Director, Strategy & Operations

Competition # : 31416

Department: Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: Exclusion – Non Union – NSPG

Closing Date: 7/5/2021 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

Valuing Diversity

We value a workplace where diversity, in all its forms, is encouraged and recognized for its contribution to a more creative, rewarding, and productive public service to our broader community.

Valuing diversity challenges us not only to be a public service that reflects the community we serve but also to create a more respectful and productive public service and to be a model for other employers in Nova Scotia.

We encourage applications from those that equally value diversity.

About Us

Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services (SNSIS) has a team of 1700+ employees working from offices throughout Nova Scotia. Together, we build relationships with every citizen, business, and municipality in Nova Scotia by understanding evolving client needs and balancing these needs with the public good. SNSIS provides client-focused services directly and enables other Departments to deliver programs and services quickly and easily. SNSIS carries out broad legislative mandates, being responsible for the administration and enforcement of a wide array of legislation and regulations.

Service excellence is at the heart of everything we do. As part of our core business, we provide a vast array of services to the citizens and businesses of Nova Scotia. We also provide the services, tools, and supports that enable other government departments and public sector entities to focus on providing quality services.

About Our Opportunity

As the Director of Strategy and Operations within the Government Services Branch, you are a seasoned professional who leads a multidisciplinary team of professionals focused on delivering provincial programs to support government business continuity management, physical security, printing and postal services. The Director provides senior level advice and recommendations regarding multi-function, cross-departmental programs and projects to support corporate initiatives and priorities.

You will work in a diverse and inclusive environment and you are accountable for the strategic direction, leadership and oversight that is required to implement comprehensive frameworks and solutions to meet the evolving requirements in these areas of specialization to the benefit of all government departments and agencies.

The Director is accountable to anticipate, innovate and implement corporate strategy, policy, planning, and processes across government departments and agencies.

As the first Director overseeing this collection of programs and services, you will identify, implement, and refine an organizational structure that positions these programs to effectively achieve goals, objectives, and directions.

The Director reports to the Executive Director of Government Services.

As Director, you will:
Take responsibility for fulfilling strategic objectives for the department by effectively leading a team of professionals and managers in the areas of business continuity and emergency response, physical security, and printing and postal services. Holds overall responsibility for designing, developing and delivering government’s overall strategy in these areas, while also leading multiple projects of strategic importance to the department, other departments, and government overall.

Take responsibility for developing and implementing government wide policies and an approach to strategic planning and operations for key mandates of the department.

Champion the further development and strengthening of services to support departments through cross government collaboration. Contribute to the development of inter-governmental frameworks and solutions to meet the province’s evolving security, business continuity and other goals. In addition, leads the strategic direction and operations of a Division and oversees the strategic growth.

Take responsibility for developing and delivering change management plans and achieving outcomes that support the departments and government’s overall strategy.

Lead a team of senior officials, on behalf of government, to coordinate an effective response to disruptive and emergency events, including severe weather, security threats and so on. Includes strong leadership and working directly with deputy ministers and senior officials and ensuring evidence-based decision making, in ambiguous circumstances.

Develop and maintain formal partnerships and collaborative relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders internal to government, other levels of government and other jurisdictions, capturing broader business and program interests. Key influencer to other senior staff, cross-functionally to ensure department/government goals are met and conflicts resolved in an effective manner.

Ensure the effective management of human and financial resources by setting and evaluating staff performance targets, promoting diversity and a healthy workplace, demonstrating leadership competencies, respecting corporate human resources practices, promoting teamwork and individual development, maintaining internal communications, monitoring expenditures while adhering to procurement guidelines.

Qualifications and Experience

First and foremost, you are a relationship builder who is ready to engage Senior Government Officials in a culture of corporate resilience through planning, preparedness and coordinated response to major events. In addition, you leverage relationships to understand short and long term needs across government in the areas of service within your span of accountability.

You possess a relevant post-secondary degree in a related field such as (public administration, business administration, etc.). Master’s in public administration would be an asset. You have a minimum of 5 years progressive management experience in a related field, or an equivalent combination of training and experience may be accepted.

The successful candidate will have proven leadership and management abilities and demonstrate a high level of confidence and competence. You must be well known for outstanding relationship and partnership building skills, solid communication, interpersonal, and diplomatic skills, along with strong problem solving and analytical skills, diversity, inclusion, and demonstrated ability to effectively manage competing priorities and demands. You bring experience in shaping a positive organizational climate and developing people and relationships to affect positive change is required. This position also requires experience in project management, financial management, and human resource management.

Experience in business continuity, emergency response, incident command systems and printing and postal services delivery is considered an asset.

For this role you also have:
Experience in working with a diverse group of leaders at the provincial, municipal, and federal levels of government and other jurisdictions,

Demonstrated experience in research, planning, project management, critical thinking, innovative solutions, and analysis is required as is an understanding of the value of true partnerships with stakeholders.

In this role, at times, you will be required to:
Direct and oversee multiple high-profile priorities simultaneously,

Provide leadership in emergency response to threats and disruptive events that require system wide coordinated response and activation of mitigation plans in order to continue delivering critical services,

Work unusual and long hours during Provincial Coordination Centre activations and emergency situations.

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

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

Leadership competencies required at this level of work include: Team Leadership, Analytical Thinking, Innovativeness, Adaptability and Flexibility, Initiative, Effective Interactive Communication, Partnering and Relationship Building, Intercultural and Diversity Proficiency.

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.

Mentorship through iNSpire; a new formal, interdepartmental mentorship program that connects employees so they can gain knowledge and experience to support their career development.

Countless Career Paths.

Department Specific Flexible working schedules.

Pay Grade: EC 13

Salary Range: $3,705.20 – $4,642.15 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement:
Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:

Current NS Government Employee Sign In

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to [email protected].