Administrative Assistant - Senior JP888

Ensures financial accountability for the administration of multiple grants under the Alberta Child Care Grant Funding and Affordability Grant Funding programs:

1. Assess, evaluate and recommend grant funding for all licensed child care programs.

Assess, recommend and determine eligibility for grant funding.
Advise grant recipients when they do not meet the conditions of grant funding, explaining what they must do
to meet the criteria.
Identify delivery and payment issues and recommend options for resolution to management.
Ensure services are delivered in accordance with accepted practices and within guidelines prescribed by financial legislation and Ministerial policy and procedures.

2. Program Administration

Provide efficient and effective customer service to license child care programs, early childhood educators and Alberta families in relation to grant funding policy and processes, address the questions and recommend solutions, as appropriate.
Assist child care operators in navigating the online Early Childhood Development System (ECDS portal) to ensure they are able to review, complete and sign the necessary grant agreements.
Review Affordability Grant agreement Schedule A fees to assess eligibility in line with the internal process and standards, communicate with the child care operators to obtain necessary evidence in support of their fees and assess the submitted evidence to prepare recommendation to Sr. Program Analyst.
Complete accurate data entry, tracking and reporting of the professional development and release time assessments and expenditures for all Early Childhood Educators in Alberta who request the funding.
Monitor multiple shared inboxes to organize, track and address various inquiries, including questions, requests and complaints from the child care operators, early childhood educators and Alberta families.
Generate and analyze reports, assist with program and financial operations and strategic direction.
Provide advice, information and direction regarding various grants.
Provide training to new team members.

3. Develop, implement and monitor policies and procedures for grants to ensure continuous program improvement.

Make recommendations for revision of current policy and service delivery processes.
Identify implications for potential impacts on this and other provincial Early Learning and Child Care
programs.
Interpret policy, standards and guidelines related to the various grants to support licensing and other
departmental staff.
Collect and research information for the preparation of briefing notes and action requests related to the
various grants.
Conduct research on similar programs offered in other jurisdictions. Make recommendations on program
enhancement.
Participate in best practices meetings ensuring stakeholder concerns are heard and program objectives are
communicated.
Identify system issues (CCIS, ECDS portal, Access database) and make recommendations for improvement.
Contribute to development, design, testing and implementation of the new provincial systems (ECDS portal).

4. Manage and respond to complaints related to the grants.

Provide advice, information and direction, where appropriate, to resolve complaints from grant recipients, early childhood educators and Alberta families in relation to the grants delivered.
Review incoming complaints and determine most appropriate course of action, in consultation with the Grant Specialist, if necessary.
Request additional information with which to investigate the complaint.
Assist the Grant Specialist with the complaint investigation and resolution process.
Refer complaint as required.

5. Other

Delegate administrative work to unit administrative and/or temporary support staff as required.
Contribute to a positive team environment.