address as proof of residence in the specified area of selection. This information is necessary to issue a letter of offer.
• As recently announced by the Government of Canada, the Policy for Mandatory Vaccination: Canada and the Mission Network is suspended as of June 20, 2022. The Government of Canada will continue to assess the need for additional public health measures, including the possible reintroduction of a vaccination mandate at a later date.
• We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact us at LES-E-Recruitment-BRLIN@international.gc.ca to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
• The results of this selection process may also be used to establish one or more pools of fully or partially qualified candidates for similar term, indeterminate, part-time or full-time openings at the Embassy of Canada to Poland which might arise following the completion of this selection process.
• For Canadian citizens/residents and Canadian dual nationals, please note that it is your responsibility to enquire with the Canadian Revenue Agency about any possible taxation implications linked to an employment with the Government of Canada.