About the position
DutiesOperational Support Centre (OSC) Dispatchers are service-oriented communications professionals responsible for monitoring security systems, assessing incidents, coordinating operational responses, and supporting front-line personnel across the Parliamentary Precinct. Requiring professionalism, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm under pressure, OSC Dispatchers receive, evaluate, prioritize, and communicate critical information while maintaining situational awareness in a dynamic operational environment.
Shifts rotate 24/7, including days, nights, weekends, and statutory holidays.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Receive, assess, prioritize, and coordinate responses to routine and emergency calls for service.
• Gather, verify, document, and communicate critical information accurately and in a timely manner.
• Monitor security, access control, intrusion detection, video surveillance, alarm, and other operational systems.
• Dispatch, track, and support operational resources while maintaining situational awareness of ongoing incidents and activities.
• Assess threats, risks, and emerging situations to ensure appropriate notifications, escalations, and response coordination.
• Operate radio, telephone, emergency notification, dispatch, and other communications systems.
• Maintain accurate records using dispatch, incident reporting, records management, and database systems.
• Provide professional service and support to employees, visitors, operational partners, and members of the public in both official languages.
• Work collaboratively as part of an integrated protective posture to support the safety and security of Canada's Parliamentary Precinct.
YOU ARE A STRONG CANDIDATE IF YOU:
•Remain calm, professional, and focused during emergencies and rapidly evolving situations.
•Communicate clearly, confidently, and accurately under pressure.
•Demonstrate sound judgment when managing competing priorities and time-sensitive incidents.
•Are comfortable using multiple technologies and information sources simultaneously.
•Pay close attention to detail and understand the importance of accurate information.
•Adapt quickly to changing priorities and operational demands.
•Work effectively as part of a team while remaining accountable for your individual responsibilities.
•Demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and discretion when handling sensitive information.
•Are committed to continuous learning, personal development, and operational excellence.
•Understand that every call, alarm, incident, or request for service involves people who may be experiencing stress, uncertainty, or crisis.
•Are excited about the opportunity to support the safety and security of Canada's parliamentary institutions.
Work environmentThe Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) is responsible for all matters with respect to physical security throughout the parliamentary precinct and Parliament Hill. It delivers layered, intelligence-led protection in one of Canada’s most symbolic and complex environments. PPS is a trusted expert and leader in protective services, driven by purpose, agility and vigilance. With a united, engaged, and empowered workforce committed to the pursuit of excellence, our strength is in collaboration with partners through integrated and intelligence-led operations.
The Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) is a separate and distinct organization and is not subject to the Public Service Employment Act. The PPS has its own classification, compensation system and staffing regime. Persons appointed to the PPS continue to be part of the federal government.
What we offer:
• Paid Training
• Employer provided uniform
• Health, dental, and vision care insurance plans
• Public Service Pension Plan
• 35-hour standard work week
• Minimum 4 weeks of paid vacation annually
• Free on-site fitness facilities
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Centrally located in downtown Ottawa
• Proximity to O-Train’s Parliament Station and most
main OC Transpo and STO bus lines
• On-site presence is required
Intent of the process
The purpose of this recruitment and selection process is to establish a pool of qualified candidates for a term or indeterminate basis.
Positions to be filled
2
Important messages
Please visit the PPS web site under Careers > Opportunities or at https://pps.parl.ca/ for guides that will help you prepare your application and for an interview.
We encourage veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces to self-identify when applying to our job opportunities.
Please submit your applications through the GC Employment website. To submit your online application, you will first need to create an account on the GC Jobs website. Once your account is created, return to the job poster, and select the button "Apply Online" below.
Candidates who are unable to apply online must contact the person listed below prior to the closing date.
All communication (screening, assessments, invitations, results) with applicants will be done by e-mail. Ensure that the e-mail address provided is valid, always functional and accepts messages from unknown users.
It is your responsibility, as a candidate, to clearly demonstrate how you meet each qualification (education, experience, and assets) by answering the screening questions in the online application.
You must provide concrete specific examples to illustrate how you meet each criterion identified in the questions. Your answers must include where and how you obtained the required experience, as well as the period(s) in which you performed the functions of the position(s).
Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or missing information.
The STAR method outlined below may be used to help structure clear and detailed examples:
• S – Situation: Describe the context.
• T – Task: Outline the objective.
• A – Action: Explain what you did and how you did it.
• R – Result: Highlight the outcome of your actions.
Please note that all answers submitted must be original work. Plagiarism of any kind, including responses generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), is strictly prohibited, and will be verified. Use of AI may result in disqualification from the application process without notice.
Candidates are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.
Various assessment tools may be used to evaluate candidates during the selection process.
Depending on the number of applicants, volume management strategies may be used for the purpose of managing applications.
