Government Relations Specialist

**REPORTING TO**:DIRECTOR, PROGRAM SCALING & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

**APPLICATION DEADLINE**:UNTIL FILLED

**EXPECTED START DATE**:ASAP

**LOCATION**:TORONTO

**ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE**
CDI is a leading children’s mental health agency in the City of Toronto offering a range of services to approximately 3,500 children ages 0‐12, youth ages 13-18 and their families each year. Our mission is to promote and support the healthy development of children and to strengthen the families and communities in which they live. We provide four streams of service to families in need: early intervention, family violence, healthy child development and specialized mental health services for children and youth with learning disabilities.

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CDI is seeking a **Government Relations Specialist **to join our Research and Program Scaling team. Under the direction of Director, Program Scaling & Strategic Partnerships (the Director), the incumbent will be responsible for supporting the Director by coordinating all government and strategic partnerships initiatives, acting as liaison, developing, and executing communications activities related to government relations, and preparing and maintaining a dashboard to track all government relations activities.

**DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**
**STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & SCALING**:
1. Prepare briefs, PowerPoint slide decks, and other materials to present to funders, policymakers, implementers, and other stakeholders

2. Support with the development and preparing high-quality reports, briefings, submissions, marketing materials, and other correspondence

3. Acts as a resource to internal stakeholders in relation to CDI’s responsibilities under the Federal Lobbying
Act and provincial lobbying legislation, as required. Maintains the monthly federal lobby registry report and is responsible for other lobbying reports, as required.

4. Maintains monthly tracking sheet and dashboard of external engagement activities. Provides a monthly summary report on activities for the Senior Management Team and Board.

5. Provides protocol, planning, coordination, and onsite support for high-profile events including government relations activities (e.g., Ministerial announcements, funder visits, etc.)

6. Coordinates all aspects of the Director’s participation in webinars, conferences and roundtables. May be delegated responsibility to make presentations on the Director’s behalf.

7. Supports the development of effective proposals for research, service delivery, funding, social innovation, etc.

8. Supports the Director in the strategic management of the Research and Scaling Division, including establishing and tracking KPIs.

**MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS**
9. Works in collaboration with the CDI communications team to ensure CDI’s communications products effectively target government and community audiences. This is to include pitching, developing, and issuing communications products such as news releases, story content, social media content, etc.

10. Coordinates and executes marketing and communications strategies
11. In collaboration with the CDI communication team, monitors news media, social media, and government press conferences as they relate to CDI and to the sectors in which we work. Provides the
Director and CEO with immediate notifications, when appropriate, and a weekly briefing note.

**ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT**
12. Provides financial/budgetary support to the Director through reconciling invoices and expenses.
14. Manages and maintains a contact information database.
15. Coordinates and arranges meetings - prepares agendas, reserves facilities, arranges catering, manages logistics, finalizes room set-up, takes minutes, distributes documentation, etc.
16. Performs other tasks and carries out projects that are required or assigned from time-to-time.

**MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS**
- University degree in Political Studies, Business, Marketing, Communications, English, or a related field.
- Minimum three (3) years' work experience in government relations, fundraising, stewardship, communications, or public relations.
- Strong project management skills and experience, including developing and maintaining a project dashboard.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong analytical abilities. Detail-oriented. Strong organizational, problem solving, presentation, and decision-making skills
- Experience within the non-profit environment preferred.
- Proficiency with MS Office 365 Suite
- A dedicated and flexible team player able to positively interact with team members and colleagues at all levels of the organization.

**WORKING CONDITIONS**
- Day-to-day job duties are governed by concurrent and dynamic deadlines, with competing priorities and frequent interruptions.
- Fast-paced work environment.
- Flexibility in hours will be required, including evening and/or weekend work due to meetings and events.
- Day and overnight travel to meetings and events may be re