Job Description
ABOUT THE STUDENTS’ UNION
The Students’ Union (SU) is one of the leading undergraduate student associations in Canada. We are a not-for-profit organization that works to ensure that University of Calgary undergraduate students have the best possible university experience through advocacy, representation, and providing valuable on-campus services and programs. We also manage several businesses within the MacEwan Student Centre including a restaurant and bar, two concert venues, a convenience store, a used bookstore and copy centre, and the MacEwan Conference & Event Centre.
We're in the business of student leadership, and so SU staff are all teachers in some capacity. We coach, mentor, and work alongside the elected members of our student government to help them develop skills and make good decisions for the organization. As such, the SU is a nimble and leading-edge organization that can pivot quickly to address emerging issues and trends.
The Students' Union offers all our employees a competitive, market-determined salary. Our benefits, though, tend to exceed the market. These include:
- Five weeks paid vacation, to start
- Unlimited paid sick time
- A six percent RRSP matching program
- Full health and dental benefits plus a health spending account
- A mission-driven culture that values work-life balance, diverse experiences, and kindness
People love working for the Students' Union because we care about our employees and empower them to thrive and succeed. The result is a very low turnover and a long-serving staff who are passionate about what they do. If you're tired of being treated like a cog in a machine and want to do something that matters without sacrificing your home life, the Students' Union might just be the right fit for you.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Manager, Communications and Government Relations is the Students’ Union’s (SU) expert on government relations and lobbying, strategic communications, advocacy initiatives and events, issues management, and media relations. They coach and support the student government and advise SU staff on a range of matters and are responsible for maintaining the SU’s reputation with external stakeholders and the public. Specifically, the Manager, Communications and Government Relations will:
- advise on institutional (University of Calgary) communications and issues, governmental programs, and public policy initiatives that have the potential to impact students and/or the SU,
- manage relations and lobbying efforts with all levels of government, working to persuasively communicate the SU’s policy positions and influence decision-makers,
- recommend and support institutional advocacy directions, working to ensure post-secondary education (PSE) remains accessible and affordable,
- plan and execute on-campus initiatives and events to build awareness of and support for SU advocacy positions,
- guide relations with on and off-campus media outlets and coach SU spokespeople towards effective public communication, and
- oversee stakeholder relations with our members (University of Calgary undergraduate students).
The Manager, Communications and Government Relations reports to, and often collaborates with, the SU’s Director, Marketing and Communications.
The Manager, Communications and Government Relations especially supports the Vice President External and the President in identifying current and emerging concerns related to the organization’s political priorities and helps identify appropriate strategies and tactics to successfully move priorities onto the public agenda.
The Manager, Communications and Government Relations closely collaborates with SU staff in the policy/governance and academic areas to ensure that advocacy initiatives are effectively planned, coordinated, communicated, and executed. Working in a youthful and highly collaborative environment, they must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, be excellent at organization and prioritization, be nimble enough to pivot as circumstances and priorities change and be patient mentors of young, elected leaders.
The Manager, Communications and Government Relations supervises the SU’s Advocacy Coordinator and directs their research, advocacy, and other activities.
SALARY
For this position, the hiring range is $59,000 to $68,000 and the offered salary will be negotiated based on a candidate's relative experience. As a not-for-profit organization, it is extremely unlikely that we will be able to offer a successful candidate a salary outside of this range.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Government Relations
- Evaluates and advises on the strategy and policy implications of external lobbying and advocacy organizations’ priorities and initiatives (and Canadian Alliance of Student Associations)
- Attends governmental meetings and committees with the Vice President External and President, and creates summaries, minutes, and/or reports to ensure information is managed, communicated, and followed up on as required
- Assists the Vice President External and President with coordinating the development and approval of SU political priorities, ensuring our institutional and external advocacy objectives are aligned
- Uses knowledge of influencing tactics and techniques to assist the Vice President External and President with garnering support for and advancing the SU’s political priorities
- Works with the Vice President External and President to develop opportunities for member consultation on key political issues
- Plans and executes the annual Calgary Leaders Dinner event, a key government relations opportunity for the SU
- Ensures that the SU is compliant with the Alberta Lobbyist Registry
Institutional (University of Calgary) Advocacy
- Works with the Policy Analyst to develop research plans, stakeholder surveys, and advocacy position papers
- Leads and administers the SU’s University and Government Relations Committee (UGRC) with support of the Advocacy Coordinator
- Provides administrative support, guidance, research, messaging, and preparation to the Executives to work with university administration through the Tuition and Fees Consultation Committee (TFCC)
- Provides administrative support and guidance to the Executives to work with university administration through the Student and Enrolment Services (SES) monthly meeting, including drafting the monthly meeting report.
