Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Outreach

Created by the Government of Canada in 1997, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) strives to build our _
- nation’s capacity to undertake world-class research and technology development to benefit Canadians. Thanks to _
- CFI investment in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit _
- research institutions are attracting and retaining the world’s top talent, training the next generation of researchers, _
- supporting private-sector innovation and creating high-quality jobs that strengthen Canada’s position in today’s _
- knowledge economy. _

**JOB OPPORTUNITY**

**Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Outreach
Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Manager of Stakeholder Relations and
Outreach is responsible for overseeing the planning, development and implementation of
initiatives related to promotion, partnerships, marketing and outreach with the goal of enhancing
relationships and visibility with the CFI’s key external audiences and users of research in all
sectors. They will also oversee the CFI’s internal communications. The role involves supervising
those on the External Relations and Communications (ERC) team charged with public
positioning, analytics, partnerships, and external and internal relations.

**Essential duties and responsibilities:
- Manage the ongoing planning, development and implementation of outreach, including

implementing innovative ways to liaise with and distribute content and messaging to our
various audiences
- Manage and monitor the workflow of the outreach team by assigning priorities and

establishing and monitoring projects and work progress
- Supervise a team of communications and marketing specialists, maintaining a

productive, positive and respectful work environment
- Mentor and support training plans and evaluate performance of team members
- Help plan, manage, track and report on the annual communications budget
- Maintain an awareness and understanding of the environment in which the CFI operates

by keeping abreast of federal and provincial initiatives and priorities as they relate to
research and innovation, and of general trends in Canadian society
- Working with the Director of Communications and the outreach team, develop various

stakeholder engagement strategies and strategic outreach and promotional plans and
activities designed to foster an understanding of CFI activities as they relate to research
and innovation, and to demonstrate their impact in support of government priorities

1

**Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Outreach**
- Engage in relevant networking opportunities and foster relationships with key

stakeholder groups on behalf of the CFI, and keep the pulse of stakeholders in the
research and innovation community, assessing opportunities and risks to the CFI’s
reputation
- Work with the Events Coordinator to coordinate interactions among senior CFI

representatives and appropriate networks and organizations, including academic,
research institutions, and the private and non-profit sectors
- Work with outreach and creative services colleagues to help develop a range of content

and messages, along with appropriate dissemination channels, for key audiences
- Provide regular updates, reports and analyses on the effectiveness of CFI outreach and

promotional activities
- Provide advice and make recommendations on goals, target audiences, promotions,

operations and evaluations of the Research Facilities Navigator, and employ the
Navigator as a key tool for engaging with relevant stakeholder groups.

**Requirements**:
The incumbent shall have at least five years of experience in communications and marketing, as
well as the following:
**Knowledge**
- A clear understanding of the mandate of the CFI and of the environment in which it

operates
- Thorough understanding of the applied research and knowledge translation

environment, and the research and innovation ecosystem, including their challenges,

stakeholders and supporting programs and organizations
- Experience with and knowledge of funding mechanisms and programs supporting

research and innovation in Canada

**Skills**
- Demonstrated capacity to manage concurrent projects and deadlines
- Demonstrated capacity to work well under pressure and respond effectively in a

demanding environment
- Highly developed interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in both

official languages with people from academia and the private and public sectors
- Self-motivation

Canada Foundation for Innovation | Fondation canadienne pour l’innovation 2

**Manager of Stakeholder Relations and Outreach**

**Experience**
- Demonstrated experience in developing and executing outreach and promotional

activities targeting a variety of academic, industrial and government stakeholders
- Demonstrated experience in strategic thinking, research and analysis to develop

stakeholder engagement frameworks and plans