Communications & Correspondence Clerk

About Us

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) is leading the transformation of the early years and public education system in Nova Scotia. We are doing this by designing an innovative curriculum, facilitating excellence in teaching and learning, ensuring an inclusive education experience, and working closely with our partners in education and early childhood development. This will provide children, students, and families with a strong foundation for success. This department is a perfect fit for those that want to be part of the future of early learning and public education in the province by supporting student learning in a progressive and responsive policy environment.

About Our Opportunity

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is committed to listening to the local voice of communities to strengthen education policy and decision-making. The Communications and Correspondence Clerk is a key role in ensuring the flow of information between the department and communities across Nova Scotia. The Clerk is responsible for ensuring a responsive system of communication through timely replies to inquiries and correspondence received by the department. This position will work closely with subject matter experts across the department to ensure timely, accurate and informative responses.

Primary Accountabilities

The Clerk position is responsible/accountable for:

• Developing and maintaining a correspondence tracking system and setting and monitoring correspondence response service standards. Evaluating and monitoring the correspondence system and researching, developing and implementing new or revised processes and best practices as required.
• Ensuring that potential areas of concern are identified through the tracking and correspondence monitoring processes.
• Working with subject-matter experts on responses or for information to inform responses, and monitoring on a regular basis to ensure a timely responses is provided. 
• Maintaining a professional quality standard for correspondence issued by the department by writing responses that are accurate, contain required content, maintain consistent messaging, are presented in an appropriate format with correct grammar and sentence structure. 
• Reviewing responses and assisting departmental staff on required content for ministerial correspondence and coaching and mentoring staff throughout the department to maintain a consistent high quality and professional image of the department.
• Initiating draft correspondence and ensuring the responses are within the department’s policies, procedures and guidelines.  
• Screening and resolving many routine and public inquiries, organizing and scheduling meeting requests, and performing routine administrative duties.
• Handles information of a sensitive nature and ensures respect for confidentiality.

Qualifications and Experience

As the successful candidate, you have strong organizational skills, the ability to be flexible and handle multiple deadlines. You possess strong writing skills, initiative, good judgment, interpersonal and leadership skills. You work well independently with minimum supervision, as well as contribute to a team environment. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are mandatory to enable preparation of correspondence and responses to inquiries. Strong attention to detail and proof-reading skills are necessary.

You also have proficiency in computer applications such as MS Office (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and filing/retrieval systems. You have experience in composing letters, reports, and briefing notes along with experience analyzing, reviewing, tracking and monitoring correspondence for trends and/or areas of concern. 

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

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

• Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day.
• Typically located in a comfortable office environment.
• Much of the time is spent in a comfortable position with frequent opportunity to move about.
• Regularly reads and interprets multiple sources of information, regular requirement to type, read and work on a computer.
• May experience pressure with deadlines and need for accuracy.
• Will regularly work on sensitive and confidential issues.

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
• Countless career paths for Nova Scotians