About the position
DutiesThe Program Advisor, Operational Drills and Exercises is responsible for leading the development, conduct, and evaluation of dynamic (operations-based) exercises and drills that test and validate the readiness of the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) and its interoperability with partners.
• Design and lead complex, realistic operational drills and exercises, including live-force and force-on-force activities, grounded in realistic and credible threat information and aligned with the organizational exercise and evaluation program framework.
• Manage all phases of exercise delivery, including scenario design, planning conferences, operational coordination, safety oversight, logistics, exercise execution, debriefing, and after-action reporting.
• Apply structured project management methodologies, including the development of work breakdown structures, milestones, and timelines for all drill and exercise activities.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary and interagency teams, including exercise control cells, safety officers, role-players, adversary controllers, and technical support, ensuring operational cohesion and safe conduct throughout.
• Operate and manage tactical simulation systems and associated AAR tools, to enable data capture and performance analysis.
• Deliver exercise briefings and debriefings to various internal and external partners, including law enforcement and first responders.
• Develop and implement annual exercise plans, including performance testing schedules and evaluation methodologies.
• Provide subject-matter expertise on physical protection systems, operational readiness, critical incident response, and law enforcement integration during exercise planning and execution.
• Support internal operational performance assessments, offering operational insight into strengths, vulnerabilities, and improvement opportunities in protective and response capabilities.
Work environment
The Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) is a separate and distinct organization not subject to the Public Service Employment Act. It has its own classification, compensation system, and staffing regime. Persons appointed to PPS continue to be part of the federal government and will receive the public service pension plan and public service insurance benefits plan.
What we offer:
• Paid Training
• Public service health, dental, and vision care insurance plans
• Public Service Pension Plan
• 35-hour standard work week
• Minimum 4 weeks of paid vacation
• Free on-site fitness facilities
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Flexible work schedules (minimum 2 days in the office per week)
• While this position is eligible for part-time telework, regular on-site presence is required
• Centrally located in downtown Ottawa
• Proximity to O-Train Parliament Station and most of all main OC Transpo and STO bus lines
Intent of the process
The purpose of this recruitment and selection process is to staff one (1) position on an indeterminate baisis and to establish a pool of qualified and/or partially qualified candidates for anticipatory needs of various tenures.
The pool may also be used in the future to staff similar positions within the PPS.
Positions to be filled
1
Important messages
Please visit 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.
We will only accept online applications received 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 Talent Management 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 (or cover letters) submitted must be original work. Plagiarism of any kind, including responses generated by AI, is strictly prohibited, and may result in disqualification from the application process.
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
For PPS Enhanced Reliability Status (ERS) with Top Secret clearance:
All candidates must obtain both a Site Access Clearance and a PPS Enhanced Reliability Status with Top Secret clearance. 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 relevant to assessing their overall reliability, honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty to Canada and reliability as it relates to that loyalty.
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.
You need (essential for the job)
Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following
EDUCATION:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution* in a field related to the position or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.
*The educational program must be from an accredited learning institution recognized in Canada. If you completed a program outside of Canada, you will be required to obtain proof of a Canadian equivalency at your expense from an accredited learning institution recognized in Canada.
Learn more about degree equivalency.
EXPERIENCE (S):
E1 - Significant* experience leading complex, dynamic security exercises and drills in law enforcement, military, or security operations environments.
E2 - Experience with command-and-control structures, adversary pathway analysis, and performance validation frameworks.
E3 - Significant* experience in coordinating and leading multidisciplinary teams in high-pressure environments, including safety officers, planners, responders, and technical specialists.
E4 - Significant* experience in preparing and delivering briefings to operational audiences.
E5 - Experience report-writing with the ability to evaluate operational performance and identify improvement measures.
*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 five (5) years.
Applied / assessed at a later date
KNOWLEDGE:
K1 - Knowledge of legislation, regulations, policies and practices related to security, policing, and emergency management including Firearms safety and use-of-force protocols.
K2 - Knowledge of discussion-based and/or operations-based drill and exercise design methodology, evaluation after-action review tools as well as root cause analysis.
K3 - Knowledge of operational security and physical protection principles/systems (physical, technical, and operational security), including deterrence, detection, delay, and response as applied in security and protection environments.
K4 - Knowledge of force on force, safety and risk mitigation practices specific to dynamic operational exercises involving simulation systems, armed personnel, role-players, and multi-agency response teams.
COMPETENCIES:
C1 - Teamwork and Collaboration
C2 - Thinking Skills
C3 - Communication
C4 - Leadership
C5 - Client Service Orientation
OTHER COMPETENCIES:
C6 -Time Management
C7 - Facilitation
C8 - Integrity
C9 - Accountability
C10 - Professionalism
You may need (asset qualifications)
May be applied / assessed at a later date
ASSET EXPERIENCE:
AE1 - Experience in firearms safety, with demonstrated application in dynamic training or exercise environments.
AE2 - Experience in force-on-force simulation management, including coordination of live role-players, application of safety protocols, and oversight of engagement rules.
AE3 - Experience developing and implementing threat aligned scenarios or adversary-based testing activities within a security, law enforcement, or military context.
AE4 - Experience within a security environment, such as parliamentary precincts, diplomatic facilities, military operations, law enforcement agencies, or critical infrastructure protection.
AE5 - Experience in project management, exercise control, or tactical operations.
AE6 - Experience with force-on-force simulation tools and after-action systems, particularly Tactical Engagement Simulation Systems or similar.
ASSET KNOWLEDGE:
AK1 - Knowledge of physical security, firearms safety protocols (including semination, simulation, or FX-based scenarios), operational planning, and interagency response coordination.