Executive Assistant

About Us

The Legal Services Division of the Department of Justice is the government’s law office, responsible for the provision of all legal services (excluding prosecutions) to the Province of Nova Scotia. The lawyers in the Legal Services Division provide legal advice and services on a broad range of matters to the Government and many of its agencies, boards and commissions. The Legal Services Division consists of Solicitor Services, Litigation Services, Family Services and the Registry of Regulations. For more information on the Department of Justice Legal Services, please visit our website: https://novascotia.ca/just/Legal_Services/

About Our Opportunity

As the Executive Assistant, you perform a wide range of complex secretarial and administrative support duties within the Legal Services Division. You provide senior level administrative support, which includes completing complex administrative assignments, coordinating the work of less senior clerks, and communicating with Senior Management and staff of various departments. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position may have some supervisory responsibility.

Primary Accountabilities

• Provides secretarial and office duties for the Executive Director. This includes drafting complex correspondence, memos, and reports and communicating (on behalf of the Executive Director) with staff and Management within various divisions/departments.
• Manages and coordinates the day-to-day operations of the Executive Director’s office. This includes organizing and managing the Executive Director’s schedule, coordinating resources, reviewing priorities, and briefing the Executive Director in preparation for meetings.
• Serves as the main point of contact for a large volume of inquiries (including ministerial and public), while providing quality assurance of documents. This includes developing and administering systems for recording ministerial briefings. This also includes monitoring incoming/outgoing correspondence, determining and coordinating action items for follow-up, monitoring deadlines.
• Reviews and monitors the Executive Director’s mail, composes responses and/or initiatives requiring action, and researches, summarizes, and consolidates information into various databases, narrative reports and presentation forms (using spreadsheets, databases and graphics).
• Serves as the senior administrative support. This includes resolving administrative issues, as well as leading the support team in implementing administrative process improvement initiatives. This also includes monitoring forecast documents, as well as updating various databases to ensure easy and reliable access to information.
• Supervises, Mentors, and provides direction to junior clerical staff on administrative related corporate requirements and standard practices.
  

Qualifications and Experience

To be considered for this opportunity, you have completed a one-year course in a related area, and have several years of executive level administrative experience.

You are a self-motivated, resourceful, and proactive individual who works well autonomously, while collaborating in a team environment. You possess excellent interpersonal skills, and communication skills, both written and verbal. With a keen attention to detail, you are effective at managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and managing client inquiries. You possess sound judgement, and exercise discretion while being privy to a wide range of confidential information.

In addition, you have experience in calendar management including scheduling and organizing appointments. Proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint) is also critical. You have experience tracking, composing, and editing correspondence and have experience maintaining electronic files.

Experience working in a legal environment would be considered an asset.

Competencies required for this position include; Analytical Thinking, Adaptability and Flexibility, Attention to Detail, Client Orientation, Effective Interactive Communication, Initiative, and Intercultural and Diversity Proficiency.

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

Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day. May be required to work overtime on occasion.

Additional Information

This is a permanent full-time vacancy based in Halifax.

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
Department specific flexible working schedules, including Earned Days Off and Remote Work options