Public Affairs Advisor and Communications Manager

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 experts to join our teams in cities across Canada.

By administering tax and benefit programs, and ensuring compliance on behalf of governments across Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency (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 as we deliver historic economic measures and maintain vital government programs.

Within our dynamic and supportive team environment, you will:

• Prepare communications strategies, marketing plans, and operational plans on complex, many of them high-profile, issues involving multi-branch and multi-departmental players;
• Provide strategic communications advice to senior managers (Directors, Directors General, Assistant Commissioners, and the Commissioner) and program partners on recommended courses of action and on the development and implementation of communications strategies and plans, including internal communications;
• Write communications products and manage the development, design, composition, production and publication of communications products;
• Plan for and coordinate the delivery of services to support the development of communications projects (i.e. strategic communications, issues management, linguistic services, publishing, media monitoring, research and evaluation);
• Write products to brief senior management;
• For positions outside the National Capital region, manage relationships with local and regional media, respond to media enquiries, and serve as the official spokesperson on behalf of the Agency. In addition, provide support in issues management and event organization.

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.

Who can apply

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 staffing 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 staffing 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 managing client/partner relationships to a successful outcome; AND
2. Experience* in leading projects with the support of junior team members; AND
3. Experience* in providing strategic communications advice on complex issues to senior management (Directors, Directors General, Assistant Commissioners, and the Commissioner), including on issues pertaining to internal communications; AND
4. Experience* in writing a variety of communications products, including at least five of the following: 

• Communications plans, marketing plans, or strategic engagement plans
• News releases
• Media lines or responses to media
• Backgrounders or factsheet (additional information provided to media)
• Issue sheets (i.e. briefing documents) for management
• Frequently asked questions
• Talking points or speeches for executives or spokespeople
• Messages for large audiences (generally larger than 50 people)
• Articles for print or Web/intranet publication
• Advertising copy/infographics
• Corporate internal communications
• Outreach products for public
• Social media content
• Blog posts
• Parliamentary products including Question Period Responses (QPRs), briefing notes, or parliamentary questions
• Other relevant communications 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 requirement

It would be an advantage to have:

• 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.

The essential staffing requirements indicated below will be assessed and may be used to identify candidates for positions. 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 strategic communication plans and communication products
• Ability to identify issues and provide comprehensive strategic advice to senior management
• Ability to synthesize complex information gathered from various sources
• Ability to effectively communicate orally
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing

Results from locally developed assessment tools are not portable to other staffing processes.

Additional staffing requirements

• Additional education or training
• Budgetary considerations
• Duration of appointment
• Start date
• Minimize business disruption
• Employment Equity

Conditions of employment

• Reliability Status or Secret
• Willing to work overtime
• Willing to travel

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 55512844.

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