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Senior Advisor, Government Relations & Policy6902 Ottawa

Defence Construction Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

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    Save this job      2025-09-20

Senior Advisor, Government Relations & Policy6902 Ottawa

Defence Construction Canada

Ottawa, Ontario
 
Salary: $133,933 - $174,113
 

 

 

SUMMARY 

Reporting to the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, the Senior Advisor, Government Relations and Policy, plays a strategic and critical role in fostering meaningful engagement with government stakeholders, other public institutions and policymakers at all levels. The incumbent develops and executes strategies to engage with Federal government officials and agencies, advocating for DCC’s interests, and building effective relationships to advance DCC’s corporate strategic objectives. 

KEY AND PERIODIC ACTIVITIES 
The duties and responsibilities listed below are representative but not all-inclusive: 
Primary 

  • Proactively monitor, analyze and interpret relevant programs and activities to gather information and intelligence on emerging risks, challenges and opportunities for DCC 
  • Build network of government relations officials in the public service, as well as thought leaders, and nurture these strategic relationships 
  • Identify broad range of other internal and external stakeholders, related to matters of both immediate concern as well as future concern, and coordinate responses and solutions 
  • Represent and advocate for DCC at meetings and events with government officials, associations, and other relevant entities to advance key interests 
  • Develop government relations plans and advocacy strategies • Conduct environmental scans of government activities, initiatives, priorities and other aspects of interest to DCC 
  • Provide political guidance for deliverables (e.g. memos, strategic updates, ministerial or other briefings, key messages on specific matters, and other reports), and manage responses to inquiries from external entities, and keep all relevant entities and colleagues abreast of status of issues 
  • Develop high-level communications and briefing materials in collaboration with other DCC teams, and lead, write, and advice on responses to inquiries from government officials at any level across Canada 
  • Provide timely, well-supported expert advice and recommendations (e.g. on implications of and opportunities for DCC related to various issues), and lead the creation of briefing notes, presentations, and reports for the President and members of the Senior Management Group 
  • Provide advice and recommendations on advocacy initiatives related to emerging issues and opportunities for DCC based on in-depth analysis, through both written notes and formal briefings 

Other

  • Other duties as assigned 

SKILLS 
General and Specific Knowledge 

  • Best practices, trends and expectations in government relations and policy 
  • Government policies, guidelines, and legislation 
  • Project and risk management principles 

Formal Education and/or Certification(s) and Experience 

  • Minimum: university degree in political science, public affairs and policy management, government relations, law or related field with four years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent 
  • Preferred: graduate degree (e.g., Master of Public Policy and Administration or Master of Arts Public and International Affairs) with four years’ relevant experience, or the equivalent 

Abilities 

  • Demonstrate strong understanding of government policy and implications for DCC 
  • Demonstrate strong business acumen • Manage multiple deadlines and priorities 
  • Resolve complex problems with multiple stakeholders 
  • Apply risk management techniques 
  • Use applicable computer software and operating systems 

DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP 

  • Provide advice to senior management, including executives 
  • Provide functional direction and advice to employees, and representatives of the ClientPartners and other government entities

 WORKING CONDITIONS 

  • Typical office environment with occasional travel

Check out the benefits

Working with DCC offers excellent opportunities for growth – and entitles you to one of the job market’s best benefits packages. In your role, your package is valued at 25% to 30% of your salary.

Your package will include:

  • Public service pension
  • 100% employer-paid annual sick leave, health and dental premiums, and life, accidental death, and short- and long-term disability insurance
  • $400 Wellness Allowance (e.g., gym membership)
  • $1,500 for mental health services on top of regular $1,500 paramedical coverage
  • $750 Health Care Spending Account (for some medical expenses that aren’t covered under provincial plans or our standard insurance plan)
  • Telus Virtual Health Care
  • Maternity and parental leave top-up plan to 93% of regular gross earnings for a maximum of 37 weeks
  • Hybrid workplace options including $400 allowance every two years to support work-from-home options
  • Enhanced inConfidence employee and family assistance program
  • Deluxe travel benefit plans
  • Comprehensive vacation and other paid leave plans

To begin a career with Defence Construction Canada (DCC), you must be a Canadian Citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.  As a condition of employment with DCC, a minimum reliability security status clearance is required and some roles may require secret security status clearance.

DCC is responsible for the Personnel Security Clearance process. Typically to be eligible for a "Reliability" clearance, you must have five years of verifiable background information and to be eligible for a "Secret" clearance, you must have 10 years of verifiable background information. The process usually involves reference inquiries, verification of qualifications, criminal records checks, and credit checks (as required) and may require fingerprints. For more information about obtaining a security clearance, please review the Standard on Security Screening.

The appropriate security clearance is a condition of employment and it is the candidate’s or employee’s responsibility to ensure, they are able to obtain and maintain their required security level clearance to begin or continue their employment with DCC.  Failure to obtain or maintain, the appropriate level of security clearance means either the candidate or employee will not receive a job offer, the conditional offer will be rendered null and void or their employment will be terminated with cause. A thorough security clearance process will be applied to all candidates or employees considered for an appointment; this process includes inquiries, verifications and assessments regarding matters such as, but not limited to:

  • criminal record checks

  • reference checks

  • previous employment

  • open source checks

  • credit/financial status


DCC's Code of Business Conduct (Code) is a condition of employment. It serves to enhance public confidence in the integrity of DCC Employees and provides clarity to Employees on a number of issues, including real or perceived conflicts of interest. Before applying to this (or any) position at DCC, candidates shall familiarize themselves with the Code, because new employees are required to certify that they have read, understood, and agreed to observe the Code upon commencing work at DCC. Employees are further required to review their obligations under the Code and notify the President's Office of any changes in their circumstances at the earliest possible opportunity, and to complete the Annual Update once a year.


Be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace!

At DCC, we are committed to ensuring everyone has a voice and can be their authentic selves in our workplace. We actively encourage applications from all, including but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and members of the LGBTQ2+ community. We also welcome applications from those who are not Canadian citizens who are eligible to work in Canada and have at least 5 years of verifiable background information.

DCC is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all requests for accommodation based on a medical contraindication, religion or another prohibited ground for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Should you require accommodation, please email careers@dcc-cdc.gc.ca.

We are committed to hiring military and Veteran spouses and encourage you to identify your connection with the MSEN when reaching out to us or applying to any of our open roles.

 

Have questions or want to learn more about us? We would love to hear from you!

Michelle.Scheidegger@dcc-cdc.gc.ca

 

Whenever possible, reach out to a named contact rather than a general inbox  - it helps ensure a quicker, more personalized response. If you hit a bounce-back, let us know at

employment.Emploi@cfmws.com

 

About Defence Construction Canada

Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is a Crown corporation that provides innovative and cost-effective contracting, construction contract management, infrastructure and environmental services, and lifecycle support for Canada's defence requirements. Our Client-Partners are the Assistant Deputy Minister Infrastructure and Environment (ADM IE) Group at the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).