- Job Title: Executive Director, Growth and Development
- Company: The Government of Nova Scotia
- Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Job Type: Permanent, On-site
- Category: Government Administration
- Date Posted: July 17, 2025
- Experience Level: 10+ years
- Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading cross-departmental initiatives to grow Nova Scotia's GDP through natural resource sectors.
- Championing policy integration and fostering partnerships to support economic development.
- Managing resources strategically, including oversight of complex budgets, staffing, governance, and risk mitigation practices.
- Building trusted partnerships with provincial departments, Crown corporations, community partners, Indigenous leaders, the private sector, post-secondary institutions, and community-based organizations.
- Providing regular briefings to the Deputy Ministers regarding advancements of provincial priorities.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to navigate complex systems and build effective partnerships.
📋 Key Responsibilities
- 🌐 Strategic Leadership: Lead and guide the work of cross-departmental initiatives focused on growing GDP in Nova Scotia's natural resource sectors, in alignment with the 2025-26 Provincial Business Plan.
- 🔗 Partnership Building: Champion with crown partners investment attraction, labour strategy, and inclusive policy solutions.
- 🌱 Community Development: Lead integrated economic development strategies that foster vibrant, entrepreneurial, and resilient communities.
- 🤝️ Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted partnerships with various stakeholders to engage community partners, Indigenous leaders, the private sector, post-secondary institutions, and community-based organizations.
- 💼 Resource Management: Manage resources strategically, including oversight of complex budgets, staffing, governance, and risk mitigation practices.
- 📊 Performance Reporting: Provide regular briefings to the Deputy Ministers regarding advancements of provincial priorities.
- 🏢 Team Leadership: Support a team of high-performing leaders and foster a resilient, innovative, and equity-centred culture within and across teams.
- 📈 Project Coordination: Coordinating the development of community benefits programs to nurture community support for Natural Resource Projects.
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and project coordination to deliver on provincial priorities.
🎯 Required Qualifications
- Education: A university degree (public administration, economics, resource management, business, or a related discipline) and several years of progressive leadership experience are required, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
- Experience: Familiarity with the natural resources landscape in Nova Scotia (e.g., energy, agriculture, forestry, mining, aquaculture) and experience in regulatory, investment, or innovation ecosystems is ideal.
- Skills: Ability to shape and deliver on a province-wide economic vision, skills at seeing connections, aligning mandates, and coordinating across silos to deliver outcomes, cultural competency and embed equity and inclusive engagement into strategic plans, ability to lead through complexity, ambiguity, and change.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working within or across Crown corporations and intergovernmental tables.
- Bilingualism (French/English).
- Knowledge of investment attraction strategies or community benefit agreements.
ASSUMPTION: While not required, these skills would be beneficial for an individual to excel in this role and navigate the complex landscape of provincial economic development.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range: CAD $5,556.38 - $6,945.46 bi-weekly.
- Benefits:
- Defined Benefit Pension Plan
- Health, Dental, Life Insurance
- General Illness, Short and Long Term Disability
- Vacation
- Employee and Family Assistance Programs
- Working Hours: 35 hours/week, with the possibility of overtime on occasion.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on the job title and experience level required for this role. However, the actual salary may vary based on the candidate's qualifications and the government's budgetary constraints.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
- Industry: Government Administration
- Company Size: 10,001+ employees
- Founded: 1867
- Company Description: The Government of Nova Scotia offers a wide range of employment opportunities, with one career potentially branching out into many. They strive to be a diverse workforce representative of the citizens they serve.
- Company Specialties: Economic Development, Government Administration, Public Policy, Community Engagement
📊 Role Analysis
- Career Level: Senior Executive
- Reporting Structure: Direct report to the Deputy Minister
- Work Arrangement: On-site, with potential travel requirements
- Growth Opportunities: This role offers the opportunity to work on high-impact, strategic initiatives that shape the province's economic direction. It also provides exposure to various stakeholders and the chance to build a professional network across government and the private sector.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
- Office Type: Government Office
- Office Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Geographic Context: Halifax is the capital and largest city of Nova Scotia, with a population of approximately 400,000 people. It is known for its vibrant cultural scene, historic sites, and natural beauty.
- Work Schedule: The normal work week is 35 hours/week, with the possibility of overtime on occasion.
ASSUMPTION: Working in Halifax offers a unique blend of urban living and access to nature, with a relatively low cost of living compared to other major Canadian cities.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
- Typical Process: The application process involves submitting an application through the provided link, followed by a series of interviews and assessments.
- Key Assessment Areas: Leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, project management, and cultural competency.
- Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Be prepared to discuss your understanding of Nova Scotia's natural resources landscape and your vision for driving economic growth.
- Research the Government of Nova Scotia's priorities and initiatives to demonstrate your fit for the role.
- ATS Keywords: Strategic Planning, Economic Development, Stakeholder Engagement, Project Management, Leadership, Cultural Competency, Natural Resources, Nova Scotia, Government Administration
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Project Management Software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Microsoft Project)
- Data Analysis Tools (e.g., Excel, SQL, R)
- Presentation Software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides)
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
- Company Values: The Government of Nova Scotia values diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and innovation. They strive to create an environment where employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in.
- Work Style: The work style in this role requires a high degree of independence, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex systems. It also involves a significant amount of stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
- Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with the Government of Nova Scotia's values, particularly in the context of this role?
- How do you approach building and maintaining effective partnerships with diverse stakeholders?
- How do you navigate complex systems and ambiguity to deliver on strategic priorities?
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- The role requires a high level of strategic thinking and the ability to navigate complex systems, which can be challenging at times.
- The role involves a significant amount of stakeholder engagement and collaboration, which can be demanding and require strong interpersonal skills.
- The role may require occasional travel, which can be disruptive to personal schedules and family life.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Role Differences: This role is focused on driving economic growth through natural resource sectors, while similar roles in the private sector may focus on specific industries or companies. This role also involves a high degree of strategic planning and stakeholder engagement, which may not be required to the same extent in other roles.
- Industry-Specific Context: The natural resources landscape in Nova Scotia is diverse and complex, requiring a broad understanding of various sectors and their interdependencies. This role requires a deep understanding of this landscape and the ability to navigate its complexities.
- Career Path Comparison: This role offers the opportunity to work on high-impact, strategic initiatives that shape the province's economic direction. It also provides exposure to various stakeholders and the chance to build a professional network across government and the private sector. This can lead to future opportunities in senior leadership roles within government or the private sector.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a strategic plan to grow Nova Scotia's aquaculture industry by 20% within the next five years.
- Coordinating a cross-departmental task force to streamline regulations and reduce red tape for the energy sector, resulting in a 15% increase in investment within two years.
- Leading a community engagement initiative to build support for a major mining project, resulting in a 90% approval rate among local residents.
💡 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days?
- How does this role fit into the broader economic development strategy for Nova Scotia?
- What are the main challenges facing the natural resources sector in Nova Scotia, and how can this role address them?
- How does the Government of Nova Scotia support the professional development of its employees?
- What are the key performance indicators for this role, and how will my success be measured?
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the [provided link](http://hcm17.sapsf.com/sf/careers/jobsearch?company=novascotiaP).
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Prepare for interviews by researching the Government of Nova Scotia's priorities and initiatives, and practicing your responses to common interview questions.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your continued interest in the role.
- If you are offered the position, be prepared to discuss your salary expectations and benefits package.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
