Senior Trade Officer, AAFC and Senior Trade Officer, CFIA

INTENT OF THE PROCESS: 

The objective of this competition is to fill various vacancies at the LE-O2 level, including 2 Senior Trade Officer positions, one with Agri and AgriFood Canada focused on market development and trade promotion activities; and the other with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency focused on technical and science-based AgriFood market access issues. Both positions will be part of Canada’s Indo Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office, based in the Embassy of Canada in Manila. Please note that this selection process will be conducted both internally and externally and as such, one or more of the vacancies may be staffed internally or externally.

 

Please indicate in your application whether you have a preference for either position (AAFC or CFIA).

 

Summary of Duties:

Working under the overall direction of the Executive Director of the Indo Pacific Agriculture and Agrifood Office (IPAAO), the Senior Trade Officer is a locally engaged employee of Global Affairs Canada providing services for either of:

• Agriculture & AgriFood Canada (AAFC) 
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

 

 There are 2 positions to be filled in the IPAAO and typical duties will include:

 

Common to Both Positions:

• Promote Canada’s economic agriculture and agri-food interests in regional markets (including but not limited to Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore).
• Engage in activities contributing to market access and trade development for the Canadian Agriculture and agri-food sector, including understanding, analyzing and reporting on trade policy issues, and facilitating regulatory collaboration and technology transfer.
• Foster strategic alliances including develop a network of international business contacts and identifying key business leads, to link Canadian businesses to potential opportunities (in partnership with existing Agriculture market development efforts).
• Support IPAAO staff with research, reporting and administrative functions.

 

 AAFC Position; in addition to the common requirements above:

• Report to the AAFC Trade Commissioners in organising events, trade promotion initiatives, and outreach with local & regional contacts.
• Report on business opportunities and recommend strategic actions to advance agriculture trade interests in the region, including understanding, analyzing, and reporting on trade policy issues.

 

CFIA Position; in addition to the common requirements above:

• Report to the CFIA Technical Specialists in advocating for science-based regulatory approaches, and technical outreach to local and regional contacts.
• Report on potential market access challenges and opportunities and potential strategies to address them, to facilitate trade development opportunities.

 

Area of Selection:

This selection process is open to external applicants legally residing in the Philippines at the time of appointment and to mission employees occupying an indeterminate or term position, including emergency employees. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the Philippines. 

 

Please note that the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines 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 degree or higher in Commerce, Business Administration, International Relations, Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Engineering, Sciences, or a related degree that meets the requirements of this position. 

 

Language:

• Advanced proficiency in English, including reading, writing, and speaking.

 

Experience:

A minimum of three years’ recent* experience in at least 3 of the following:

• Experience in researching and preparing economic or industry information to analyze market or foreign direct investment opportunities.
• Experience managing client and stakeholder relationships and in providing business service support to customers/ clients. 
• Experience in project management and communication plans. 
• Experience in providing strategic advice, briefings, and written reports. 

* Recent is defined as within the last five (5) years.

 

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 regional (Indo Pacific) business environment and community as well as international trade and investment opportunities.
• Knowledge of the role of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in advancing Canadian commercial interests through negotiating market access and market development efforts.
• Knowledge of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

 

Competencies:

• Judgement and Discretion
• Initiative and Action Orientation
• Working with others and Horizontal Management
• Client Orientation
• Networking and Alliance Building
• Strategic Thinking and Decision making 
• Adaptability & Flexibility 

 

Abilities: 

• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with tight deadlines.
• Ability to deliver presentations effectively.

 

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.

• Knowledge of Canada’s agriculture & agri-food sector, businesses, geographic regions, economic strengths, and interests.
• Experience working in the agriculture and agri-food sector and a developed network of relevant contacts. 
• Experience in developing, planning, and coordinating international trade events and business missions.
• Experience working for a government department or private company in one or more Indo-Pacific markets.
• Relevant post-secondary educational qualification in a Scientific discipline including, but not limited to Animal Health, Plant Health, Food Science or Agriculture.

 

Operational Requirements:

• Working hours are 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Must be willing to travel within the Philippines and internationally; and 
• Must be available for occasional duties 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:

• Meet the employer’s medical requirements by undergoing a medical evaluation by a physician.

 

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-MANIL@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 the Philippines 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-MANIL@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 the Philippines 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.