Heritage Presenter I/Living with Wildlife Interpreter

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

**IMPORTANT MESSAGES**
1. Living accommodations may be provided depending on the location and its availability.
2. Individuals who qualified on process 2020-CAP-BNP-OC-070 and 2020-PKS-LLYK-OC-RM-059 and 2021-CAP-BNP-OC-115 need not apply again.
We will only accept on-line applications received via the jobs.gc.ca site.

Persons who are unable to apply on-line must contact the person listed below prior to the closing date.

Failure to clearly demonstrate in screening questions how you meet the Education and Experience factors found on the Statement of Qualifications, may result in the rejection of your application.

Applications will be screened for interviews, based on the “essential” education, language and experience criteria identified below. Applicants who are successful in moving forward to the next stage of the competition will be required to complete a written assignment prior to interview. Following the interview process, successful candidates who are assessed as having met all the “essential” qualifications outlined below, will be placed in a qualified pool of candidates. Both “essential” and “additional” qualifications will be assessed through the interview process. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification during this interview process.

Duties

Delivers interpretive presentations, programs and activities to provide visitors of the park with opportunities to discover, appreciate, learn about and enjoy the place and its natural/cultural heritage and understand their significance to Canada.

Interpretive programs may include: hands-on and participatory activities, visitor-centered activities, story sharing, guided walks, evening theatre and campfire programs, visiting busy day-use areas to encourage visitors to keep clean picnic sites, and monitoring secondary roadways by vehicle to provide safe wildlife viewing messages.

Several vacancies are anticipated across Banff, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks, to support two teams: General Interpretation (Campgrounds and Day Use Areas), and Living with Wildlife Interpreters (formerly known as Park Guardians). While both involve programming that includes hands-on and participatory activities, visitor centered activities, and story sharing, the following differences can be expected:

General Interpretation:
Your programming topics may include Species at Risk, park history, geology or so many more. You will deliver evening or theatre based programming, activity stations delivered in busy day use areas, and roving opportunities in campgrounds and local trails or sites, using your engaging communication techniques and skillset to engage and inspire visitors from around the world.

Living with Wildlife Interpreters (Park Guardian):
Your role is focused on visitor engagement, supporting important key messages identified by the park. Daily activities would include: delivering drop-in programming or activity stations focused on Aquatic Invasive Species, Human Wildlife Co-Existence, and Leave No Trace. While driving on highways and identifying wildlife jams you could facilitate safe wildlife viewing experiences.

Work environment

Do you like to facilitate participatory experiences that help visitors discover and explore their connections to these magnificent places?

Do you like to talk with and listen to people, so you can learn what most excites and inspires people to take actions to protect the mountain parks?

If so, then this might be the job for you!

This could be your work place: Rocky Mountain peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, picture-perfect mountain towns, abundant wildlife, thousands of years of human history, and scenic drives come together in Banff, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks. Millions of visitors visit these iconic national parks for a variety of activities including hiking, biking, skiing and camping in some of the world’s most breathtaking mountain scenery. Banff, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks are part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A typical day for a member of the Interpretation team could involve interacting with visitors at busy day-use areas, presenting significant stories related to the park at campgrounds and delivering safe wildlife viewing messages to visitors travelling on secondary roadways.

As a Heritage Presenter/Living with Wildlife Interpreter, you have the opportunity to engage with large groups of visitors on a daily basis, inspiring them to co-exist with the park and help them understand the important natural and cultural heritage of the area.

Intent of the process

The results of this process will be used to fill anticipated temporary vacancies for 2023 and may be used in the future to fill permanent or temporary vacancies that may arise at the Heritage Presenter I (GT01) level in various locations, with full or part-time hours, for various tenures, such as: Seasonal Indeterminate, Term, Acting Assignment or Assignment at level, depending on status of the selected candidate.

From the work locations currently listed on the poster, please clearly identify in your application the work location(s) in which you are prepared to work.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 3 references.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

A secondary school diploma according to provincial standards or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience.

Degree equivalency:
An acceptable combination of individual courses or experience relevant to the position (i.e. interpretation, performing arts, public speaking, dramatic arts, museum studies, traditional Indigenous teachings, history or other discipline relevant to the position) may be considered.

Degree equivalency

Experience
• A minimum of three (3) months experience working in the fields of heritage interpretation, theatre/performing arts or public communications
• Delivering messages and information to public audiences (not academic course related audiences) in face-to-face situations with the purpose of engagement, entertainment and/or motivation
• Working in a fast paced environment involving professional communication with the public

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Various language requirements
English Essential or Bilingual Imperative level (- - B / - - B)
*Arrangements may be made for the administration of the Public Service Commission Second Language Evaluation (SLE) to test candidate’s bilingualism in their second language (French or English).

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Knowledge
• Interpretive theory and techniques such as storytelling, demonstration, theatre programs or guided walks
• General knowledge of Canada’s natural and/or cultural heritage as it relates to Banff, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks

Abilities
• Adaptability - Adapting in order to work effectively in ambiguous or changing situations, and with diverse individuals and groups
• Client Focus - Providing service excellence to internal and/or external clients
• Communication through Interpretation - Listening to others and communicating articulately to inform, influence and involve
• Teamwork - Working collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals

Personal Suitability
• Exercises sound judgment
• Communicates effectively orally and in writing
• Takes responsibility
• Personally connects with others

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

The asset qualifications are not essential to the job, but would be an asset in carrying out the duties of the position. They may be used in screening, assessment or determining right fit for this selection process.

Asset Qualification – Occupational Certification
• Completion of Apprentice Interpretive Guide or Professional Interpretive Guide course through the Interpretive Guides Association;
• Successful completion of a 40-hour Wilderness First Aid course.

Asset Qualification - Experience
• Facilitating interpretive activities that are holistic, participator, dialogic and/or visitor centered

Operational Requirements
• Willing and able to work shift-work, late evening hours and/or weekends, and/or statutory holidays and provincial holidays
• Willing and able to wear a Parks Canada uniform as per the uniform policy and/or dress in costume as per Parks Canada requirement
• Willing and able to work and /or travel in varied terrains, weather conditions, isolated locations and by various means of transportation
• Willing and able to stand/walk/hike/drive for prolonged periods
• Willing and able to work from various locations

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Possession and maintenance of a valid Alberta Class 5 driver's license or equivalent. Graduated licenses will not be accepted.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

Parks Canada is established as a separate employer in the Federal Public Service under the Financial Administration Act. Persons appointed to the Agency continue to be part of the Public Service. Parks Canada operates under its own human resources framework outside of the Public Service Employment Act and in line with values of fairness, competence and respect, and its operating principles.

Each person is entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

For tips to navigate the application process step by step, refer to the following short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GW7P3g9hhI.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Contact information