Brief Description:

The Associate Director of Canada Government Relations will lead ONE’s government relations work in Canada and will be responsible for designing and delivering strategies to ensure ONE achieves impact through its policy analysis and engagement on our key policy issues. S/he will work closely with North America team to design and lead integrated change strategies and help identify trends and issues regarding international development, and global health to develop innovative actions and leverage Canadian government efforts to maximise our impact.
S/he will be responsible for ensuring ONE builds and maintains effective relationships with key targets in Canada’s parliament, government and the policy community, to advance ONE’s objectives.
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished and “hands-on” leader and self-starter with excellent people management and communications skills, able to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic working environment, be flexible and to represent ONE to senior external stakeholders with credibility and impact. Demonstrable knowledge of international development issues in a Canadian context is essential. The Associate Director of Canada Government Relations will be based remotely in the Ottawa area and expected to spend time in the halls of Parliament, making connection and working our causes.
The selected candidate is required to register under the Federal Canadian Lobbying Act.
IN THIS ROLE, YOU WILL
Develop strategies to identify and engage with parliamentary and government targets and lead on building and maintaining those relationships
Lead on government relations & advocacy work for Canada campaigns, including managing relationships with elected officials and policy-makers, preparing documents on specific development issues for a range of stakeholders, lobbying targets and audiences and crafting articles for blog posts, briefing documents and talking points
Working closely with the Associate Director for Media and Communications, the Campaigns Manager and other relevant staff across the North America team and broader organization, identify trends and issues within the development sector and wider Canada public and political context, and develop strategies, projects and interventions around these as appropriate
Support the Campaigns Manager with training on the Canadian political and parliamentary system, how to interact with elected officials and ONE’s policy issues for ONE’s Global Activists and volunteers
Ensure the provision of policy and political analysis on Canada development policy issues, and Canadian perspectives to ONE’s global policy discussions, ensuring global and Canadian positions are compatible
Ensure access for ONE at relevant high-level meetings, lead the setting of strategies for these meetings, represent ONE at these meetings as required, and/or ensure that other ONE representatives in North America are properly briefed.
Lead the conceptualisation and organisation of events as required to advance ONE’s Canada policy and advocacy objectives, including at Canadian events on Parliament Hilland other high-profile moments
Represent ONE at local, regional and global events
Line manage the Policy and Government Relations Coordinator and other roles as required
Any other duties as required by the role
WHAT YOU BRING TO ONE
Bachelor’s degree in development, government relations, politics, economics, international relations or a related field, or relevant work experience
Minimum 10+ years of relevant work experience plus 5+ years’ in a management or lead capacity within international development, civil society, media or government, with experience working in or around Parliament Hill
Experience of managing people and budgets, and directing team performance for maximum success
Significant experience of working on development policy in an NGO, think tank, legislature or government, including at least three years in a management or leadership capacity
Strong political judgement and understanding of the Canada political environment and relevant parliamentary and policy processes.
A demonstrable understanding of the links between advocacy, policy-making, legislation, and the role of external factors such as public opinion, grassroots activism, media coverage and high profile influencers
Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills with the ability to synthesise complex policy documents and translate these for a wider audience
Superb professionalism and diplomacy; ability to interact with high-level individuals internally and externally
Entrepreneurial spirit; does not mind unstructured and sometimes unpredictable environments
Quick turnaround research skills-must have the ability to seek out key facts and statistics that help explain complicated policy topics to broad audience
Ability to manage and mentor a small team
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with shifting priorities
Ability to make a strong positive contribution to a diverse global team
Previous work or life experience in Africa or on African issues desirable
OTHER ATTRIBUTES
An understanding of the complexities surrounding a global organization
Highly organized, detail oriented, self-motivated, and collaborative
Ability to remain positive and constructive engaged in high pressure and stressful situations
Solid critical and analytical thinking
Strong written and oral communication skills
Able to handle difficult conversations with diplomacy and exercise confidentiality
Action oriented and results focused
Flexible and resourceful in approach
Independent problem solver
Outstanding interpersonal and relationship building skills, sound judgement
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Fluency in English required. Proficiency in French is a plus.
TRAVEL:
Travel up to 30%.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The ONE Canada team works primarily remotely, but the Associate Director of Canada Government Relations must be based in Ottawa or the immediate surrounding area to be able to attend in-person meetings on or near Parliament Hill 4-6 times a month, sometimes at short notice and/or in the evening, and at their own expense.

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