Director For Ontario Jobs

This role is an opportunity to have a major impact in shaping climate and energy policy in Ontario. As our Director for Ontario, you will be a senior member of our team. You will advocate for economically-minded climate policy in Ontario, and also have the opportunity to contribute and speak to national research, policy and strategy work across our organization. You will be our lead Ontario spokesperson, and will be responsible for managing relationships with Ontario media.

This is a new role for our organization. While Clean Prosperity has done government relations work in Ontario, you will be our first Ontario Director. If you’re the right candidate, you’ll be excited about the opportunity to shape the strategy and direction of this new division. Together, we plan to achieve big things!

At Clean Prosperity, our mission is to help Canada transition to a net-zero emissions economy in a way that is affordable for Canadians and generates economic growth all across the country. We believe the government's role should be focused on creating the right incentives for the private sector to decarbonize.

We are passionate about what we do and we are looking for a smart, ambitious person to join our team to lead our work in Ontario.

Please note that Clean Prosperity is committed to diversity in its hiring processes. As such, we welcome applications from members of visible minorities, First Nations, Métis, Inuit, persons with disabilities, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to help provide a diverse range of perspectives and lived experiences.

THE ROLE

The Director for Ontario oversees government relations, stakeholder relations and media relations in Ontario. This is a senior role within the organization where you will be expected to drive our overall strategy in Ontario while also contributing to organization-wide policy objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Below is a list of key responsibilities currently envisioned for this role. We are a fast-paced organization with evolving priorities so these responsibilities may change. Over time, we expect the Ontario Director to take ownership over setting their own priorities:

Government Relations including:

• Undertake similar activities to the above with relevant staff from political parties
• Regularly engage relevant government officials – including elected leaders, political staff and departmental staff – regarding climate and energy policy
• Draft formal communications to government including submitting feedback as part of government consultations
• Represent Clean Prosperity at government briefings, hearings and related events

Stakeholder relations - including:

• Identify and engage other stakeholders who will be influential on topics related to our policy agenda with a particular focus on building strong relationships with the business and investor communities
• Attend / present at relevant events such as conferences, forums and conventions on topics of interest to the organization

Media Relations:

• Build relationships with members of the Ontario press corps
• Develop an overall media strategy and content for Ontario, in coordination with our communications team
• Serve as a spokesperson for the organization with Ontario media

Policy Research & Development:

While we have a small policy team to do deeper policy research, you will be required to develop sufficient technical expertise to advise government officials on our climate policy priorities. You may also be asked from time-to-time to undertake modest research assignments on questions of policy.

In addition to the responsibilities described above, you will be asked to contribute to other organizational priorities from time-to-time.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE NEEDED

The below list represents our ideal set of qualifications. We encourage you to apply if most of these are a fit, even if there’s one or two that aren’t:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 8 years of work experience
• Willingness to travel within Canada when circumstances require (we anticipate travel will only be approximately once per quarter mostly in Ontario but we want you to be prepared for the possibility of traveling more)
• Ability to work independently and effectively - you will need to be a self-starter who knows how to get things done and how to adapt in a fast-paced and quickly changing environment
• Significant experience (3 years minimum, ideally more) in either a policy role within government and/or conducting government relations. Any past work experience that would provide credibility with Ontario’s current government is seen as highly desirable.
• Basic comfort in reviewing policy reports from academics
• Highly effective communicator who can make compelling presentations to small and large groups, including simplifying technical topics
• Superb people skills – you must be able to build relationships quickly, work with people across the political spectrum, and find common ground with those who disagree with you
• Baseline understanding of climate and energy policy (deeper understanding is a bonus) and a belief that Canada should reach net-zero by 2050

The Team

We are a small but mighty team that includes our Executive Director, Director of Federal Government Relations, Director for Western Canada, Director of Communications, Director of Research, Director of Policy, Communications Manager, Research Associate, and Operations Manager. We will shortly be hiring a Program Associate for Western Canada.

You will report to the Executive Director but will work closely with all members of our team, especially our Director of Policy and Director of Communications.

While you will be the only staff member currently dedicated to Ontario public affairs, there may be an opportunity to expand the team in the future, especially if we can demonstrate a track record of success.

Location + Hours

As our representative for Ontario government relations, we expect you to be based in the Greater Toronto Area, as you’ll need to regularly travel to Queen’s Park and for other meetings in downtown Toronto.

All of our team works from home. We will set you up with a home office budget to ensure you have a comfortable and effective setup.

We typically work a standard 7.5 hour workday but are much more concerned about results and getting things done effectively than when you’re working. Note that due to the nature of your role, there may be a need to work during non-work hours at times, but you will have the flexibility to compensate by taking time off during the workday.

You will have regular opportunities to meet with other members of the staff, as many members of our team are based in the Toronto and Ottawa areas. In particular, you will have the opportunity to meet with our Executive Director at least monthly. We also hold an in-person staff retreat at least once per year.

Compensation

We’re seeking a star candidate who can fill a senior role leading our work in Ontario. While we are a nonprofit, most of our staff come from the private sector and we intend to pay a competitive salary. We don’t list salaries in job ads since it depends on level of experience but we understand this is an important consideration for any applicant and we will discuss salary during our first interview with you. In addition to your salary, you will also be entitled to benefits.

Just as importantly, you’ll be working on something you truly believe in with other passionate people.

Our Work Environment

We are committed to creating a work environment that is fun, fulfilling and effective. During the interview process, we will spend a lot of time talking about culture and fit, including sharing with you our team charter and more about our core values of humility, grit, empathy and openness. You’ll also have a chance to meet several members of our team so you get as full a picture as possible of what it would be like to work with us. And while we have a strong culture already, we value the new ideas and fresh perspective that every new member of our team brings with them.

How to apply

If interested, please send an email to [email protected] with title “Application for Ontario Director” that includes:

1. Your resume

2. A cover letter that explains why you want to work with us, why you’d be a good fit, and something that you’re passionate about outside of work (e.g. a hobby, a guilty pleasure, a favourite band).