Candidates must meet the essential qualifications, including the linguistic requirement to be appointed to a position.
Relocation and travel expenses incurred during the recruitment and selection process are the applicant's responsibility.
Conditions of employment
Reliability Status security clearance - For PPS Enhanced Reliability Status (ERS):
All candidates must obtain both a Site Access Clearance and a PPS Enhanced Reliability Status.
To initiate the PPS security screening process, candidates will be required to complete a personal history questionnaire, a pre interview questionnaire, and undergo fingerprinting.
The security screening process involves a comprehensive background investigation to assess the candidate’s reliability, honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty to Canada and reliability as it relates to that loyalty. This security screening investigation includes, but is not limited to, a loyalty assessment, law enforcement verifications, financial verifications, internet inquiries, as well as personal and employment reference checks. Candidates will also be required to participate in a security screening interview, which will cover a range of topics needed to complete the security screening assessment.
Candidates should be aware that participation in, or completion of, the recruitment process does not guarantee eligibility for a PPS security screening. Security screening is conducted as a separate process, and the outcome may be influenced by several factors, including the length of time an individual has resided in Canada and the resulting ability to verify required background information. Interactions with law enforcement, credit history, personal associations, and other relevant security considerations may also affect a candidate’s eligibility to be granted the required security screening level and may influence the time needed to complete the security screening process.
Candidates who do not meet the security screening requirements will not be granted the required security screening level and will therefore be removed from the hiring process as it is a condition of employment.
Learn more about security screening process.
Operational Requirements
Ability to work rotational shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, and statutory holidays.
Ability and willingness to work in an environment or situation involving firearms.
Ability and willingness to testify in a court of law if required.
Ability and willingness to work overtime or on short notice to meet operational requirements.
Ability to remain focused and effective while monitoring multiple systems and information sources simultaneously.
Ability to work for extended periods in an operational environment using multiple computer screens, telecommunications systems, and a headset.
Ability to be exposed to stressful, emotionally charged, traumatic, violent, or rapidly evolving incidents.
Ability to meet minimum keyboarding and data-entry proficiency standards established for the position.
Successful completion of the PPS Operational Support Centre Recruit Program and required certifications.
Ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance prior to employment start date.
Ability to successfully complete all pre-requisite evaluations, including testing, interviews, and reference checks.
Ability to successfully complete medical assessments related to operational requirements, including hearing and colour vision standards.
You need (essential for the job)
Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following
ESSENTIAL EDUCATION:
Post-secondary education or an acceptable combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
*Be prepared to provide the original or a certified true copy of your educational credentials if applicable.
Learn more about degree equivalency.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCES:
E1 – Recent* and significant** experience providing client service, operational support, or information services in a high-volume, fast-paced, and/or high-stress environment while maintaining professionalism and composure.
E2 – Recent* and significant** experience assessing, prioritizing, and responding to competing demands, changing priorities, or time-sensitive situations while exercising sound judgment and adhering to established procedures, protocols, policies, or guidelines.
E3 – Recent* experience gathering, verifying, documenting, and communicating information accurately and in a timely manner to support operational decision-making and service delivery.
E4 – Recent* experience communicating and coordinating with multiple stakeholders simultaneously, while relaying accurate information through various communication methods (e.g., telephone, radio, in-person, electronic communication systems).
E5 – Recent* experience using multiple computer applications, databases, communication systems, or other technologies simultaneously to access, monitor, enter, update, or retrieve information.
DEFINITIONS:
*Recent means within the past five (5) years.
**Significant is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with having performed a broad range of complex activities related to this task, which are acquired on a full-time basis over a 1-year (12months) period.
Applied / assessed at a later date
CORE COMPETENCIES:
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Judgment and decision-making
• Adaptability and resilience
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Integrity and professionalism
• Situational awareness
• Information management and multitasking
• Service orientation and accountability
You may need (asset qualifications)
May be applied / assessed at a later date
ASSET EDUCATION:
AED1 - Diploma, certificate, or post-secondary education in a field related to public safety, security, emergency response, communications, operations, administration, or another relevant discipline.
Learn more about degree equivalency.
ASSET EXPERIENCES:
AE1 – Experience working in a security, public safety, protective services, emergency management, law enforcement, military, corrections, government operations, or similar operational environment.
AE2 – Experience working in a dispatch centre, communications centre, operations centre, command centre, monitoring centre, control room, service desk, or similar environment requiring real-time information management and coordination.
AE3 – Experience coordinating resources, personnel, services, or responses during operational, emergency, or time-sensitive incidents.
AE4 – Experience using Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), incident management systems, security management systems, or similar operational technologies.
AE5 – Experience handling sensitive, confidential, protected, or restricted information while demonstrating integrity, discretion, professionalism, and adherence to established policies, procedures, or legislative requirements.