Communications Officer

For a description of key terms used on CRA job notices, go to Definitions for job seekers.

We're looking for talented and creative communications specialists to join our teams in cities across Canada. By administering tax and benefit programs, and ensuring compliance on behalf of governments across Canada, the CRA contributes directly to the ongoing economic and social well-being of Canadians.

Working for the CRA gives you the chance to positively impact the lives of Canadians while learning from your team as we deliver historic economic measures and maintain vital government programs.

Within our dynamic and supportive team environment, you will:

• Prepare communications plans, marketing plans, or stakeholder engagement plans;
• Provide colleagues and management with communications advice, and make recommendations on the development and use of regional or national communications/marketing/engagement strategies.
• Research, analyze and synthetize data to support development of communications products and plans.
• Write, edit and publish external and internal communications products and plans.
• Plan for and coordinate the delivery of services to support the development of communications projects (i.e., linguistic services, publishing, media monitoring, research and evaluation);
• For positions outside the National Capital region, provide support for or respond to general media enquiries.

Come work for the CRA, one of the Top 100 Employers in Canada!

This staffing process may be used to staff similar positions.

To view the complete work description please send a request via email at the address below.

Language requirements: English essential, Bilingual imperative BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC and CCC/CCC.

Persons living in Canada and Canadian citizens living abroad

AND eligible veterans and Canadian Forces members

AND individuals with preferred status who live or work within the general rule of minimum distance of the position(s) being staffed.

Preference for appointment will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, in that order.

If you are a candidate from the general public, you will have to pay for any travel expenses related to this staffing process, as well as any relocation costs if you are appointed from this process.

Qualified veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are appointed are not entitled to relocation costs from the CRA. They may, however, be entitled to a final relocation from the Department of National Defence.

Virtual reporting may be possible, if operational requirements permit. In the present COVID-19 environment, greater consideration will be given to this option.

You may be required to work from a city where we have a CRA office: Ottawa, ON; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Halifax, NS; Montreal, QC; Regina, SK; Saskatoon, SK; Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC; and Winnipeg, MB and across Canada.

We may give preference to the first 100 candidates who meet the requirements to apply. Additional candidates may be considered as needed. If you are considered further, we will notify you in writing of the next step in this staffing process.

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements.

Education

Have a degree from a recognized postsecondary institution

OR

at the board's discretion, an acceptable combination of education, training, and/or experience may serve as an alternative to a degree from a recognized postsecondary institution.

You must upload your education credentials in the education section of your candidate profile and submit all required documents by the closing date and time of this poster. Failure to do so can result in your application not being considered further.

Experience

1. Experience* in providing strategic communications advice to clients and management.
2. Experience* in researching, analyzing and synthetizing data to support the development of communications products and plans.
3. Experience* in writing a variety of external and internal communications products, including at least five of the following:

• Communications, marketing or stakeholder engagement plans
• News releases
• Media lines or responses to media
• Backgrounders or factsheet (additional information provided to media)
• Frequently asked questions
• Talking points, presentations, or speech for senior management
• Messages for large audiences (generally larger than 50 people)
• Articles for print, Web, or internal publication
• Advertising copy or infographics
• Social media content
• Blog posts
• Consultation or stakeholder engagement materials (like invitations, questionnaires, discussion guides)
• Internal communications materials (such as all-staff emails, intranet content, newsletters)
• Other relevant communication products

*Experience is normally associated with the performance of these functions as part of the major job duties accomplished for a period of not less than 12 cumulative months within the last 5 years.

Asset staffing requirements

It would be an advantage if you had:

• A degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a related field such as communications, public relations or public administration, journalism, translation, marketing, English, or French.
• Training in consultation or stakeholder engagement such as certificates from the International Association of Public Participation.
• Experience in consultation or stakeholder engagement.

Note: It is not required to submit any additional documents to the staffing board. The only documents required are listed in this opportunity. Therefore, you not need to send us your curriculum vitae or a cover letter.

The essential staffing requirements indicated below will be assessed and may be used to identify candidates for positions. Asset staffing requirements may also be assessed during the staffing process and may be used to identify candidates for positions. You will be notified in advance of any asset requirements to be evaluated. We may ask you to complete a written exam, virtual interview, in-person interview, reference check, or other assessments.

Essentials

• Performance validation
• Second Language Evaluation
• Unsupervised Internet Test (UIT)*

*To be completed online. It will assess: Competencies, Cognitive ability (Numerical, Verbal, Logical), Drivers & Traits. We may limit the number of candidates to be considered further in this staffing process by using a top-down approach to select candidates with the best results achieved on the UIT.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the supporting policy tools
• Ability to develop communication plans and/or marketing plans, stakeholder engagement plans and communications products
• Ability to research, analyze and synthesize data from multiple sources in order to create content
• Ability to provide strategic advice to clients and management
• Ability to effectively communicate orally
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing

Conditions of employment

• Reliability Status or Secret
• Willing to work overtime (if needed for the position)
• Willing to travel (if needed for the position)
• Willing to relocate (if needed for the position)

We encourage you to read Important information on staffing at the CRA to find out more about staffing processes and how to apply.

The CRA is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. To find out more, consult Employment equity, diversity and inclusion at the CRA. We encourage you to complete the Employment Equity (EE) Staffing questionnaire as part of your application if you wish to be considered for staffing actions using the EE staffing requirement in this process. Your questionnaire response will be retained on file for the duration of the staffing process. If you do not complete the questionnaire, you will not be considered for any staffing actions using the EE staffing requirement in this process. If you decide to modify your response or fill out this questionnaire at a later date, please notify the contact listed at the bottom of this notice of job opportunity.

CRA employees support the economic and social well-being of Canadians, and build public trust. We have high expectations, and our employees are held to the standards of conduct outlined in our Code of integrity and professional conduct and Directive on conflict of interest, gifts and hospitality, and post-employment.

Information regarding the status of your application will be communicated via the candidate profile on the CRA Careers site. We strongly encourage you to verify the email address attached to your profile and to check your messages regularly for any updates.

Email address : HQSTAFFPABG@cra-arc.gc.ca

Please let us know you are contacting us about process 55661800.

Note: All documents required are listed in this opportunity. Therefore, you not need to send us your curriculum vitae or a cover letter.