Director of Government Relations

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Government Relations based in Canada. This is a senior government relations role focused on navigating Canada’s federal and provincial political, policy, and defence environments. You will shape government engagement strategies, build high-level stakeholder relationships, and support advocacy priorities tied to organizational growth. The role requires strong political judgment and the ability to translate complex policy developments into clear, actionable intelligence for senior leadership. You will work across government, defence, public service, industry, and political audiences while maintaining discretion and professional integrity. The position offers substantial ownership in a rapidly scaling defence technology environment with direct exposure to strategic business decisions. Based in Ottawa, the role includes occasional travel within Canada and internationally for meetings, events, and stakeholder engagement. It is well suited to an experienced government relations professional who combines policy expertise, relationship-building, strategic thinking, and executive communication skills.

Develop, maintain, and adapt the government relations strategy, ensuring clear priorities, stakeholder engagement plans, accountability, and follow-through. Recommend engagement objectives, priority stakeholders, sequencing, messaging, tactics, and measures of progress across government relations initiatives. Direct and coordinate retained external government relations advisers, ensuring their activities remain aligned with organizational priorities. Map decision-makers, influencers, implementation leads, and formal and informal pathways through which government decisions are developed and implemented. Build and maintain relationships with parliamentarians, committees, ministers, political staff, senior public servants, defence organizations, economic development agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. Establish and maintain relationships with legislators, ministers, departmental officials, and other stakeholders across Alberta and other relevant jurisdictions. Monitor legislative, regulatory, and policy developments and provide concise assessments of their potential implications for growth, positioning, and commercial priorities. Prepare senior executives for important government engagements by developing objectives, stakeholder intelligence, briefing materials, and key messages. Ensure executive-level meetings are supported by appropriate working-level engagement, coordination, and follow-up. Develop and execute advocacy initiatives independently or through coalitions, industry associations, and other relevant networks on areas such as defence procurement, sovereign industrial capability, innovation, intellectual property, and related priorities. Maintain federal lobbying registrations and monthly communication returns while ensuring compliance with applicable lobbying legislation, codes of conduct, and regulatory guidance. Provide strategic government relations and policy advice to founders and senior leadership in a fast-growing organization. Requirements Significant progressively responsible experience in government relations, politics, public policy, or a closely related field. Extensive professional experience operating in Ottawa, with a strong understanding of Canadian federal political and public-service decision-making processes. Demonstrated ability to develop and execute government relations and advocacy strategies and establish substantive relationships with parliamentarians, political staff, public servants, and other stakeholders. Strong understanding of stakeholder mapping, government decision-making pathways, advocacy strategy, and engagement planning. Excellent judgment, discretion, executive briefing, policy writing, and advocacy capabilities. Ability to identify key decision-makers, understand practical pathways for advancing issues, and translate complex developments into actionable recommendations. Familiarity with Canadian federal lobbying legislation, registration requirements, reporting obligations, and compliance practices. Strong knowledge of Canadian defence, national security, procurement, or industrial policy is preferred. Direct experience in defence, aerospace, national security, or a related sector is an asset. Ability to operate effectively alongside founders and senior executives within a rapidly scaling organization with limited corporate infrastructure. Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build credibility with senior political, government, defence, and industry stakeholders. Must hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a Government of Canada Secret security clearance. Working proficiency in French is preferred. Willingness and ability to travel occasionally to Calgary and to domestic and international meetings and events. Benefits Significant ownership and responsibility for building and shaping a government relations function. Direct exposure to founders and senior leadership and to strategic corporate and commercial decisions. Opportunity to contribute to defence technology, government policy, military capability, industrial development, and national security priorities. Mission-driven environment with opportunities to engage with Canadian and allied-market stakeholders. Competitive compensation with meaningful potential upside associated with joining an early-stage organization. Remote work arrangement with the role based in Ottawa. Occasional domestic and international travel, including travel to the organization’s headquarters in Calgary.

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