Program Specialist (Program Admin Officer 3)

Competition # :   47749

Department :   Service Nova Scotia

Location :   HALIFAX

Type of Employment :   Term

Union Status :   NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date :   ​30-Jan-26 ​ (Applications are accepted until 11 : 59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

At Service Nova Scotia, we impact every citizen, business and municipality and business in Nova Scotia. Our mandate is to design and deliver programs and services to meet the needs of our clients and the public good through a culture of excellence.  Our vision is to be a recognized leader in service and public protection that delivers trusted, accessible, modern programs, and contributes to Nova Scotia as a safe and desirable place to live, work and do business.

About Our Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager of Vital Statistics , as the Program Specialist, you are responsible for working with and providing support concurrently for Vital Statistics teams, citizens, and multiple stakeholders.  You will develop and support effective, efficient processes to support program and service delivery outcomes across various channels.   This includes administering the mediation of complaints in accordance with departmental policies and government legislation, as well as planning, developing, evaluating, and promoting new initiatives.

Primary Accountabilities

In addition to the above, as the Program Specialist, you are responsible for :

• Developing clear and concise communications to all impacted internal and external stakeholders.
• Evaluate service delivery metrics (including technical, financial, operational, etc.) and provide accurate information in a timely manner to support leadership teams in decision making.
• Conducting training needs assessments to identify gaps.
• Developing and implementing training plans to be delivered to new and existing staff as well as stakeholders.
• Delivering training program content, or where appropriate, training the appropriate internal trainer to deliver program content.
• Analyzing and providing program recommendations through reports and advice to management and developing program plans, updating program(s) and providing program evaluation.
• Managing day-to-day relationships with clients, contract service providers, and team, while working within an established contract management plan.
• Providing specialized expertise in the administration, management, and delivery of government programs.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in addition to a minimum of 5 years of related experience in areas such as Training Development and Delivery or Program Delivery or an equivalent combination of training and experience.  You think analytically, conceptually, and innovate while developing practical solutions for service delivery.  You develop and use tools to analyze, measure, and improve business processes.  The successful applicant will have proficient written, verbal, listening, and communication skills.  You demonstrate sound judgement in assessing options and impacts, allowing you to provide solid advice to management.  You are self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as in teams and possess a high degree of initiative and objectivity.  You can manage and prioritize multiple initiatives to ensure they are completed on schedule.  You have experience creating process documentation.

You also must have the following skills or work experience :

The following will be considered assets :

Equivalency

An equivalent combination of training, education, and experience will be considered. 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 .

Additional Information

This competition is being leveraged to fill a term, full-time position based in Halifax with a projected end date of November 17, 2027.

What We Offer

Pay Grade :   PR 13

Salary Range :   $2,750.62 - $3,343.61 Bi-Weekly

Note : The salary rates shown reflect the new Civil Service Agreement, effective April 1, 2025. Implementation in our HR system will occur on February 5, 2026.  Until then, the current rates will apply.  Employees hired during this period will receive retroactive pay adjustments in accordance with the new agreement and applicable policies.

Employment Equity Statement :

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve.  The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented.  If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement :

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at competitions@novascotia.ca.

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link :

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE : Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to  Competitions@novascotia.ca.