HR Advisor (Classification) – Various Levels

Closing date: 2026-08-14

About CSE

The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) is Canada’s agency responsible for foreign signals intelligence, cyber operations and cyber security. Learn more about our mission, and what it means to work in a security and intelligence field.

CSE is committed to fostering a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion. This isn’t just an ideal, it’s crucial to our mission. Find out about our workplace culture, including our diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Become part of our team and you’ll understand why CSE is the most important organization you’ve never heard of.

Job summary

Join CSE’s Organizational Design and Classification team, where your ideas, expertise, and curiosity help shape how work is organized, defined and assigned across the organization. We are modernizing our classification program and evolving our classification practices to support smart organizational design.

As part of the Classification team, you will work towards becoming accredited through our developmental program. You will conduct research and analysis, provide advice, solve problems, and work on files that range from day to day classification operations to large, high impact initiatives.

Opportunities at multiple levels

We are looking for experienced Classification Advisors at various levels, who are ready to grow, lead, and make an impact:

UNI-06 Classification Officer

• Supports classification operations for assigned files or portions of a client portfolio
• Responds to routine classification requests using established standards
• Assists with drafting, reviewing, and updating standardized job description

UNI-07 Classification Advisor

• Works in classification operations managing a client portfolio
• Provides advice on classification and organizational design
• Participates in the development of standardized job description, job evaluations, and organizational design
• Conducts relativity studies to keep job classifications consistent by comparing similar roles internally and externally

UNI-08 Senior Classification Advisor

• Manages and conducts research and analysis for complex and sensitive classification files
• Provides strategic advice and risk assessments to senior leadership on classification and organizational design to support decision making
• Collaborates with other human resources (HR) disciplines to ensure a holistic HR approach
• Provides mentoring and guidance to participants in our classification development program

UNI-09 Senior Classification Advisor (Subject matter expert)

• Leads major classification projects with department wide impact
• Provides expert advice on complex, precedent-setting issues
• Helps shape classification governance framework and modernization initiatives
• Provides mentoring and guidance to classification colleague

UNI-09 Classification Supervisor

• Leads and develops a team of classification professionals.
• Provides strategic advice and guidance on complex classification and organizational matters.
• Leads initiatives and projects with significant organizational impact.
• Influences workforce and organizational decisions through collaboration with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Contributes to the advancement of classification programs, governance, and strategic priorities.

Salary

To find out more about our salary scale, vacation allowances and benefits (health, dental and pension plans, etc.), visit the Compensation page on our website.

Area of selection

Open to Canadian citizens.

Location

Ottawa, Ontario. CSE has two accessible facilities. Flexible work arrangements, including telework for a portion of the work week, may be possible.

Conditions of employment

An Enhanced Top Secret (ETS) security clearance is a condition of employment that must be met before an offer can be made.

More information about our hiring and security process can be found on our website.

Essential qualifications

In order to be considered, your cover letter must clearly explain how you meet the following education and experience requirements.

Education

You must have either one of the following:

• Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization in human resources management, psychology, public or business administration, organizational development, education sciences, social sciences, sociology, or in any other field relevant to the work to be performed, OR
• An acceptable combination of education (i.e., college diploma, professional certification) and relevant experience.

Note: The educational program must be recognized in Canada, and you must be able to provide proof of education credentials.

Experience

For Classification Officer positions (UNI-06)

• Experience providing HR advice to clients or senior leaders
• Experience conducting research and analysis, and providing a summary of findings

For Classification Advisor positions (UNI-07)

• Experience providing advice, guidance and recommendations on classification matters
• Experience participating in job evaluation committees
• Experience conducting relativity studies

For Senior Classification Advisor positions (UNI-08)

• Experience providing advice, guidance and recommendations to clients on complex classification matters
• Experience providing advice, guidance and recommendations to clients on organizational design
• Experience chairing job evaluation committees
• Experience mentoring and coaching classification trainees

For Classification Advisor – Subject matter expert / Supervisor positions (UNI-09)

• Experience leading complex classification projects (e.g., pay equity, conversion) and other significant department-wide initiatives.
• Experience mentoring or coaching classification trainees.
• Experience working with other HR disciplines on complex, cross-functional HR matters.
• Experience briefing senior management on key HR initiatives.

