Government Relations Assistant

**Position Description**:
The Government Relations Assistant supports the office of the Mayor and Council by providing political advice, communication and legislative support to the Corporation. Reporting to the City Clerk and as a member of the legislative services team, the incumbent will track and monitor legislative changes and support Council in government relations initiatives, including developing strong relationships with area municipalities as well as provincial and federal counterparts. The duties of the position require a high degree of professionalism, political acuity, and diplomacy.

**Accountabilities**:

- Provide technical administrative, research and communication support to the office of the Mayor and Council; coordinate logistics for meetings and prepare presentations
- Act as a political advisor to Council, providing advice and recommendations regarding community and intergovernmental relations including the interpretation of government policy, political trends and goals for all three levels of government
- Provide support to the Intergovernmental Relations Team including preparing the annual government relations strategy, drafting and coordinating advocacy correspondence working with respective divisions, attending external meetings with various municipally focused advocacy groups and coordinating advocacy with groups such as FCM and AMO, preparing briefing notes and issue based communication strategies
- Monitors legislative changes proposed or in process, monitors emerging issues, conducts jurisdictional scans and prepares briefing notes and advocacy strategies and documents
- Seeks out new opportunities to build and strengthen relationships with other municipalities including those in the Region and surrounding area, community groups, and provincial and federal counterparts
- Coordinates schedules and agendas for meetings with key community partners, federal and provincial government Ministers and their staff, MPs, MPPs, area Mayors and Councillors
- Maintains content for the Mayor and Council webpages, monitors social media and provides social media and other communication support to the Mayor
- Coordinates events, community sessions and engagement opportunities supporting the strategic plan
- Maintains awareness of ward, community and city-wide municipal matters, and other matters affecting the municipality, the Council and their constituents
- Provides additional support in the elected officials office and to the Corporate Management Team as required

**Minimum Qualifications**:

- Post-secondary diploma or degree (minimum 2 years) in Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration or a related field with a minimum three (3) years’ experience in a government sector with a government relations focus and demonstrated record of working with multiple levels of government in a government relations capacity; equivalent combinations of education, experience and training in related areas may be considered
- Excellent communication skills including strong written composition and presentation preparation skills
- Strong interpersonal skills involving an ability to problem solve and resolve conflict in varied interactions with constituents, elected officials, external groups and staff
- Ability to take initiative and multi-task in a fast-paced environment while attending to details
- Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to handle changing priorities and fluctuating work volumes
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with all staff and members of the public
- Ability to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with confidential issues and information
- Proficient in MS Office and Outlook with a proven ability to learn new computer programs or software
- A satisfactory Police Records and Judicial Matters Check will be required as a condition of hire
- **Pay Band**: As this is a new position, the City’s Joint Job Evaluation and Maintenance Committee will be reviewing the pay band. In the event that the pay band determined through Job Evaluation is lower than the benchmarked band, the successful incumbent’s salary will be red-circled, as required, and they will not receive any pay adjustments until their salary falls within the newly determined band.

**Application Process**

**Job Eligibility**

**Accommodation**

**We’ve Got You Covered**

The City of Waterloo strives to be an employer of choice for strong talent dedicated to serving our community, and offer the following:

- Flexible work schedules to support and nurture work-life balance;
- Competitive wages;
- A staff team dedicated to fostering and advancing action to support the organization’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous Initiatives, Anti-Racism, Accessibility and Equity;
- Substantial internal and external training and development opportunities;
- Compassionate and caring organization that promotes and embraces a culture of health, safety an