Job Posting
Manager, Government Relations
Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA)
“The Voice of Canada’s Residential Construction Industry Since 1943”
Position Type: Full-Time
Salary: Commensurate with Education & Experience
Job Location: National Office - 141 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
Are you passionate about having a job that makes a difference? What about effecting change on a national scale regarding key issues like climate change and helping Canadians attain their housing dreams? CHBA’s mission is to support our members and their ability to meet the aspirations of Canadians for housing affordability, quality, and choice. To do that, we work with all levels of government to provide industry experience with the goal making a better country for everyone. Whether it’s ensuring we have a strong building code that keeps housing affordability a priority, developing smart climate change policies, moving to Net Zero levels of energy performance on a voluntary basis, or addressing housing supply challenges so there are more homes that people can afford, our association is part of positive progress for Canadians.
Be part of it all by working at CHBA’s national office. We are currently seeking a dynamic government relations professional to manage our federal government relations activities. Reporting to the Senior Director, Policy & Government Relations, and as a key member of CHBA’s Policy Team led by CEO, Kevin Lee, this manager will develop and implement advocacy strategies, liaise with MP, Ministerial offices, and selected departmental and agency officials, prepare submissions (in collaboration with other CHBA experts) to federal consultations and parliamentary committees, manage CHBA’s annual Day on Parliament Hill, provide input to CHBA’s communications team on media releases/social media, engage with our provincial and local associations on government relations, and more.
ABOUT THE JOB
Key Responsibilities
Deliver Government Relations Activities by:
- Maintain a watching brief on Federal political, policy, regulatory and other activities related to housing and residential construction and recommend and implement responses to those activities
- Build and maintain relationships with MP, Ministerial offices, and key public servants and Crown corporation managers
- Prepare public consultation submissions, pre-Budget submissions, and parliamentary committee submissions (in collaboration with the rest of CHBA’s staff
- Lead the development and execution of CHBA’s Day on Parliament Hill and other potential engagement activities
- Liaise with Provincial and Local Home Builders’ Association Staff on key GR files
Support Key Policy Files:
- Work as part of CHBA’s policy team, to support the development and updating of key policy positions for the Association
- Work collaboratively with CHBA colleagues to align government relations advocacy and policy development
Support member engagement:
- Contribute to daily, weekly, and monthly member communications
- Contribute to Communications activities, including webinars, publications, etc.
ABOUT YOU, THE CANDIDATE
Essential Requirements
Education:
Post-Secondary Degree or Diploma in a related field
Experience:
- A minimum of three (3) years’ recent practical work experience in a related field
- Experience delivering advocacy and government relations
- Experience in liaison with political offices
- Asset: Experience engaging with government officials in the federal government
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Knowledge:
- Knowledge of government relations and advocacy strategy and tactics
- Knowledge of policy development
- Knowledge of Parliamentary processes related to the development of federal legislation, policies, and programs
- In-depth knowledge of Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
- Asset: Knowledge of policy related to the residential construction industry
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to assess political and policy environments, organizational priorities, public and media perceptions and other externalities to formulate strategic advocacy and engagement plans
- Ability to develop strong working relationships that encourage cooperation
- Ability to multi-task, advancing multiple projects and activities simultaneously
- Exceptional writing and synthesis, research and content development skills
- Strong verbal communication skills
- Strong presentation skills
- Asset: Ability to communicate in both English and French
Team Fit:
- Self-starter who thrives in an environment where he/she can be equally successful working independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment
- Outstanding interpersonal skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Detail-oriented
- Time management skills
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and competing deadlines
- Enthusiastic desire to contribute to the overall success of the CHBA and its members
- Emotional intelligence: effective understanding of oneself and others and ability to relate well to other people.
ABOUT CHBA
How we deliver our services
CHBA is the national level of one association working at three levels – nationally, provincially and locally. Our members join a Local Home Builders’ Association (HBA), and in so doing also become members of the provincial and national levels of the Association. There are over 60 constituents (local and provincial) HBAs in the Association.
Our membership is made up of over 8,500 leading companies from coast to coast – including home builders, renovators, land developers, trade contractors, product and material manufacturers, building product suppliers, lending institutions, insurance providers, and service professionals. Our industry currently represents over $150B of economic activity and over 1 million on- and off-site jobs.
The members engaged with the National Association are leaders in the industry and within the local and provincial levels of the Association – they are successful business people who volunteer their time for years to give back to the industry and support its overall success.
Each level of the Association works to support the members and works with the government at its level (federal, provincial or municipal) to advance the interests of the industry and Canadians with respect to housing. The three levels of the Association collaborate to ensure a consistent approach towards real solutions that will benefit members and consumers alike.
CHBA is a federal not-for-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership, supported by our professional staff.
At the national level, our system of Committees and Councils brings together industry experts from across the country to share information and ideas, collaborate on common issues, and to formulate recommendations to governments to improve the quality, affordability and choice of homes for Canadians.
Our Team
The national office staff is a high-performance team of cross-disciplinary professionals working in a dynamic and welcoming work environment. There is a great deal of comradery in our day-to-day dealings with each other, our constituent associations, our Board leadership and its Executive Committee, and our members. We juggle a variety of work activities that allow us to take on new challenges and develop new skills and make use of the multi-disciplinary team we have on staff. We value a positive and collaborative work environment above all, striving for continuous improvement, and at all times treat each other with respect.
- We are naturally entrepreneurial and innovative and enjoy collaborating on new ways of approaching a task or challenge.
- We work both autonomously and together in teams, knowing that we each bring our own expert contribution to the organization.
- We are not shy about asking for help and we celebrate each other’s strengths.
We are constantly and solely focused on delivering the best services and support to our membership, in the most efficient and effective manner possible, always bearing in mind that per our strategic plan: "CHBA exists to serve the interests of our industry and to help our members succeed and prosper as they strive to fulfill the housing aspirations of Canadians."
Our Location
Located on Laurier Avenue just beside the Lord Elgin Hotel on Elgin Street, CHBA’s new offices are a stone’s throw from Parliament Hill and key government agencies, where CHBA staff have meetings on a regular basis. The renovated space offers our staff a wonderful work environment, with new office furniture, high-tech boardrooms, a spacious kitchen, casual meeting and group work spaces, a dedicated video room and more. Connected to the Marriott and Metcalfe hotels next door, there is easy access to various amenities, including CHBA discounted rates for membership at the hotels’ fitness centre, pool, sauna and whirlpool facilities (which all CHBA staff make use of). Parking for vehicles and dedicated secure storage for bikes is available, and the location offers easy access to public transit and outdoor activity areas along the canal. Close to many restaurants and stores, the location provides quick access to Sparks Street, Elgin Street, the Rideau Centre and the Byward Market.
Hours of work
The core hours of work are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday, though some flexibility is available. Given the nature of the role, some work activities may occur outside core hours of work, and overtime will be required from time to time. There may be a requirement to travel within Canada to attend meetings.
Please submit your resume and cover letter to recruiting@ihradvisoryservices.ca. CHBA is looking to fill this position ASAP, and will assess applications as they are received. Accordingly, there is no closing date for this posting. The application process for this posting will close when we have received a sufficient number of qualified applicants.
Accommodations will be provided at all stages of the hiring process. We ask applicants to make their needs known in advance.
We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.