Policy and Government Affairs Advisor / Senior Advisor

Since its inception in 1887, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) has been recognized as Western Canada's leading business association, engaging our members to inform public policy at all levels of government and empowering them to succeed and prosper in the global economy. To learn more, we invite you to visit our About Us page:

Policy and Government Affairs Advisor (or Senior Advisor)

The Policy and Government Affairs Advisor (or Senior Advisor) supports the GVBOT’s public policy, advocacy, and government relations priorities by helping translate business issues into clear policy positions and effective advocacy action. Reporting to the Manager, Policy & Stakeholder Relations, the Advisor (or Senior Advisor) will support policy development, government engagement, political monitoring, stakeholder relations, and advocacy initiatives that advance the interests of Greater Vancouver’s business community.

This role is well suited to a professional who understands how government decisions are made and how evidence, relationships, communications, and timing can be brought together to influence outcomes. The successful candidate will be comfortable preparing submissions and briefing materials, supporting and leading meetings with elected officials and senior public servants, monitoring political and legislative developments, and contributing to advocacy projects across municipal, regional, provincial, and federal governments.

To be successful in this position, you must have a passion for entrepreneurship, business, public policy, and the future competitiveness of Greater Vancouver. You will be result-oriented, highly organized, politically aware, collaborative, and energized by a fast-paced environment that places you at the centre of Greater Vancouver’s business community.

Salaried Full Time Staff

Department: Advocacy and Communications

Compensation Range: $60,000 - $77,000

WHAT WE OFFER

· Extended Health Care, Employee Assistance Program Wellness Program

· RRSP Matching and Employee Incentive Program

· Professional work environment with hybrid options

· Paid time off

· Professional development opportunities, peer recognition program and staff-wide activities

· Access to business and thought leaders from across Greater Vancouver

WHAT YOU’LL DO

· Government relations and advocacy: Support the development and execution of government relations and advocacy strategies across municipal, regional, provincial, and federal governments. This includes both preparatory work in support of senior leadership and undertaking these activities personally.

· Political and policy monitoring: Track political, legislative, regulatory, and public policy developments and identify emerging issues affecting the regional business community.

· Committee and member engagement: Support the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Member volunteer policy committees, including agenda development, member engagement, meeting materials, follow-up, and alignment with advocacy priorities.

· Stakeholder relations and coalition building: Build and maintain productive relationships with members, industry associations, chambers of commerce, government officials, and community partners to support shared advocacy objectives.

· Advocacy initiatives: Support strategic projects such as Day on the Hill, budget consultations, election engagement, ministerial meetings, roundtables, site visits, and other targeted government engagement initiatives.

· GVBOT Events : Work with GVBOT Events and Communications teams to develop content for events, policy forums, government engagements, roundtables, and other policy-related events.

· Communications support: Help translate complex policy issues into clear and accessible messages for members, government, media, and the public, including newsletters, backgrounders, speaking notes, presentations, web content, and correspondence.

· Reporting and compliance: Support internal and external policy reporting functions, including materials for senior leadership, the Board of Directors, committees, and lobbyist registry requirements.

· Special projects: Lead or support special projects and reports, as required and assigned by the Manager, Policy & Stakeholder Relations, Vice President, President and CEO, and/or Board of Directors.

WHO YOU ARE

Education

· Bachelor’s degree or technical school diploma, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

· Education in political science, public policy, economics, public administration, business, communications, law, or a related field is considered an asset.

Preferred Experience

· Demonstrated minimum three to five years of experience in public policy, government relations, advocacy, public affairs, stakeholder relations, political offices, government, industry associations, or a related field.

· Working with elected officials, political staff, senior public servants, member organizations, business leaders, volunteers, and external partners.

· Supporting advocacy strategies, government engagement plans, stakeholder mobilization, or public affairs initiatives.

· Conducting policy research and preparing written materials for government, business, executive, or public audiences.

· Understanding of and/or experience supporting provincial and/or federal lobbying, including knowledge of applicable lobbying registration and compliance requirements.

· Understanding of Greater Vancouver’s business community, economic issues, and public policy landscape is considered an asset.

· Knowledge of specialized and personal computer systems and databases, internet, and software applications, particularly Microsoft Office.

Required Skills

· Strong writing, editing, briefing, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively.

· Strong political awareness and sound judgment, with the ability to operate effectively in a non-partisan business association environment.

· Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with members, colleagues, senior management, Board members, government representatives, and external stakeholders.

· Organized, detail-oriented, and skilled at balancing multiple projects, deadlines, events, and stakeholder needs.

· A collaborative team player who is also self-motivated and able to work independently.

· Curiosity about public policy, current events, government decision-making, and the relationship between business, the economy, and government.

· Candidates who demonstrate a higher level of relevant experience may be considered for the Senior Advisor role.

ADDITIONAL FACTORS

· The successful applicant will need to maintain flexible scheduling as early morning events occur several times each month. The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade engages in multiple high-volume activities that require careful scheduling and often require last-minute changes.

Thank you for your interest! If this description sounds like you, please submit your cover letter and resume to ***email_hidden*** with the position title as the subject line. If you require accommodation during any phase of the hiring process, please let us know. Information received in relation to accommodation requests will be kept confidential. We welcome applications from under-represented groups and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse stakeholder groups. We thank all applicants for their time and interest but only those who are selected to interview will be contacted.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT

STRONGER TOGETHER

The GVBOT is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment that embraces, encourages, supports and celebrates our employees, volunteers and board of directors’ dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, spiritual beliefs, political beliefs, and other ideologies. Diverse perspectives draw on different concepts, ideas and experience, and enrich decision making and our effectiveness. The health and wellbeing of our organization is our number one priority, and we have zero tolerance for discrimination. Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of our Purpose: To lead, unite and champion business to ensure Greater Vancouver is thriving and our region is the best place to live and work. By embracing, including and celebrating our differences, we are stronger. We are committed to championing diversity and ensuring inclusion in all that we do to better represent the Greater Vancouver business community.

COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION

The GVBOT recognizes and respects that our programs, events, and services are located on the traditional and ancestral territories of Indigenous Peoples, specifically the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nations. We acknowledge the relationship that Indigenous people have to their territories and the suffering and systemic inequities faced by Indigenous Peoples.

The GVBOT is committed to reconciliation and will demonstrate this by supporting Indigenous Peoples in the communities we serve. With a mandate to lead, unite and champion business to ensure Greater Vancouver is thriving, we will work towards a shared vision to make Vancouver stronger and a region that thrives on its true history, partnerships and business landscape. The GVBOT is committed to our role in addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report, specifically Calls to Action 92ii and 92iii, which outline a reconciliation framework for the corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.