Official language requirements

Various Bilingual Imperative Profiles: BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC

• Bilingual means that knowledge of both official languages (English and French) is required for the position.
• Imperative means that you must possess the knowledge of both official languages before a job offer can be made.
• The profile (e.g. BBB/BBB) represent the proficiency level you must demonstrate in each of the language skills (reading, writing and oral interaction) for the bilingual position. For bilingual positions, second language evaluations will be offered to candidates who don’t have valid language test results issued by the Government of Canada.

Find out more about the language requirements of positions.

Competencies

The following technical, behavioural and leadership competencies will be assessed at a later date. You do not need to include information about them in your application.

Technical competencies

For all positions:

• Knowledge of Human Resources Disciplines
• Information Gathering and Analysis
• Classification Practices and Principles

Behavioural competencies

• Cognitive Thinking Skills (all positions)
• Service (all positions)
• Accountability and Autonomy (UNI-07, 08 and UNI-09 SME positions)
• Interactive Communication (UNI-08 and all UNI-09 positions)

Leadership competencies

• Achieving Results (all positions)
• Collaboration (all positions)
• Lead and Motivate (UNI-08 and all UNI-09 positions)
• Integrity, Respect and Awareness (UNI-09 Supervisor positions)
• Strategy Vision (UNI-09 Supervisor positions)
• Change and Innovation (UNI-09 Supervisor positions)

Assets

Assets are “nice-to-have” expertise and skills we’re interested in. You will not be eliminated if you do not meet or possess these qualifications. However, if you do have them, they may be used to identify which team you could best complement.

Please demonstrate on your application if you meet or possess the asset experience listed below.

Asset experience

• Classification accreditation
• Experience in Executive (directors and senior directors) classification
• Experience working on classification grievances
• Experience as a Classification Officer in the Federal Public Service
• For UNI 09 Classification Advisor positions:
  • Experience in project management
  • Experience as a Classification Supervisor / Team Lead

How to apply

You may submit your candidacy online by selecting “Apply” at the top or bottom of this page.

If you cannot apply online or have a disability preventing you from applying online, please inform us by email at careers-carrieres@cse-cst.gc.ca prior to the closing date of this hiring process.

Important information

We ask you to not discuss your application with others (including on social media) besides your partner, or close family members - who should also be reminded about the need to be discreet.

Assessments of candidates are conducted in the official language of their choice.

To address CSE’s current representation gaps, priority may be given to persons who self-declare as belonging to one, or more, designated employment equity groups: women; Indigenous peoples, including First Nations who are status, or registered and non-status, or non-registered, Inuit and Métis; persons with disabilities, including people with a mental health condition and neurodivergent people; and persons from racial or ethnic groups.

Please note the Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

CSE offers an assessment process that will accommodate any reasonable measures you require to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Those measures are available to all candidates during our processes. Information you provide will be addressed confidentially.

The level of competence demonstrated in the various assessments will be used to determine your qualifications for the UNI-06, UNI-07, UNI-08 or UNI-09 level.

All communications with CSE relating to this process, including email messages and telephone conversations, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

The intent of this process is to fill vacant positions at CSE. The process may also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates which could be used to staff similar or identical positions with various tenures.

Due to the nature of CSE’s mandate certain roles may expose employees to content that is difficult to process. Mental health is a priority at CSE and if any personnel feel they require assistance to preserve their mental wellbeing, they have access to services, tools and other resources to help them in both their personal and professional lives.

Please note that in an effort to maintain balance between employee development and business needs, candidates who are hired at CSE must remain in their substantive position for a minimum of twelve (12) months subject to operational requirements.

We thank you for your interest in CSE. However, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.