- Liaises with the Policy Analyst to monitor and keep current on issues within the university environment and advises members of the Executive on matters related to university committees, boards, and issues with senior administration
- Provides administrative support and guidance to the Executives and elected students-at-large for their work on the Senate and related committees
- Provides administrative support and guidance to the President and elected student-at-large representative for their work on the Board of Governors and related committees
- Maintains a productive relationship with on-campus counterparts in media relations, strategic communications, and government relations
Relationship-Building
- Provides guidance, support, and strategies to the organization on relationship-building and maintenance of governmental relations on a local, regional, provincial, and national level
- Sets up meetings of SU elected officials with legislative members and/or other political representatives, and provides advice and guidance on meeting protocol
- Maintains effective relationships with external lobbying and advocacy organizations (CASA and CSA) through ongoing consultation/liaison with these groups
- Maintains information related to government contacts, public representatives, allied organizations, etc.
- Builds strong consultative relationships with the Vice President External (and other Executives as necessary) and supports them in orientation/transition, annual planning, and event coordination
- Liaises and builds relationships with media contacts, advertisers and sponsors, and university officials as required
Communications and Media Relations
- Prepares and coordinates briefing materials, discussion papers, reports, and correspondence on current issues for Executives
- Monitors the external environment (including news media, social media, and other relevant information sources) to identify developments that have potential to impact the SU
- Develops, recommends, and communicates strategic proposals and options that support the political and advocacy mandates of the SU, developing presentations, briefing notes, and other communications materials for use in advancing the Students’ Union’s position on pertinent public policy or advocacy matters
- Advises the Executives on external messaging and media relations strategies and tactics for issues related to the SU’s political and advocacy priorities
- Manages continuity of information on an ongoing basis and transitions the Executives on historical, current, and emerging issues and provides annual orientation on media relations, advocacy, and government relations to the Executives
- Maintains electronic information resources within the government relations area to ensure the accuracy and currency of all information (e.g., web, CRM, etc.)
- Creates website content and updates SU advocacy-related web pages, including posting media releases, updating media tracking with external links, and clearly communicating advocacy activity on a regular basis
- Monitors and shares relevant social media content from lobby groups and student associations
- Provides guidance and strategies to the Students’ Legislative Council’s (SLC) elected officials (faculty representatives) on media relations, relationship-building, and advocacy options
- Maintains a productive relationship with on-campus media (e.g., The Gauntlet, UToday, etc.)
- Performs additional duties and special projects as requested by the Director, Marketing and Communications
Stakeholder Relations
- Provides guidance and strategies to the Executives, SLC’s elected officials (faculty representatives), and SU staff on stakeholder relations and consultation
- Collaborates with the Student Services department to ensure the effective implementation of advocacy and stakeholder relations events and programs (e.g., rallies, forums, focus groups, etc.)
QUALIFICATIONS
- University degree in political science, public policy, communications, or equivalent along with three years related experience
- Previous experience gained within a post-secondary education, government, public sector or non-profit setting is preferred
- Strong written, verbal and listening skills
- Excellent organizational, planning, and time management skills
- Adept at gathering and interpreting information and intelligence from a wide range of sources with ability to observe inter-connections and identify links
- Possesses sound judgment, excellent political acumen and comprehensive knowledge of the public policy environment concerning PSE-related legislative and regulatory processes and decision-making
- Proven general research skills
- Displays a proven ability to manage advocacy projects and initiatives including conducting problem and political analysis, evaluating the probability of achieving change, identifying change objectives, conducting stakeholder analysis and consultation, constructing messages, tactics and materials, and completing monitoring and evaluation of advocacy initiatives
- Ability to work in a non-partisan environment
- A valid Alberta driver’s license, with ability to engage in planned and ad hoc travel is required
HOW TO APPLY
Please DO NOT apply through Indeed, and instead indicate your interest by emailing resumes@su.ucalgary.ca with your resume and cover letter.
We are accepting applications until July 25, 2023, or until we find the right person. We're hoping to interview candidates and make a decision in early August.
STATEMENT ON EMPLOYMENT EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
The Students’ Union is committed to ensuring that members of equity-deserving groups, from a broad range of communities, feel empowered to apply for positions within the organization. We strongly encourage qualified candidates from Black, Indigenous, and/or other racialized communities to apply. Qualified candidates who identify as 2Spirit and/or LGBTQIA+ or are otherwise marginalized on the grounds of gender expression, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation are also strongly encouraged to apply.
The Students’ Union welcomes applications from people with disabilities and believes strongly in accessibility in the work we do. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process – please advise us at any point and we will work with you to meet your needs while respecting your privacy as much as possible.
The Students’ Union is grateful to work on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Piikuni, and Kainai First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. The University of Calgary is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, and the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is Moh’kins’tsis, which we now call the City of Calgary. The Students’ Union also recognizes that land acknowledgments are not enough. We need to pursue truth, reconciliation, decolonization, and allyship in an ongoing effort to make right with all our relations.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: $59,000.00-$68,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care
Flexible Language Requirement:
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 2023-07-25
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