Director Government Affairs

Company Overview:

Bondy & Associates, Inc. ('B&A') is a boutique public affairs advisory firm providing government relations and industry intelligence support to clients in critical industries, including national defence, technology, and economic development. Our clients build a better future for Canadians and their long-term interests.

Position Overview:

B&A is seeking an exceptional Government Affairs Director to work with our team and serve our clients with energy and integrity. This role is ideal for an experienced professional who has led client relationships with real-world results, has a significant personal and political network, enjoys crafting and implementing strategies for government engagement, as well as providing strategic advice for our clients. The Director must have a passion for people, have high emotional intelligence, be a flexible thinker, and the ability to work alongside the Managing Director and CEO in a dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Management:

• Cultivate and maintain strong, effective relationships with clients, ensuring their needs are met in a timely manner with professionalism and excellence.
• Lead client meetings, updates, and presentations, providing clear and actionable insights on relevant policy and regulatory matters.
• Develop and implement tailored government affairs plans for each client, including long-term planning and immediate actions to support them in their unique goals.
• Provide high-level strategic advice to clients, ensuring that their government relations objectives align with overall business and policy goals.
• Participate in feedback sessions with clients to ensure client satisfaction and retention.

Government Engagement & Public Affairs:

• Lead government engagement efforts at the municipal, provincial and federal levels, focusing on building and maintaining relationships with government officials, lawmakers, regulators, and influencers relevant to clients interests.
• Develop and execute campaigns to promote client objectives, advocating for policy decisions that align with client goals.
• Monitor and assess emerging public affairs issues and identify opportunities for client advocacy and engagement.
• Organize and facilitate public affairs events, including minister visits, client tours, and stakeholder meetings.

Strategic Advice:

• Provide clients with timely, strategic advice on legislative and regulatory developments at the municipal, provincial and federal levels that may impact their business or sector.
• Analyze and interpret legislation, regulations, and political trends, delivering concise and actionable insights to clients.
• Proactively identify potential risks and opportunities for clients within the political and regulatory environment, offering clear recommendations on how to respond.

Communication:

• Draft high-quality policy briefings, reports, and presentations for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Support clients in preparing for key meetings with government officials by preparing briefs, talking points, and materials.
• Represent clients in meetings with policymakers and stakeholders, ensuring that client perspectives are effectively communicated.

Ethics and Compliance:

• Ensure adherence to lobbying and ethics standards for public affairs professionals, including compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Provide guidance to clients on lobbying registration and reporting requirements, ensuring transparency and accountability in all government relations activities.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of lobbying regulations and best practices, advising clients on any necessary actions to ensure compliance.

6. Collaboration & Leadership:

• Work closely with internal teams to ensure comprehensive and coordinated client service delivery.
• Join team members in regular team meetings, retreats and strategic planning sessions to ensure the smooth operation of the organisation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or college diploma in Political Science, Public Relations, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills
• Experience in politics, government affairs, public relations is required
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Pre-scheduled travel (Waterloo Region, Toronto, Ottawa) is required occasionally

Key Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of current affairs, political actors and public policy issues in Canada
• Ability to build relationships
• Problem solving & initiative
• Exceptional writing skills with a focus on presenting complex ideas concisely
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and prioritize tasks effectively

Compensation: Bondy & Associates offers a competitive compensation package including:

• Salary ($100,000 - $160,000 annually) *negotiable based on qualifications and experience
• Hybrid work arrangements
• Bring your own device allowance
• Health benefits
• Recharge days ahead of each long weekend and three weeks of vacation entitlements
• The opportunity to build something great and work with an exceptional team!

Qualified candidates can apply to ***. Please note, only those candidates advancing to the interview process will be contacted.