Senior Business Officer, Aerospace and Defence Portfolio

Important messages

About the Position:
The aerospace and defence industry in Alberta is growing exponentially. Come help companies grow to meet the demand! The Aerospace and Defence Team at Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) in Alberta is looking for the right person to help build these sectors across the province. Your role will include helping connect Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with large defence contractors, participating in related conferences and events in Alberta and Canada, touring facilities and arranging tours, as well as developing and administering project funding to help build the ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs in these sectors.

This unique position will require strong relationship building skills and the ability to interact and connect with large corporations, SMEs, various levels of government, post-secondary institution staff and researchers, and military personnel. The goal of the position will be to increase the amount of defence/security and aerospace funding coming to Alberta from Canadian and international government and industry sources. The ideal candidate for this role will be a self-starter and team player who takes initiative and is able to build strong relationships with business owners, researchers, investors and government employees at all levels. You are also interested in helping businesses grow and be part of Canada’s defence strategy by supporting Canada’s defence procurement process.

PrairiesCan has implemented a hybrid work program with three days in the office per week and up to two days of remote work per week. The successful candidate will report to the PrairiesCan office in Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta. If you are appointed to a position, PrairiesCan will provide tools and/or equipment to support in person and remote work accordingly.

Our PrairiesCan offices are open environments with well-regulated air quality, ergonomic sit/stand workstations, and a combination of natural and fluorescent lighting. 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 process, please contact Carolyn Veitch by email at carolyn.veitch@prairiescan.gc.ca. Information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Work environment

Have you ever wondered why Prairies Economic Development Canada consistently ranks among the top federal departments to work for? Join our team to find out! We hire top talent and provide an employment experience that brings out the best in people. We are motivated by achieving great results for Canadians.

PrairiesCan is the regional development agency of the Government of Canada with the mandate to support diversification of the economy across the Canadian Prairies. PrairiesCan strives to build a strong, competitive Canadian economy by supporting business, innovation and community economic development unique to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Why Choose PrairiesCan:

• Work with amazing people
• Do meaningful work that makes a difference to the country
• Enjoy flexible work arrangements

Intent of the process

This process will be used to staff a two-year term position (September 2025 to September 2027) with the possibility of extension. A pool of qualified candidates may be created and may be used to staff future vacancies (with various tenures, locations, linguistic and security requirements subject to the position be staffed).

The successful candidate must be available and willing to work a minimum of 3 days per week in the office in the Calgary or Edmonton PrairiesCan office location per the Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION:
• Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in Commerce, Business, Economics, Public Administration or in a field relevant to the duties of the position.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:
• Experience assessing or preparing project proposals or financial claims for government funding.
• Experience developing and maintaining active working relationships with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. industry, other government departments, post-secondary institutions, provincial governments) to advance economic development initiatives or projects that build business capacity.
• Experience analyzing complex* economic development programs or issues, including preparing briefing materials and providing strategic advice to senior management.
• Experience preparing presentations and presenting to groups virtually and in person.

*Complex* is defined as ambiguous, poorly defined, and require input, expertise, and analysis from multiple sectors, organizations, or disciplines.

KNOWLEDGE:
• Of PrairiesCan (and other federal, provincial, regional or municipal) economic programs and policies to support economic development and diversification in the Prairie provinces.
• Of key factors influencing the Canadian economy, current economic and business trends, opportunities and/or challenges in Alberta.
• Basic understanding of Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy.

COMPETENCIES:
• Showing initiative and being action-oriented
• Working effectively with others
• Thinking things through (judgement, strategic thinking and analysis)
• Demonstrating integrity and respect
• Effective oral and written communication

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:
• Experience working with the aerospace sector, defence sector or Industrial and Technological Benefits in a regional economic development environment.
• Experience in program delivery or grants and contributions management.

• Knowledge of defence operations and requirements such as end-user needs, procurement priorities, and capability gaps.
• Familiarity with military procurement processes including timelines, risk tolerances, and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of defence and aerospace supply chains, emerging technologies, industry partnership or investment opportunities.
• Knowledge of MS 365 suite of applications, such as PowerPoint and Excel (or equivalent).

• Ability to create visually appealing promotional materials and presentations.
• Depth, breadth and scope of experience in any one or combination of the essential or asset qualifications.

Operational Requirements:
• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally
• Willingness and ability to work overtime occasionally and/or on short notice
• Ability and willingness to report to a PrairiesCan office a minimum of 3 days per week per the guidance on prescribed presence

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Organizational needs:
• In support of achieving an equitable, diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of the population we serve, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, members of a visible minority community and women.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment:
• Reliability security clearance
• Mobility normally associated with a Driver’s License

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

When answering the screening questions ensure that you provide complete and thorough details of your experience. Do not assume that the screening board has any previous knowledge of your background, qualifications, or work history. You must be specific and provide concrete examples and related details for each experience element, as applications will be screened only on the information provided. Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being screened out of the recruitment process.

We will communicate with candidates by email. Candidates who apply must include a valid email address in their application, making sure the email address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Depending on the number of applicants and/or Human Resources plans, volume management strategies (such as random selection, top-down selection and/or establishing cut-off scores) may be used to determine who will continue in the staffing process.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Contact information

Apply online