About the job
The Portage Group is supporting Association & Events Management International in hiring a Manager, Government and Stakeholder Relations, to focus on AEMI’s client, Pension Investment Association of Canada (PIAC). For more information about AEMI and PIAC, please visit aemanagement.ca and piacweb.org.
The Manager, Government and Stakeholder Relations (Manager) is responsible for all advocacy, government relations, and external stakeholder management functions and provides strategic counsel and policy advice. The position reports to the Executive Director.
The Manager will support the Executive Director and PIAC Board of Directors in the development and execution of advocacy goals as well as a government relations program to achieve it.
Most of the Manager’s advocacy work deals with federal departments and provincial ministries, and regulators responsible for overseeing pensions and financial markets.
Stakeholder relations work includes relations with other pension and financial sector organizations to leverage PIAC’s profile and effectiveness.
Position Description
PIAC is creating a new management level position to join the staff team at the Toronto office, although there will be flexibility around when and how often the person is physically in the office.
The position will:
- conduct necessary research.
- draft submissions as required to support the work of the Board and committees.
- monitor the regulatory and market landscape for issues of relevance to pension management.
- track and document all the various advocacy efforts of the association.
- arrange for and support meetings with regulators and policy makers.
- build relationships with other relevant associations.
- prepare communications to the membership to update them on PIAC’s advocacy efforts.
- attend Board and committee meetings as required to provide updates on advocacy activities and ensure the coordination between various PIAC entities regarding advocacy efforts.
- proactively take the lead in working with the volunteers on all committees to prepare submissions.
- manage the submission approval process from notification of the board and membership to assisting with the creation of the document to shepherding it through the committee review process to final approval by the Board of Directors, and
- following approval, the document must be submitted to the relevant authority, posted to the website and the membership informed, with management of related LinkedIn and media posts.
Further, the Manager, Government and Stakeholder Relations will work with the Executive Director to prepare the agenda and materials for each of the Government Relations Committee (GRC) meetings. Duties include taking minutes, maintaining the GRC Project List and the Advocacy Tracking Report (which tracks the work of all committees). The Manager will ensure that any new content covered by submissions is captured in the Advocacy Summary and keep the PIAC Advocacy meetings and PIAC representatives on Governmental Bodies list up to date.
The Manager will have access to confidential member information and will require an understanding of the privacy provisions that apply to PIAC members.
Qualifications
Qualified candidates for the Manager role must have lobbying experience, including prior experience in an association, government relations firm, or corporate public affairs role and/or experience in a federal or provincial government relevant to pension or financial regulation. A thorough understanding of government policy and regulation development is required. Experience and understanding of the pension and/or financial sectors are an asset. Excellent writing and communication skills are a requirement.
The position also requires an effective communicator and relationship builder. The Manager is responsible for preparing many communications including submissions, newsletters, interpretative bulletins and alerts, and insightful updates on government policy (e.g., budgets, Speech from the Throne).
Candidates will have a university degree in a relevant field. Fluency in French is an asset.
The Manager must show initiative and be a self-starter.
Application Process
Qualified individuals are invited to apply, in confidence, to The Portage Group (attention Jack Shand, FCMC, Executive Partner), at piacgr@portagegroup.com
Please include a résumé and a cover letter addressing fit to the role. A statement of salary expectations will be helpful. Consideration of candidates will begin immediately and continue until a hiring decision is made. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted.
Of note, the compensation range is consistent and competitive with comparable (size, scope, etc.) manager level positions (reference: annual compensation research of the Canadian Society of Association Executives).
PIAC is strongly committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from all with the experience the position requires.
