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POSITION DESCRIPTION
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
POSITION TITLE:
Senior Advisor
DIVISION:
(e.g., Division, Region, Department)
Associate Deputy Minister’s Office
UNIT:
(e.g., Branch, Area, District)
Crown Agencies Resource Office
APPROVED CLASSIFICATION
SUPERVISOR’S TITLE:
SUPERVISOR’S CLASSIFICATION:
Business Leadership
Executive Director
Strategic Leadership
POSITION
NUMBER(S):
LOCATION:
075529, 075530,
076695, 076696
VICTORIA
CLASS CODE
POSITION
NUMBER
PHONE NUMBER:
033584
PROGRAM
The Crown Agencies Resource Office (CARO) is a central agency within the Ministry of Finance that maintains and
oversees the implementation of the Crown Agency Accountability System (CAAS), the Cabinet-approved framework
for the management of British Columbia’s Crown agencies. CARO ensures that the roles, responsibilities, standards
and requirements of the system are well-defined, well-understood, and consistently and appropriately applied, and
provides the expertise, advice, information and support to Cabinet, Ministers Responsible, Ministries and Crown
corporations required to promote good governance, superior performance aligned with government’s priorities and
strategic direction, and accountability for results in respect of Crown corporations.
PURPOSE OF POSITION
Reporting to the Executive Director of CARO, the Senior Advisor provides strategic planning, performance management,
governance and policy advice, and supports senior government and Crown corporation officials in monitoring, evaluating
and achieving the business and life cycle requirements of Crown corporations. The Senior Advisor also provides
research, analysis, project and advisory support services to the Executive Director.
NATURE OF WORK AND POSITION LINKS
CARO has four Senior Advisors who are accountable for a range of sectoral and functional responsibilities. Each
Senior Advisor is assigned a portfolio of Crown corporations, but also supports other CARO team members in the
oversight of Crown corporation governance, planning and reporting requirements, implementation of cross-Crown
corporation policies and strategic initiatives, and the development and implementation of tools, processes and events for
educating, supporting and building the capacity of clients (Ministries responsible and Crown corporations). Each Senior
Advisor operates independently and as a part of the CARO team, with limited direction, and often under critical time
constraints.
The Senior Advisor is expected to have proficiency across a range of core knowledge, skills and abilities to
successfully fulfil his/her responsibilities. This includes assessment of service plans and annual service plan reports;
governance, performance management and accountability frameworks, processes and good practices; project and
process management; facilitation, consultation and relationship-building; and, legislative and policy analysis and
development.
The Senior Advisor works closely with a broad range of government and Crown agency staff and is expected to
possess excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing. The Senior Advisor supports and proactively liaises
with:
 CARO Executive Director and other Senior Advisors
 Ministry Executive and Staff
 Crown corporation Executive and Staff
 Executive and Staff of other Central Agencies: Board Resourcing and Development Office, Treasury Board Staff,
Public Sector Employers Council Secretariat, Office of the Comptroller General, Internal Audit.
Senior Advisor July 2013
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SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES / DELIVERABLES

