Office Manager, Executive Office of the Judiciary

About Us

The Nova Scotia Courts consist of the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court (General and Family Divisions), and the Provincial Court, each led by a Chief Justice or Chief Judge and Associate Chiefs. The Judiciary provides impartial adjudication of disputes between individuals, between the state and the individual, and between different levels of government within the state. 

The Office Manager is part of the Executive Office of the Nova Scotia Judiciary. This office is an independent body that provides planning, policy, research and communications support for the Council of Nova Scotia Chiefs and the almost 100 Judges of the Nova Scotia Courts. The Executive Office staff members represent the Judiciary when working with other justice system organizations across the province and Canada on initiatives aimed at improving access to and the administration of justice.

About Our Opportunity

As Office Manager, you will provide direct support to the Director of Operations in the Executive Office and coverage for the Judiciary’s Director of Communications when they are out of the office, as well as administrative support to the Council of Nova Scotia Chiefs and the All Courts judicial committees, as needed.

The Office Manager works under minimal direction and must have a very good knowledge of office practices and procedures, provincial procurement and financial processes, and a comprehensive knowledge of court and judicial functions. This position performs a wide range of complex secretarial and administrative support duties of a responsible and confidential nature, which requires the utmost discretion and professionalism. This position may have supervisory responsibility and/or perform specialized work.

Primary Accountabilities

•    Serves as the Executive Office’s main point of contact for the public.
•    Independently monitors, reviews, and responds to inquiries sent to the general email accounts of the Executive Office and the Courts’ publication ban notification system.
•    Generates, edits, and distributes daily Provincial Court and Supreme Court Chambers dockets to media, lawyers, and other subscribers; maintains the individual email subscriptions lists for each group.
•    Provides direct support to the Director of Operations in the Executive Office. 
•    Provides coverage for the Director of Communications for basic media inquiries (i.e., copies of court documents, remote access to court proceedings).
•    Develops, maintains, and updates various databases and Executive Office records to ensure easy and reliable access to information.
•    Acts as Scribe for several All Courts judicial committees, taking minutes, and tracking action items.
•    Coordinates and procures office furniture and oversees renovation requests for Judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.
•    Provides support to the Supreme Court Rules Committee to present and incorporate amendments to the Civil Procedure Rules, related court forms, and practice memoranda.

May perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

To be considered for this opportunity, you must have completed a one-year course in an administrative or related area, and have several years of progressively more responsible experience, preferably including experience with senior level administrative duties. An equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered.  

To be successful in this role, you must be a self-starter with a keen attention to detail and understand the importance of respecting confidentiality as you manage sensitive files. In addition, you must collaborate effectively and build trusted relationships with various stakeholders to achieve goals and objectives. You must also possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

The Office Manager must be highly proficient in software programs and databases, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Sharepoint, and Teams) and have a working knowledge of provincial government systems, including S4 HANA, ESS, Spend Dynamics, Ariba and FlexTrack. You will also be expected to have a solid understanding of provincial procurement policies, budget forecasting, and procedures for processing financial transactions, including paying invoices, preparing cheque requisitions, journal vouchers, and other related financial documents.

Experience working with the public, students and/or members of the media, experience working in the justice system or the Courts, and project management skills are all considered assets in this position.

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, 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

Work is conducted in a comfortable office environment where there is opportunity to move around. This position involves considerable pressure from deadlines, and there is an important requirement for accuracy. Disruptions may sometimes occur.

What We Offer

•    Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career. 
•    An engaged workplace where we foster respect and recognition.
•    Countless career paths.