Senior Advisor, Community Relations, Eastern Ontario (Kingston Area)

Alto; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Group insurance

Wellness accounts

Hybrid work mode

RRSP/TFSA contributions

Flexible vacation policy

Incentive compensation

Transportation/commuter benefits

Job summary

Alto in Kingston is seeking a Senior Advisor, Community Relations to advance engagement with local stakeholders for Canada's high-speed rail project. You will help shape consultation activities, advise leadership, and represent the project at regional events to foster collaboration and trust.

You will coordinate with corridor teams, work with external partners, and document outreach in Borealis, navigating Ontario's municipal and provincial context. Proficiency in English and French is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, administration, political science, urban planning or related field
• Minimum 8 years of experience in communications and community relations
• Knowledge of Ontario and Eastern Ontario socio-economic and political issues
• Knowledge of municipal political and administrative structures in Ontario
• Bilingual (French and English) is an asset
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and related tools
• Understanding of Indigenous communities in Canada is an asset
• Experience with regulatory processes is an asset

Responsibilities

• Advise management on issues, solutions, and opportunities related to the Project
• Implement engagement plans and strategy
• Establish and maintain regular contact with regional stakeholders and municipal contacts
• Act as liaison with concerned citizen groups
• Represent the Project at various regional events
• Guide Media Relations and Internal Communications in tool development for consultations
• Liaise with external consultants for logistics of consultation activities
• Ensure rigorous documentation of consultation approaches within Borealis

Skills

Public speaking

Stakeholder engagement

Bilingual French/English

Ethics

Project management

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications, administration, political science, urban planning

Tools

Microsoft Office

Borealis platform

Job description

At Alto, we are actively contributing to the transformation of Canada's future with our high-speed train project connecting Quebec City and Toronto. With the support of the Government of Canada, this innovative project aims to improve the quality of life of our citizens, strengthen ties between communities and stimulate economic growth.
Would you like to take on a stimulating, high-impact challenge? We are looking for a Senior Advisor, Community Relations, based in the Kingston area.

The role

This role reports to the Manager, Community Relations. The Senior Advisor, Community Relations is responsible for the day-to-day deployment of public, stakeholder and municipal government engagement plans and other consultation activities to support the Project's development. As part of their activities, they develop and maintain close relations with local stakeholders, including interest groups and individuals interested in or potentially affected by the Project. In collaboration with the corridor team and project partner, they provide strategic advice in relation to the various issues and opportunities associated with the Project and guide the consequent development of appropriate consultation activities. Responsibilities may also extend to specific stakeholder files which could include participation in expert working groups or committees. The Senior Advisor will also represent the Project at local, regional or provincial events.

The Responsibilities

• Advise management on various issues, solutions, and opportunities related to the Project.
• Implement engagement plans and strategy.
• Establish and maintain regular contact with regional stakeholders and municipal contacts/
• Act as liaison with concerned citizen groups.
• Represent the Project at various regional events.
• Guide the Media Relations and Internal Communications team in the development and revision of communication tools required for consultations.
• Liaise with external consultants for the logistical organization and deployment of consultation activities.
• Ensure rigorous documentation of consultation approaches and efforts within the Borealis platform.

The Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications, administration, political science, urban planning or any other field related to the position.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in communications and community relations or in related fields of expertise.
• Knowledge of Ontario and Eastern Ontario socio-economic and political issues.
• Knowledge of municipal political and administrative structures in Ontario.
• Strong sense of ethics.
• Bilingual (French and English), spoken and written (an asset).
• Proficiency in technological and office electronic tools (in particular, the Microsoft suite).
• Understanding of the specificities related to the reality of Indigenous groups in Canada (a strong asset).
• Experience in project management (an asset).
• Experience with regulatory processes (federal and/or provincial), such as the Impact Assessment Act (an asset).
• Knowledge of the public transit and rail transportation sectors and their specific issues (an asset).
• Knowledge of linear projects or infrastructures (an asset).
• Knowledge of the Borealis platform (an asset).

Key competencies

• Action and results-oriented.
• Exceptional judgment and rigor.
• Strong public speaking skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to synthesize complex concepts.
• Ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Respect the organization's ethics and values.
• Ability to create and maintain good relationships.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts, share them clearly in public, and write well-crafted messaging that demonstrate this.
• Good listening and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to remain calm in the face of intense or potentially hostile situations.

Other Requirements

• Requires frequent travel and flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends.
• Requires a valid driver's licence.

Why join our innovative team?

• Basic paid group insurance for you and your family: medical, dental, life, disability, etc.
• Access to wellness and health accounts to support your lifestyle.
• Flex-Alto account of $500 to encourage a healthier approach and a more sustainable mode of transportation.
• A retirement plan and savings options (RRSP and TFSA).
• Vacations based on experience, available upon hiring.
• An incentive compensation program.
• Flexible hybrid work mode.
• A work environment that encourages initiative, innovation, and forward-thinking solutions.
• A unique opportunity to shape the future of transportation in Canada.

We work to create high-performance, diversified teams

At Alto, we believe in the power of diverse teams. We aspire to provide an inclusive and equitable work environment where everyone can develop and flourish. Alto offers equal employment opportunities to all and invites qualified individuals, regardless of their identity, origin or situation, to apply.
Please let us know if you need any adjustments during the recruitment process. We will do our utmost to provide you with a fair and pleasant experience, while keeping any adjustments confidential.
Please note that we will communicate only with those candidates whose applications are selected for further consideration. To find out more about the entire project, visit Alto - Home.