Principal - Government Relations

Position summary

Our Principals play a vital role in leading our client teams and ensuring high-value, excellent client service. This position focuses primarily on client relationships management, business development, and management and oversight of client team service delivery. Government Relations Principals report directly to the Business Performance Lead with responsibilities including but not exclusive to the following:

Market Eminence and Business Development

• Identify market opportunities and develop and execute pursuit strategies in support of sales.
• Meet annual internal business development and sales targets.
• Coordinate and develop pitch materials and proposals in support of qualified sales opportunities.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand the scope of service offerings within existing client accounts.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to raise profile publicly, aligned with respective service offering and expertise.

Client Service and Team Management

• Accountable for the administration of the client account, including invoicing, managed revenue splits, sales credits, etc.
• Responsible for management of client team, ensuring that team members understand their respective roles and responsibilities on a client file.
• Support the coaching and development of team members.
• Reconcile views and perspectives within a client team to support the delivery of a single aligned suite of advice and recommendations to the client.
• Meet annual internal managed revenue targets.
• Accountable for ensuring all client materials meet standards for quality, accuracy and completeness.
• Lead multi-faceted client servicing teams in areas of government relations, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and/or other relevant areas.

Material and Product Development

• Collect and analyze relevant information and intelligence.
• Determine the strategy, plan and approach in support of client objectives.
• Develop analysis in support of reports and thought leadership.

Monitoring and Intelligence Gathering

• Proactively identify relevant emerging issues.
• Collect and share intelligence internally as appropriate
• Develop analysis and perspectives based on publicly available information and internally collected intelligence
• Establish and maintain two-way communication with relevant official bodies.
• Develop sectoral and industry-specific expertise

Core Conduct and Expectations

• Ensure behavior aligns with the vision and values of the organization (including justice, equity, diversity and inclusion principles) maintaining professional level consultation with all levels of team members and external clients and in compliance with corporate Code of Conduct.
• Review all materials to ensure accuracy and quality prior to distribution.
• Meet performance standards as defined by the Performance management program, ensuring consistently meeting or exceeding targets established.
• Contribute to internal initiatives in support of the management of the business.
• Manage expectations within your client team and proactively communicate deviations from commitments.
• Ensure timely responses to team member and client requests.
• Undertake responsibilities and assignments in a timely manner.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience effectively leading multiple projects/files, including the ability to prioritize and negotiate when presented with conflicting demands.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Power Point, Visio etc.
• Demonstrated ability to undertake business development activities in pursuit of developing a book of business.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with peers, direct reports, internal and external stakeholders.
• Effective time management skills to manage timelines while working under pressure.
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making abilities to make sound recommendations based on research, alternatives and reputational risks.
• Self motivated with a high level of initiative and exceptional organizational skills.
• Minimum post-secondary degree/ diploma preferred.
• Exceptional verbal and written communications, comfortable with presenting concepts to a diverse audience across the organization.
• Minimum 6-10 years experience working in a similar role or within a professional services consulting firm preferable within public sector, government relations.
• Excellent public speaking, facilitation and/or presentation skills
• Political savviness, ability to identify and respond appropriately understanding various parties and stakeholders involved in decision making processes with the ability to anticipate reactions and recommend solutions.