Assessing Specialist

Job Information
Job Title: Assessing Specialist
Job Requisition ID: 88997
Ministry: Advanced Education
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary/Wage: Hourly Wage (Temporary 1 month contract)-5 postions
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: November 2,2026
Classification: Program Services 1
Salary: $32.64- $ 42.48/hour
The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding and diverse career opportunities.

Within the Ministry of Advanced Education, the Post-Secondary and Community Supports and Apprenticeship Division supports Alberta’s post-secondary learners and helps deliver programs that reduce financial barriers to education.
The Division’s Student Financial Services Branch includes the Assessing and Disability Supports Unit, which delivers Alberta Student Aid, including federal and provincial loans, grants, awards and disability supports. The unit assesses student eligibility, reviews requests for reconsideration and changes in circumstances, and conducts quality assurance reviews to support consistent funding decisions and protect program integrity.

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Assessing Supervisor, the Assessing Specialist reviews and assesses full-time and part-time Alberta Student Aid applications, including applications from students with disabilities, to determine eligibility for federal and provincial loans, grants and awards.
The position applies legislation, regulations, policies and guidelines; completes complex reviews and calculations; validates information; and exercises delegated authority to approve eligible funding while safeguarding program integrity.
Key responsibilities include:

• Application assessment: Review student aid applications, verify supporting information and calculate eligibility for federal and provincial loans, grants and awards.
• Requests for reconsideration: Analyze Level 1 requests, historical records and supporting documentation; authorize eligible exceptional expenses and recommend decisions beyond delegated limits.
• Quality assurance: Identify and review inconsistent, misleading or potentially fraudulent information, determine outcomes and prepare recommendations and correspondence for management approval.
• Reassessments: Review changes in circumstances, complete manual assessments and adjust awards or grant-to-loan conversions as required.
• Program expertise and improvement: Provide policy and operational advice, identify trends and process issues, participate in working groups, test system changes, and train or coach colleagues.

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

• Systems Thinking: Considers how policies, funding decisions and individual circumstances are interconnected; evaluates options and potential consequences to support consistent program outcomes.
  
• Creative Problem Solving: Gathers information from multiple sources, explores precedents and develops practical solutions for complex or unusual student aid files.
  
• Agility: Adapts to changing policies, priorities and systems, takes initiative to improve work processes, and remains calm and effective in a high-volume environment.
  
• Drive for Results: Plans and prioritizes work, takes accountability for accurate and timely decisions, and collaborates with others to achieve program objectives and service outcomes.

Qualifications

Two-year diploma in a related field; no experience required; or equivalent as described below.
Equivalency: Directly related education or experience will be considered on the basis of one year of education for one year of experience, or one year of experience for one year of education. Depending on the statutory or unique requirements of the position, specific qualifications may apply and may affect the use of equivalencies.
Required Skills

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills to interpret legislation, regulations, policies and guidelines and apply them consistently to complex files.
• Demonstrated ability to review detailed financial and supporting documentation, perform accurate calculations and make sound eligibility decisions.
• Excellent judgment, attention to detail and information-validation skills to identify inconsistencies and protect program integrity.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills for explaining decisions, preparing correspondence and working with internal and external stakeholders while maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage a high-volume workload, prioritize competing demands and remain effective in a changing, deadline-driven environment.

Assets

• Experience assessing student financial assistance applications or administering loans, grants, awards or comparable benefit programs.
• Experience reviewing requests for reconsideration, appeals, exceptional expenses or changes in circumstances.
• Experience conducting quality assurance, compliance or fraud-related reviews and preparing recommendations for management.
• Experience completing manual financial assessments, award adjustments or system workarounds across multiple program years.
• Experience providing subject-matter guidance, training or coaching and contributing to policy, procedure or system improvements.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

These are (5) five wage position for 1 month each working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. The successful candidates are expected to work out of the Edmonton Office.

Applicants are advised to provide a cover letter summarizing information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

As a Wage employee, you receive 11.6% in addition to regular wage earnings in lieu of paid holidays and vacation leave:

• 5.6 percent of regular wage earnings instead of paid holidays.
• 6 percent of regular wage earnings instead of annual vacation pay.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.

How To Apply

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.
Candidates are required to apply online. Please see Job Application Resources for more information.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 - June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information.

It is also recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Annie Ostopowich at Annie.Ostopowich@gov.ab.ca.