Proactively provides strategic research, analysis, project/process management, and advisory services to the
Executive Director as well as advice, information and support to CARO clients in the areas of Crown corporation startup and dissolution, mandate reviews, governance, strategic planning, performance measurement and reporting,
business cycle requirements, and cross-Crown policies and projects. In particular:
o
Builds and maintains effective working relationships with government and Crown corporation Executive and
staff to ensure the Crown Agency Accountability System is implemented effectively, including the
integration and coordination of Crown governance oversight roles / responsibilities across government;
o
Leads development of government’s cross-Crown corporation direction in Government’s Letters of
Expectations between Ministers Responsible and Crown corporations ensuring that cross-Crown
corporation commitments reflect government’s direction; assists in the development of ministry specific
direction, as required;
o
Assesses service plans and annual service plan reports prepared by Crown corporations and provides
advice and recommendations for improvement to Crown corporations or Ministries Responsible as
appropriate;
o
Provides expertise, analysis and advice on the establishment or dissolution of a Crown corporations, and
assists Ministries Responsible or Internal Audit in periodic reviews of a Crown agency’s mandate and/or
service delivery model;
o
Identifies Crown corporations issues requiring resolution and/or government/CARO involvement, and
analyses and provides options and recommendations for addressing these issues;
o
Reviews legislation that directly impacts Crown corporations and provides legislative and/or regulatory
recommendations;
o
Reviews and provides advice and recommendations on Crown corporations Treasury Board and/or
Cabinet submissions, as required;
o
Develops tools, processes and events, including the use of existing technologies, for educating, supporting
and building the capacity of clients (Ministries responsible and Crown corporations) to meet their roles,
responsibilities and requirements as defined in the Crown Agency Accountability System;
o
Develops guidelines and/or templates and processes for Crown corporation business and life cycle
requirements, and coordinates the overall process for meeting these requirements;
o
Leads or supports (often inter- or intra-Ministry) projects assigned to or involving CARO;
o
Facilitates the communication and implementation of cross-Crown corporation policies;
o
Leads or contributes to CARO responsibility for ensuring that the Crown Agency Accountability System is
kept current, through research on and incorporation of best practices and developments in governance and
accountability;
o
Prepares and provides briefings and presentations to government and Crown corporation staff as required;
and,
o
Contributes to Division and/or Ministry corporate initiatives and CARO business planning as required.
Senior Advisor July 2013
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ORGANIZATION CHART
Executive Director
Administrative Assistance
Senior Advisors (4)
STAFFING CRITERIA
Education and Experience

Post secondary degree in public administration, business, law, accounting designation or related discipline. And, a
minimum of two years:
o
Experience providing expert advice, information and support to government (including broader public sector)
clients.
o
Demonstrated experience in analyzing complex policy or operational issues and preparing and
presenting written and verbal advice, briefings and/or reports for decision to senior officials.
Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience in such areas as public sector governance, performance management and/or financial reporting and
analysis would be an asset.

Experience in the development and implementation of policy frameworks, and/or in the analysis and/or interpretation
of legislation and regulations would be an asset.
Knowledge

Knowledge of public sector governance, accountability and performance management processes and systems would
be an asset.
Skills and Abilities

Strong interpersonal skills, and a proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships using diplomacy and
tact with colleagues, clients, stakeholders and partners.

Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write for and make presentations to a variety of audiences and
in a variety of formats (briefing materials, publications, reports, proposals, project plans, guidelines, presentations,
etc.).

Demonstrated process and project management skills.

Ability to work with limited direction, to manage tight timelines and multiple projects/assignments, and to adapt to
changing priorities.

Skills with such computer applications as PowerPoint and Visio would be an asset.
COMPETENCIES
1. Business Acumen is the ability to understand the business implications of decisions and the ability to strive to
improve organizational performance. It requires an awareness of business issues, processes and outcomes as they
impact the client's and the organization's business needs.
2. Customer/Client Development involves the genuine intent to foster the learning or development of a diverse
clientele. "Customers/clients" include the public, internal clients, colleagues, partners, co-workers, peers, branches,
ministries/agencies and other government organizations.
3. Planning, Organizing and Co-ordinating involves proactively planning, establishing priorities and allocating
resources. It is expressed by developing and implementing increasingly complex plans. It also involves monitoring
and adjusting work to accomplish goals and deliver to the organization's mandate.
4. Problem Solving/Judgement is the ability to analyze problems systematically, organize information, identify key
factors, identify underlying causes and generate solutions.
5. Innovation indicates an effort to improve performance by doing or promoting new things, such as introducing a
previously unknown or untried solution or procedure to the specific area or organization.
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6. Change Management: The ability to support a change initiative that has been mandated within the organization. It
involves helping the organization's members understand what the change means to them, and providing the ongoing
guidance and support that will maintain enthusiasm and commitment to the change process. People with this
competency willingly embrace and champion change. They take advantage of every opportunity to explain their vision
of the future to others and gain their buy-in.
7. Concern for Image Impact is an awareness of how one's self, one's role and the organization are seen by others.
The highest level of this competency involves an awareness of, and preference for, respect for the organization by the
community.
8. Results Orientation: A concern for surpassing a standard of excellence. The standard may be one’s own past
performance (striving for improvement); an objective measure (achievement orientation); challenging goals that one
has set; or even improving or surpassing what has already been done (continuous improvement). Thus, a unique
accomplishment also indicates a Results Orientation.
Senior Advisor July 2013
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