Ombudsperson Officer

Band 2– Permanent, Full-Time
Salary Range: $76,500.09 – $108,100.23
Anticipated Starting Salary: $84,895.38 (+5% after successful completion of probation)
Victoria, B.C.

Apply your analytical and communication skills in this challenging and rewarding role.

The Ombudsperson Officer exercises significant investigative powers delegated under the Ombudsperson Act and the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) and may be assigned to any one of multiple teams*. Officers work collaboratively to support the work of their team members, supervisor and the other operational teams. The Officer is responsible for independently and effectively managing a diverse caseload of complex, multifaceted and sometimes high-profile investigations requiring superior investigation and communication skills and abilities, as well as sensitivity, integrity and professionalism. The Officer collects and evaluates information and evidence, draws conclusions, identifies opportunities for improvement in public administration and persuades authorities to take remedial measures.  Officers also represent the office as a collaborative partner to proactively assist public sector organizations to anticipate and avoid problems and make positive change.

* Health and Local Services, Social Programs, Regulatory Programs, Public Interest Disclosure, Public Authority Consultation and Training, Systemic Investigations

As BC’s independent voice for fairness and accountability, our office’s work is challenging, meaningful, and rewarding. Join us and become part of a team that is proud of the work we do. Find out more information about what we offer here.

If you would like to learn more about the work of the Office of the Ombudsperson, this position or the hiring process, we invite you reach out to us at recruitment@bcombudsperson.ca and we will connect you with a member of our team.

Qualifications:

This position will be of interest to applicants who can demonstrate the required qualifications, including the following:

Education and Experience:

• University degree in a related field (e.g., Law, joint Juris Doctor/Indigenous Law degree, Social Work, Indigenous Social Work, Public Administration, Indigenous Business and Public Administration and other related disciplines).
• Minimum of 2 years of investigative experience applying at least 5 of the following skillsets:
  •  Analyze fact patterns
  • Gather information and evidence using a variety of techniques and sources
  • Test or corroborate information and evidence
  • Evaluate information and evidence in the context of applicable law and policy
  • Generate principled and practical solutions to complex problems
  • Persuade parties to adopt a course of action
  • Make formal decisions and communicate written reasons for decisions
  • Manage a high volume of complex cases
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
•  Successful completion of security screening requirements of the BC Public Service, which may include a criminal records check (completed if an offer of employment is made).

Proviso:

This position requires interaction with members of the public in person, by phone and in writing.  Incumbents of this position will be exposed to challenging or escalated behavior and content of a sensitive and potentially traumatic nature. Please consider whether the psychological load of the tasks in this job profile align with your capacity to take on this type of work.

Preference may be given to:

• Applicants with experience providing client service to members of the public who may be living with mental health challenges, physical or cognitive disabilities and/or experiencing personal crisis.
• Applicants with experience or training in trauma-informed and/or cultural safety practices.
• Applicants with experience building relationships and/or providing client service to people with diverse lived experiences including but not limited to people who are First Nations, Métis, Inuit and/or from urban Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (2SLGBTQ+).
• Applicants with experience responding to or assisting with complaints about government services or programs.
• Applicants who self-identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit and/or Indigenous, Black or racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, people with diverse gender identities or expressions, and/or people with disabilities.

If you wish to volunteer information about your membership in an equity-deserving group, please do so on the Employment Application Form.  We ask for a brief statement only.  We will hold your application in strictest confidence, sharing it only with those involved in the hiring process. A candidate who meets the requirements assessed in the competitive process and who identifies as a member of an equity-deserving group may be given preference. This does not guarantee an applicant will move forward to the next stage in the process. It is your choice whether to volunteer information.  We will not assume a candidate’s membership in an equity-deserving group if they do not self-identify.

Complete qualifications, including competencies, are outlined in the job profile, which can be found linked at the bottom of this page.

This posting is for multiple permanent, full-time opportunities. An eligibility list may be established to fill similar future vacancies in a full-time temporary or permanent capacity. Temporary positions may become full-time, permanent status. This position is excluded from union membership. Some travel is required.

This position is located in our office in downtown Victoria, BC.  Upon successful completion of the six-month probationary period, this position is eligible for a hybrid-remote work arrangement of up to nine days working remotely in a three-week period, in accordance with the office’s Work Arrangements Policy.

Financial assistance may be offered as part of the total compensation package for successful candidate(s) that must relocate to Victoria. Relocation allowances will be in accordance with the information here.

To Apply:

Your application package must be submitted by email to: Recruitment@bcombudsperson.ca, quoting the competition number 120884 in the subject line.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package, which includes:

1. 1. 1. Your resume.
      2. A completed Employment Application Form.

Your application package must clearly demonstrate how your education and experience meet the qualifications for the position. In the Employment Application Form you must identify which positions you are relying upon to meet the criteria of relevant experience and how the position meets that criteria. In describing your education and experience, please pay particular attention to the position description including the competencies and selection criteria. Please note that any documents submitted in addition to the required application package contents outlined above will not be considered and will be removed from your application.

Following the instructions above, we will consider only those applications received by email no later than 12:00 pm (noon) PST, Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Incomplete applications or late applications will not be evaluated or acknowledged, and only those applicants who pass all initial screening requirements will be considered for the next step in the selection process. In addition to evaluation of your relevant knowledge, skills and abilities, your resume and Employment Application Form may be used to assess your ability to write in a clear and effective manner. Candidates who are successful in the initial screening will be asked to complete a written assignment, and may proceed to an interview as part of the final selection process.

NOTE: To apply for this position, you must be eligible to work in Canada. You must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada or authorized in writing to work in Canada under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For further information, please refer to the BC Public Service website.

A Criminal Record Check will be conducted and education credentials will be subject to verification before an offer of employment is made and will be requested if required. If your degree was obtained outside of Canada, you will need to confirm it has been assessed for equivalency through a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluation Service.  Confirmation of equivalency for your degree is required for you to be considered.

By submitting your application, you confirm that you have worked on it independently and you have not used AI technology or paraphrasing technology to prepare it. Please note that Artificial Intelligence detection software may be used to assess applications and written assignments.

If you have questions related to the application process, please email the HR Team at recruitment@bcombudsperson.ca and quote competition number 120884 in the subject line.

BC Ombudsperson
Fairness and Accountability in British Columbia’s Public Services