Staff Officer - Greenwood, NS, Canada - Canadian Armed Forces

Description

As a member of the military, Public Affairs Officers provide sound communications advice at the tactical, operational and strategic levels, and act as key advisors to military commanders during domestic and international operations.

Public Affairs Officers are advisors on all aspects of external and internal communications.

They are skilled in developing, executing and evaluating communications approaches designed to inform the public of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) roles, activities and work.

Analyze and evaluate attitudes in the national and international media
Contribute to policy development
Public Affairs Officers work in a modern office setting.

They may also be required to deploy anywhere in the world to support CAF operations during times of conflict, peace support operations or humanitarian missions.

If you chose a career in theRegular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base.

While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can't always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career.

However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit.

Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base.

As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Sometimes I'm working with Image Techs creating products that are going to go out on social media, or go out to families; sometimes it's working in an office; In addition to mainstream media, the explosion of social media tools, technologies, their potential and their reach makes telling the Canadian Armed Forces story that much more challenging in a complex information environment.

So Public Affairs has to keep up with that – we've moved to live-streaming and video capabilities, we've moved onto social media platforms, and we're really looking for the best ways to tell those stories, because there are so many amazing stories of Canadian Armed Forces members that we want to share with Canadians.

LIEUTENANT-


COMMANDER CHRISTINE HUROV:
Credibility and truth are the keystones of what we do as a Public Affairs Officer, whether that's interacting with our commanders, preparing them to brief media or speak to the public, or if we're speaking directly to the public or through media ourselves
LIEUTENANT-


COMMANDER CHRISTINE HUROV:

We get this front-row seat to so many special events and deployments that, as a Public Affairs Officer, that's just amazing.

You have a direct line, you're integrated into the command team, into the planning and the operations, and it's really a great opportunity to really work on that Public Affairs – that traditional communications – alongside the evolving social media, the evolving information sphere, and really bringing that value to your commander is phenomenal.

On completion of their military and occupational training, Public Affairs Officers are posted to Army, Navy or Air Force bases or to a headquarters here in Canada.

Some Public Affairs Officers will get to go be a one-of Public Affairs Officer on a base or at a small formation, where it really is you and your command team and you are running the Public Affairs show.

You may also be posted to a Public Affairs shop, where you'll be one of two or three junior officers working for a senior Public Affairs Officer at a higher-level command.

Public Relations Specialist
Media Relations Manager
Marketing Strategist
Special Events Coordinator
Training

After enrolment, you start basic officer training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, for 12 weeks.

Topics covered include general military knowledge, the principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the CAF, basic weapons handling, and first aid.

Opportunities will also be provided to apply such newly acquired military skills in training exercises involving force protection, field training, navigation and leadership.

A rigorous physical fitness program is also a vital part of basic training. Basic officer training is provided in English or French and successful completion is a prerequisite for further training.
Following basic officer training, official second language training may be offered to you. Training could take from two to nine months to complete depending on your ability in your second language.
All CAF Public Affairs training is centralized at the Defence Public Affairs Learning Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.

The intensive six-month course is designed to provide candidates with the tools and knowledge required to support public affairs activities at a large-scale base, formation and deployed task force.

The course focuses on developing the knowledge and skills required to advise a Commander on public affairs, create communications products and tools, conduct media relations, public affairs planning and internal communications, coordinate a media event, foster community relations, support public affairs operations, manage the production of audio-visual products and develop and demonstrate officer-like qualities.

Public Affairs Officers may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training, including:
Strategic Communications Management and Policy Development
Contingency and Crisis Communications
International Operations

As they progress in their career, Public Affairs Officers who demonstrate the required ability and potential will be offered advanced training opportunities.

As this occupation's focus is on communications, applicants must excel in either or both official languages.

If you already have a university degree in Communications, Public Relations, International Relations or Journalism, the CAF will decide if your academic program matches the criteria for this job and may place you directly into the required on-the-job training program following basic training.

Previous experience working in public affairs, public relations or journalism is an asset. Basic training and military officer qualification training are required before being assigned.
Part time options
This position is available for part-time employment with the Primary Reserve at certain locations across Canada.

Reserve Force members usually serve part time at an Air Force Wing in their community, and may serve while going to school or working at a civilian job.

They are paid during their training. They may also volunteer for deployment on a military mission within or outside Canada.

They are employed to provide communications advice at the tactical, operational and strategic levels, and act as key advisors to military commanders during operations.

Those employed on a part-time or casual full-time basis usually serve at CAF bases, wings, home ports and units at locations within Canada.

They usually begin training with their home unit to ensure that they meet the required basic professional military standards.

Following basic officer training, the home unit will arrange for additional training for specialized skills.

Training for Public Affairs Officers takes about six months and is centralized at the Defence Public Affairs Learning Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.

Reserve Force members usually serve part-time with their home unit for scheduled evenings and weekends, although they may also serve in full-time positions at some units for fixed terms, depending on the type of work that they do.

8% of Regular Force rates of pay, receive a reasonable benefits package and may qualify to contribute to a pension plan.

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