1.0 Objective
The Executive Counselling Services (ECS) group at the Personnel Psychology Centre (PPC) of the PSC provides competency assessment and related career guidance, counselling and coaching services to the EX and equivalent groups and to employees planning to reach the EX level, such as senior professionals and middle managers. These services are required at PSC locations across Canada, which includes the following regions: National Capital Region; British Columbia and Yukon Region; Alberta and Northwest Territories Region; Central Prairies and Nunavut Region; Southern Ontario Region; Québec Region; and the Atlantic Region. The Public Service Commission of Canada recognizes that the diversity of its employees' population contributes to its strength and integrity. It is committed to achieving employment equity and developing a highly capable workforce that is representative of Canadian Society. It therefore encourages women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups to apply and declare themselves as part of one or more of the above mentioned Employment Equity Designated Groups.
The Public Service Commission of Canada provides executive counselling services in both official languages (English and French) to a highly capable and diverse executive cadre and professionals, approximately half of whom are women. Also, approximately one third of its clientele requires services in the French language.
In order to better counsel female clients on the challenges of being a female executive in the federal public service, the PSC aims at providing services by executive consultants who are women.
In order to better serve its clients who are French speaking, the PSC aims to have available executive consultants able to offer coaching and advisory services in the French language.
In order to better counsel clients who are Aboriginal, persons with disabilities or members of a Visible Minority, on the challenges of being an Aboriginal, a person with disabilities or a member of a Visible Minority and an executive in the federal public service, the Public Service Commission of Canada also aims at offering services by a diverse pool of executive consultant, including consultants who are Aboriginal, persons with a disability, or members of Visible Minorities.
2.0 Background
The ECS provides career assessment and counselling, and coaching services to members of the EX and equivalent groups, and to senior professionals and managers who may soon attain entry to the EX group.
Services are individually tailored and provided in one-on-one meetings with clients. Services provided in the context of the IPEX (Identification of Pathways for EX Development) assessment package include career assessment and counselling, leadership assessment and interpretation of competency-based assessment tools, planning for leadership learning and management skill development, report-writing, and collaboration with ECS staff who will provide project management and quality control.
3.0 The PSC-ECS Mandate and Approach
The PSC and specifically the ECS of the PPC assist Departments and Federal government organizations in offering counselling and coaching services to public servants with regards to their ability to perform at work. Furthermore, ECS offers competency-focused services, aiming at preparing clients for management challenges, career transition, assessment boards, etc.
4.0 Tasks/Scope
Work to be performed by the Executive Consultants, on an “as and when requested” basis, as authorized by the Project Authority, includes actual time spent performing any of the following:
Direct and Indirect Executive Counselling Services (See Appendix G - Basis of Payment for distinction between “Direct Services” and “Indirect Services”.)
4.1 Conducting confidential guidance, coaching and/or consulting sessions to help individual Clients who want to develop their management and leadership competencies, who are planning employment transition, or who are looking for support in handling a difficult situation. Executive Counselling Services include meeting Clients on an individual basis in person or by telephone, teleconferencing, videoconferencing or webex, as agreed upon with the Project Authority;
4.2 Providing interview preparation services to designated Clients of ECS. Interview preparation services include meeting Clients on an individual basis in person or by telephone, teleconferencing, videoconferencing or webex (as agreed upon with the Project Authority and in agreement with clients), providing information related to selection methods and recommendations regarding approaches to preparation, discussing expectations commonly held by boards as well as expectations for performance at the target level, and providing opportunities for the individual to practice responding to typical interview questions and receive verbal feedback on their performance;
4.3 Writing and providing up-to-date and accurate consultation notes for each Client meeting, and submitting these in the intended file to the responsible ECS representative immediately after the services have been provided; For any remote work, pre-authorized by the Project Authority and in agreement with clients, providing the ECS representative with appropriate financial and professional content in a format and process approved by the Project Authority;
4.4 Preparing, in consultation with the ECS board preparation facilitator, or the psychologist, interview questions for use during simulations, based on the documentation provided by the Client or by the psychologist, as required to assist the client;
4.5 Participating in simulated board interviews, working collaboratively with the board preparation facilitator or the Client’s ECS psychologist and with other Executive Consultant(s). The board preparation facilitator or someone in their name should be notified that a mock board is taking place and determine its composition in collaboration with the executive consultant.
4.6 Delivering workshops designed by ECS and using material supplied by ECS to groups of participants, in a team with an ECS psychologist;
4.7 When relevant, participating in client progress reviews with the board preparation facilitator or the identified supervising ECS psychologist for a duration of up to one half hour for approximately every ten hours of work assigned; Providing clarifications or explanations about the work performed or the notes written;
4.8 Developing and (or) upgrading services provided by the ECS such as:
4.8.1 Drafting and (or) reviewing documents, 4.8.2 Tailoring workshop materials,
4.8.3 Providing strategic consulting services, 4.8.4 Participating in a working group, and 4.8.5 Helping to promote services through external contacts.
4.9 Participating in special assessment, coaching and other related projects involving the provision of services to groups, as requested by the Project Authority; and
4.10 Participating in mandatory training or meetings, as requested by the Project Authority.
