Government Program Officers

Formal Description

“Program officers unique to government are primarily concerned with the administration and operation of government institutions, such as Parliament, and activities unique to the operations of government, such as international relations, federal-provincial affairs, elections and tribunals.” (NOC 2021)

Sample Job Titles

This category includes a variety of job titles that may not necessarily be reflected by the category title. For a full index of job titles, see the category entry on the ESDC site. Example job titles include:

Attaché

Deputy Returning Officer

Diplomat

Elections Officer

Federal-Provincial Relations Officer

Foreign Service Officer

Intelligence Analyst - Security

Labour Relations Commission Officer

Native Land Claims Liaison Officer

Public Inquiries Officer

Refugee Board Member

Regional Council Officer

Royal Commission Officer

Standing Committee Officer

Task Force Officer

Tribunal Officer

Typical Employment and Education Requirements

The requirements listed for each occupational category will tend to vary across particular roles, job titles, and contexts.

The following typical requirements are listed on the ESDC’s 2021 entry for this occupational category:

A bachelor’s degree is usually required.
A master’s degree may be required.
Several years of experience as a researcher, consultant or program administrator may be required.
Foreign service officers are accepted on the basis of competitive examination.

Success with a Social Sciences Undergraduate Degree and Beyond

When reviewing typical requirements, please remember:

Degree and diploma listings often end with a purposefully open-ended phrase (“or a related field”, “or a similar discipline”) that acknowledges the variety and applicability of social sciences and liberal arts degrees.
Employers often focus less on the name or title of a candidate’s degree, and more on how they articulate their transferable skills and experiences.
Many qualifications and certifications are available as post-graduate certificates aimed at recent university graduates; these can make an excellent further education option for a social sciences or liberal arts degree.

Explore related Master's programs or other relevant avenues for further education.

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Related Categories

Here are a few other categories that might interest you:

Social Policy Researchers & Program Officers

Public Relations, Advertising, & Marketing Professionals

Related Sectors

Whereas Economic and Social Development Canada’s ‘occupational’ categories tend to focus more on the duties and functions that people play in specific roles, exploring careers by ‘sectors’ helps us to sort by employer type, industry, or general field of work. Here are just a few of the sectors that may be relevant to this category:

Careers In Municipalities

Careers in Organizations

Browse More Options by Sector

Academic Program Connections

As you select your program of study and the courses you will take, you can chart a path towards success in this sector from any one of our social sciences departments and programs. Here are just a few examples of academic disciplines that have connections with this sector:

Political Science Learn More

This category tends to be attractive to students who have pursued a degree in political science and have taken courses in Canadian politics, public relations, public policy, comparative politics, political theory, and/or international relations.

Economics Learn More

This category often appeals to students who have chosen a degree path in economics. Economists tend to be especially comfortable with the quantitative and mathematical side of social analysis, able to able markets, behaviour, and institutional dynamics with particular toolkits.

Work & Labour Studies Learn More

Work & Labour Studies courses prepare students to understand the complexities involved in labour relations, human resources, and other human and institutional dimensions of workforce development.

Indigenous Studies Learn More

Students taking courses in indigenous studies understand the social, cultural, economic, and historical complexities involved in delivering economic and social programs that take seriously the contributions, needs, and priorities of Canada’s indigenous peoples.

Browse More Options by Program