Public Affairs Officer

As a member of the military, Public Affairs Officers provide sound communications advice at the tactical, operational and strategic levels, and act as key advisors to military commanders during domestic and international operations.

Public Affairs Officers are advisors on all aspects of external and internal communications. They are skilled in developing, executing and evaluating communications approaches designed to inform the public of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) roles, activities and work.

The primary responsibilities of a Public Affairs Officer are to:

• Analyze and evaluate attitudes in the national and international media
• Contribute to policy development
• Gather and provide information internally and externally
• Communicate with journalists, special interest groups and individuals regarding Defence

Work environment

Public Affairs Officers work in a modern office setting. They may work in a wide variety of environments such as major bases and various headquarters across Canada and abroad. They may also be required to deploy anywhere in the world to support CAF operations during times of conflict, peace support operations or humanitarian missions.

If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Ultimately, a Public Affairs Officer’s most important responsibility is to protect the Armed Forces’ most valuable equity: the trust of Canadians.

As this occupation’s focus is on communications, applicants must excel in either or both official languages. If you already have a university degree in Communications, Public Relations, International Relations or Journalism, the CAF will decide if your academic program matches the criteria for this job and may place you directly into the required on-the-job training program following basic training. Previous experience working in public affairs, public relations or journalism is an asset. Basic training and military officer qualification training are required before being assigned.