Office of the Ombud
Early Resolution Officer
Open Competition
Full time Fredericton

ABOUT THE OFFICE
The Office of the Ombud for New Brunswick is seeking individuals to fill the position of Early Resolution Officer. There is currently one vacancy for a full-time permanent position. The Office will also maintain a list of qualified candidates for future full-time or term positions that may become available.

The Ombud is an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly, who assists people and public sector organizations with their concerns by conducting impartial investigations, making recommendations, and providing guidance to ensure people are treated in a consistent, fair, and reasonable manner and that their rights to information and privacy are protected. The Ombud can investigate complaints involving provincial government departments and other public sector organizations, as well as organizations that may hold personal health information.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN US
By joining Ombud NB, you will be part of a dedicated team focused on promoting fairness, transparency and accountability in public administration. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by strengthening the public's trust in the provincial public sector across New Brunswick.

We offer a supportive and rewarding work environment complemented by a comprehensive benefits package. This includes paid vacation and sick leave, a health and dental plan, life insurance, long-term disability coverage, and participation in the Public Service Shared Risk Pension Plan. Employees also have access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), providing valuable services to support their well-being.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a respected office that plays a vital role in ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in the public sector across New Brunswick – join us today!

ABOUT THE POSITION
The Early Resolution Officer acts as the initial point of contact for complaints to the Office of the Ombud. Early Resolution Officers work as part of a larger team and are expected to work collaboratively. The Early Resolution Officer must have a client service mindset and be capable of managing challenging interactions with skill, judgment and a high degree of professionalism. Effective communication skills are essential in dealing with complainants who might be distressed or who may not agree with or be satisfied with the information provided to them.

The Early Resolution Officer is expected to effectively manage a caseload of complaints using the Office's case management system and to conduct follow-up research and make inquiries on individual complaints, as appropriate. Early Resolution Officers may be called upon to compile statistics regarding trends in complaints.

The Early Resolution Officer will be responsible for:

• Conducting intake of and documenting incoming correspondence/inquiries/complaints.
• Triaging and evaluating complaints filed with the Office for completeness.
• Determining jurisdiction to investigate complaints and obtaining additional information if necessary.
• Directing individuals to appropriate services if our Office does not have jurisdiction on the matter they are inquiring about.
• Opening files, inputting notes in our case management system and pre-closing files.
• Identifying and analyzing issues.
• Drafting letters in response to Early Resolution matters.
• Providing guidance to individuals on general procedures.
• Attempting resolution of complaints.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as required from time to time.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
University degree in social sciences, human resources, public administration and a minimum of 2 years of related work experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
Excellent written and spoken competence in English and French is required. Please state your language capability. Language proficiency may be assessed by administering the Government of NB Language Proficiency Evaluation. Candidates who have recently undergone this evaluation (within the last two years) may provide a copy of their evaluation results.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Successful candidates will be required to undergo criminal history and security checks prior to appointment.

Successful candidates will be required to undertake an oath of office related to the specific obligations of the Ombud, namely with regard to impartiality and confidentiality of information.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate the essential qualifications to be given further consideration. Your résumé should be in chronological order specifying education and employment in months and years including part-time and full-time employment. Applicants who do not clearly demonstrate the above noted qualifications will not be given consideration under this competition. Please ensure that preferred language for assessment is identified on your resume.

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS
Preference may be given to candidates that demonstrate:

• Experience within an information gathering or investigative environment.
• Excellent listening and interviewing skills.
• Strict attention to detail and ability to multitask in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to work within a team environment.
• Ability to analyze information and draw conclusions to solve problems effectively.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• A keen understanding of confidentiality of all information received by the Office.
• Excellent knowledge of computer systems such as Microsoft Office and Outlook and Internet research skills.

Please include a cover letter with your application.

Subject to the response to this competition, candidates may be required to demonstrate on their application one or more of the asset qualifications in addition to the essential qualifications in order to be given further consideration.

Employment Information
The position is located in Fredericton. In certain circumstances, the Office may approve remote work, at their discretion.

Salary: Pay Band 4, Management and Non-Union Pay Plan, $57,616 to $80,574 annually depending upon education and experience.

We encourage applicants to apply by email at [email protected]. You may also apply by regular mail at the following address no later than June 20, 2025. For more information and/or a copy of the job description, please contact Amy Cronkhite at (506) 453-2789 or by email.

Office of the Ombud
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 3R2
Fax: 506-453-5599

We thank all those who apply, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.