Provincial Firearms Officer; Program Admin Officer

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Competition #: 47696

Department: Justice

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: 21-Jan-26 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

The Nova Scotia Provincial Firearms Office is responsible for the administration of the Firearms Act and its regulations and programs in Nova Scotia on behalf of Canada and in accordance with the deliverables of the federal-provincial agreement to administer the federal legislation in Nova Scotia. Our mission is to enhance public safety by reducing risk of harm from misuse of firearms.

You will be designated a firearms officer and inspector by the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) in accordance with the Firearms Act. Under the direction of the Manager, Provincial Firearms Office and the supervision of the Operations’ Coordinator (OC) you will be responsible to administer the Firearms Act, its regulations, and Part III of the Criminal Code in Nova Scotia.

You will assess risk to public safety by conducting eligibility and background investigations and/or inspections and make decisions for or against issuing firearms licences, authorizations, or approvals. Where a public safety concern has arisen about the holder of any licence, authorization, or approval you will assess the risk to public safety and make decisions on the continuance or the revoking of the privilege.

You may be required to attend court to defend your decision or action.

• Conducting complex investigations to assess the public risk of individuals having access to firearms by researching records and reports, and by interviewing any person who may provide relevant information pertaining to the eligibility of an individual to hold a licence or authorization.
• Making decisions using your skills, knowledge, experience and training with regard to firearms ownership, possession and acquisition and revoking or approving those privileges as appropriate to the circumstances.
• Conducting thorough inspections of shooting ranges, businesses, premises, or records to ensure regulatory compliance with firearms legislation and to enhance public safety.
• You will provide advice and guidance to clients and respond to enquiries relating to regulatory compliance and adherence to the regulations.
• Build strong working relationships with the public, licensees, other compliance agencies, police agencies and other levels of government.
• Any other duties assigned as required.

You have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus a minimum of 1-year related experience or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Recent experience (within the past two years) conducting detailed background investigations and risk assessments using personal interviews and research is also required. You must be able to analyze information and make decisions on whether risk exists or not. You must also have proficiency with various computer data storage and retrieval systems.

You also have strong communication skills and can interpret complex legislation for lay persons and demonstrate:

• A high degree of judgment and accuracy.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal).
• Diplomacy, resourcefulness with a focus on clients.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work with minimum supervision.

You must also be able to secure confidential information; must be able to prioritize and manage a workload focused on public safety;
You must understand legal terminology.

The following would be considered assets:
Fluency in French, familiarity using topographic maps, compass, GPS and other orienteering tools, recent experience enforcing regulatory compliance.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, :
Benefits for government employees.

Hours of work are 08:30–16:30, with some flexibility permitted by the employer.

The workload is significant, demanding, and often unpredictable. Mental pressure can be considerable, as decisions directly impact public safety.

The majority of time will be spent in an office setting, involving prolonged periods at a computer and on the telephone. Work requires access to secure networks, protected information, and frequent use of phone and email.

Regular inspections of outdoor shooting ranges,…