Strategic Planner, Learning & Engagement

Role Responsibilities

Do you believe a strong, engaged public service is essential for the province? Do you celebrate when your briefing note gets a decision? If you’re someone who enjoys turning complex ideas into clear, well‑written advice, this role may be right up your alley.

As a Strategic Planner, your work will focus on analysis, coordination, and writing. You’ll support APS learning and engagement priorities by helping leaders make decisions. The work can move quickly, timelines are often fixed, and priorities can shift. But the focus is always on producing thoughtful, high‑quality written products that help move organizational learning and engagement initiatives forward. The emphasis is on clear thinking, strong writing, and understanding what information decision‑makers need in order to act. 

What you will do:

• Prepare clear, well‑structured briefings and slide decks that support senior leaders in making timely decisions. 
• Coordinate strategic projects by gathering input, developing work plans, tracking milestones, and supporting governance and approval processes. 
• Identify sensitivities, implementation considerations, or potential risks and provide practical recommendations to support next steps. 
• Research and analyze information to understand emerging issues, trends, and practices to inform organizational strategies. 
• Work with stakeholders across departments to understand perspectives, clarify objectives, and ensure materials reflect shared priorities. 
• Adjust analysis and written materials as priorities or direction evolve, while maintaining quality and fixed timelines. 

To be successful in this role, you need to: 

• Think strategically: You understand the broader public service context and can anticipate what information decision‑makers need to move work forward. 
• Write clearly and precisely: You’re comfortable producing concise, well‑organized written materials that turn complex information into practical advice. 
• Apply sound judgment: You work confidently within established direction and know when to flag risks, sensitivities, or issues that may need escalation. 
• Manage competing priorities: You can juggle multiple deliverables with fixed timelines and stay focused when direction shifts. 
• Engage stakeholders thoughtfully: You listen carefully, understand different perspectives, and incorporate input in a way that supports shared outcomes. 
• Work collaboratively: You contribute to a respectful, supportive team environment and value the role good coordination and communication play in getting work done. 

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position. 

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

• Agility: Prioritizes and manages competing priorities. 
• Drive for Results: Achieves results on priorities despite ambiguity in process, evolving challenges, and tight timelines.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Works in a proactive, collaborative and integrated fashion to support ongoing initiatives. 
• Systems Thinking: Integrates different types of policies and client priorities to identify the correct solution to each problem. 

Qualifications

Your cover letter and resume will be used to assess your qualifications, including your written communication skills and your attention to detail. 

Ensure your cover letter meets all the following criteria: 

• Includes a professional salutation; 
• Identifies the relevant job opportunity (i.e. Strategic Planner); 
• Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errors; 
• Clearly identifies the number of years of experience you have working in a public sector organization (e.g. federal/provincial/municipal government, school board, hospital, etc.); and 
• Provides a clear and concise example of a time you led a project from start to finish, including how you incorporated strategic thinking into the approach. 

Ensure your resume meets all the following criteria: 

• Includes the starting and ending month & year of each role; 
• Is concise, without spelling/grammatical errors;
• Has a clear, consistent layout that demonstrates your attention to detail; and
• Provides information about each role using clear and concise bullet points. 

Applications without a cover letter and resume that meet all the above criteria will not be considered. 

Note: Prior to selecting a shortlist of candidates for interviews, applicants may be requested to submit a short-written assignment. 

Minimum recruitment standard: University graduation in Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Policy or a related field and 2 years of progressively responsible related experience. 

Equivalency: Related education or experience is considered based on: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Other requirements (i.e. “must haves” to be considered for the role): 

• Experience preparing clear, well‑structured written materials such as briefing notes, summaries, or options papers in a public sector or similar environment. 
• Familiarity with the Alberta Public Service’s departments and decision-making structures. 

Assets (i.e. “nice to haves”): 

• Experience analyzing and developing policies and/or strategies in the Alberta Public Service. 

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

To be considered for this competition, you application must include a well-written cover letter and resume. Carefully review the Qualifications section to see the specific requirements for the cover letter and resume that are unique to this role. 
 
This is a full-time permanent position working 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week, Monday through Friday. 

 
This competition may be used to fill future vacancies at the same or lower levels across the Government of Alberta.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a criminal records check (CRC). 

 
Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer: 

• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP). 
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information. 
• Professional learning and development. 
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool. 
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.