Manager, Public Affairs

CPA Canada; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 112,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Pension plan

Professional development

Hybrid work

Social events

Volunteer program

Job summary

CPA Canada is seeking a Manager, Public Affairs to advance its government relations strategy and advocacy agenda, strengthening its influence with federal decision-makers and key stakeholders. The role shapes CPA Canada’s approach to government engagement and communications, developing strategic content and identifying opportunities to position CPA Canada as a trusted voice on public policy.

This role can be fully remote and located in Ottawa or be hybrid and aligned to our Toronto CPA Canada

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in government relations, public affairs or corporate communications.
• Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, communications, journalism or a related field.
• A demonstrable track record of success leading government relations strategies.
• Experience working in or advising financial institutions, regulatory environment or other public-interest sectors.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian political, policy and media landscape.
• Proven experience developing clear, compelling content for executives and external stakeholders.
• Established network within the Government of Canada and strong relationships across Canadian media.
• Excellent writing, proofreading and editing skills and a knack for storytelling.
• Ability to digest complex information and deliver it in an audience-friendly manner.
• Working knowledge of The Canadian Press style guide.
• Project management experience and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Bilingualism (English and French) is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop content that supports CPA Canada’s government relations strategy and strengthens its reputation, credibility and influence with federal decision-makers and other key stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for CPA Canada to intervene and influence government policy, including proactive engagement with central agencies, Parliament and government bodies—anticipating priorities, navigating sensitivities and positioning CPA Canada as a trusted expert voice.
• Create high-impact government communications, including executive correspondence, briefing notes, policy recommendations (e.g., federal budget submissions) and analysis of fiscal and economic updates.
• Monitor government priorities, legislation and announcements to capitalize on advocacy opportunities for CPA Canada and track results.
• Produce integrated content across channels—including media relations materials, digital content, articles and speaking remarks—to reinforce government relations objectives.
• Collaborate across teams with senior leadership to ensure alignment between government relations, media strategy and broader organizational priorities.

Skills

Government relations

Corporate communications

Policy writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, communications, journalism

Job description

Salary Range: $112,181.00 To $128,200.00 Annually

Manager, Public Affairs

About Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) is one of the most influential accounting organizations in the world. Working with the provincial, territorial and Bermudian regulatory bodies, CPA Canada supports the profession and represents Canadian CPAs at the national and international levels.

Nationally, CPA Canada acts in the public interest to promote transparency in financial markets, prepare CPAs for a rapidly evolving business environment through extensive guidance and programming, and contributes to standard setting and policy making. Globally, CPA Canada works together with international bodies to build a stronger accounting profession worldwide.

About the opportunity

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications, the Manager, Public Affairs plays a key role in advancing CPA Canada's government relations strategy and advocacy agenda, strengthening its influence across government and key stakeholder groups.

This role shapes the organization’s approach to government engagement and communications—developing strategic content, supporting key relationships and identifying opportunities to position CPA Canada as a trusted voice on public policy and economic issues.

This role can be fully remote and located in Ottawa or be hybrid and aligned to our Toronto CPA Canada office, with some travel as required.

The targeted annual salary range for this position is $112,181 to $128,200 and is commensurate with experience.

What you'll do

• Develop content that supports CPA Canada’s government relations strategy and strengthens its reputation, credibility and influence with federal decision-makers and other key stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for CPA Canada to intervene and influence government policy, including proactive engagement with central agencies, Parliament and government bodies—anticipating priorities, navigating sensitivities and positioning CPA Canada as a trusted expert voice.
• Create high-impact government communications, including executive correspondence, briefing notes, policy recommendations (e.g., federal budget submissions) and analysis of fiscal and economic updates.
• Monitor government priorities, legislation and announcements to capitalize on advocacy opportunities for CPA Canada and track results.
• Produce integrated content across channels—including media relations materials, digital content, articles and speaking remarks—to reinforce government relations objectives.
• Collaborate across teams with senior leadership to ensure alignment between government relations, media strategy and broader organizational priorities.

What we’re looking for

The ideal candidate will have the following skills, experience and attributes:

• 7+ years of experience in government relations, public affairs or corporate communications
• Bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy, communications, journalism or a related field
• A demonstrable track record of success leading government relations strategies
• Experience working in or advising financial institutions, regulatory environment or other public-interest sectors
• Strong understanding of the Canadian political, policy and media landscape
• Proven experience developing clear, compelling content for executives and external stakeholders
• Established network within the Government of Canada and strong relationships across Canadian media
• Excellent writing, proofreading and editing skills and a knack for storytelling
• Ability to digest complex information and deliver it in an audience-friendly manner
• Working knowledge of The Canadian Press style guide
• Project management experience and the ability to manage multiple deadlines
• A self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• Bilingualism (English and French) is considered an asset

What it's like to work here

At CPA Canada, we’re proud to foster a welcoming and inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes health and wellness for all employees. We believe in offering a flexible and balanced work environment, where staff can thrive both professionally and personally. Our headquarters are located in downtown Toronto, with a regional office in Vancouver. As part of the CPA Canada team, you’ll enjoy the following:

• competitive salary
• comprehensive benefits
• a robust defined contribution pension plan
• ongoing professional development opportunities
• hybrid working arrangements
• regular social events
• a strong employee volunteer program

At CPA Canada, we’re always striving for improvement, working together to build a high-performing, innovative organization that creates value for Canadian CPAs and represents the profession, nationally and internationally.

Organization values

We create a collaborative and constructive culture through our values:

CPA Canada is committed to cultivating an inclusive, accessible environment where each employee feels respected, valued and supported. This job posting is for a current vacancy. CPA Canada does not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess or select applicants during the recruitment process. If you require a disability-related accommodation to participate in our recruitment process kindly contact [e-mail] and we'll be happy to work with you to meet your needs.