The Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) is both the bargaining agent and the professional association for Canadian Foreign Service Officers, representing 2,001 active and retired Foreign Service employees. PAFSO is looking for a proactive and autonomous individual to provide a wide range of labour relations services, including training, mentoring and providing guidance to PAFSO Labour Relations team as well as supporting and providing guidance to PAFSO members, PAFSO management and the PAFSO Executive Committee.
Benefits
- Full-time, permanent position
- Salary: $139,889 per year
- Group Benefits (Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Disability Insurance)
- 4 weeks annual vacation and other generous paid leave
- Hybrid working environment
Key Responsibilities
- Provide training and mentoring to new Labour Relations Advisor (LRA) and serve as a resource for the PAFSO Labour Relations team.
- Distribute incoming labour relations related emails of members to the PAFSO Labour relations team and keep records of trends and issues.
- Provide technical advice and support to the Labour Relations Advisor team and chair the PAFSO weekly Labour Relations team meetings.
- Review cases and provide guidance in situations where a PAFSO LRA intends to inform a PAFSO member that they do not intend to move forward with a case or intend to withdraw representation.
- Monitor the PAFSO Labour Relations team workload and report any service gaps or capacity issues to PAFSO management.
- Provide labour relations related recommendations to PAFSO management, as needed.
- Monitor significant federal public sector labour relations issues and trends and communicate concerns and advice to PAFSO management.
- Represent PAFSO, within the context of NJC working committee and/or joint-union-management consultation committee meetings, when assigned to do so.
- Represent and advocate the interests of PAFSO at employer/union, departmental labour/management, multi-bargaining agent and other stakeholder forums.
- Develop policies or national positions in anticipation of evolving labour relations issues and propose solutions that address the impact of emerging trends.
- When assigned by the General Manager, carry out the representation of complex or relations team either lacks the capacity or the ability to do so.
- When assigned by the General Manager, act as negotiator, chief spokesperson and chair of PAFSO’s bargaining committee and represent PAFSO in third party dispute resolution processes such as arbitration, mediation and conciliation, under the federal public sector labour legislations. precedent-setting cases.
Qualifications
- Post-secondary graduate in labour relations, political science, social sciences, law, legislative studies or a related discipline, or equivalent education, training, and experience relative to the requirements of the position.
- A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in grievance or adjudication processes, or equivalent relevant experience.
- A minimum eight (8) years’ experience negotiating collective agreements in the public and/or private sector including comprehensive knowledge of the process and practice of collective bargaining, negotiating techniques, contract language development and group dynamics.
- Knowledge of the political and operational structures of the PAFSO and the broader labour movement as well as commitment to union principles and social justice values.
- Ability to analyze, apply, explain, and interpret collective agreements, employment legislation and employer policies and directives.
- Ability to design education materials and facilitate courses according to the principles and practices of popular education.
- Ability to inspire, motivate, and organize groups to achieve collective goals and objectives.
- Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English and French (as designated by the position) with workers in a variety of occupations and backgrounds.
- Ability to maintain a network of contacts at the federal and other levels to advance PAFSO’s labour relations interests
Assets
- Experience working with labour unions or on labour relations issues.
- Experience as a Foreign Service Officer, or in a foreign service environment.
Language Requirements
- Fluency in both official languages (French and English)is required.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV with a cover letter highlighting why you are a good fit for this position to [email protected] by 4:00 p.m., June 20, 2025.
Other Important Information
PAFSO is committed to building an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought – and of people – are recognized, valued, and considered essential to achieving our goals and objectives. We are making concerted efforts to foster a workforce that is representative of our diverse membership. We encourage applications for this opportunity from Indigenous Peoples, women, people living with disabilities, persons of all races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions.
We are committed to providing an inclusive, psychologically safe, harassment-free, and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of this process, please contact us at [email protected] to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Reference and background checks may be performed before an offer is made.
We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $139,889.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Ottawa, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ottawa, ON
Application deadline: 2025-06-20
Expected start date: 2025-07-07
