Senior Advisor, Community Relations

The role

Reporting to the Manager, Community Relations, Québec, the Senior Advisor, Community Relations is responsible for stakeholder relations across the Greater Montréal area and the municipalities located along the central segment of the future high-speed rail network.

The role includes developing and maintaining strong relationships with local stakeholders, including interest groups and community members who are interested in or may be impacted by the project. The Senior Advisor, Community Relations actively contributes to refining and enhancing the public consultation strategy, participates in the implementation of engagement activities, and, in collaboration with other Community Relations Advisors, proactively provides strategic advice on issues, risks, and opportunities related to the project’s social acceptability.

The responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of the specific needs, challenges, and aspirations of communities across the Greater Montréal area, the Lower Laurentians, and Montérégie regions.
• Leverage an established network of contacts and relationships to build and maintain ongoing connections with regional partners, supporting municipal relations efforts.
• Support the Advisors responsible for relationships with station cities and municipalities along the central segment to ensure effective coordination and alignment across the team.
• Identify key community events and engagement opportunities to establish a strong and visible Project presence that fosters trusted relationships with stakeholders throughout the project area.
• Proactively monitor local issues, risks, and opportunities related to the Project’s social acceptability and provide recommendations on appropriate engagement strategies and actions.
• Share stakeholder feedback and insights with professionals across other Project teams to help with analysis and support critical decision-making.
• Coordinate the logistical planning and execution of consultation and engagement activities in collaboration with external consultants.
• Support the development and review of communication tools and materials required for consultations, stakeholder engagement, and broader representation activities.
• Provide guidance to the Media Relations and Communications teams to ensure content reflects stakeholder interests and can be incorporated into Community Relations communications.
• Represent the team on selected internal coordination committees and ensure effective internal communication and follow-up with the Manager.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of consultation, engagement, representation, and related activities within the Borealis platform.

The requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business Administration, Political Science, Urban Planning, or another field relevant to the position.
• Minimum of 8 to 10 years of experience in communications, community relations, or related fields.
• Experience building and managing relationships with diverse stakeholders in a project environment and/or through public consultation and engagement processes.
• Knowledge of Quebec’s political and socio-economic landscape.
• Strong understanding of the structure and operations of municipal political and administrative systems in Quebec.
• Excellent knowledge of political mediation processes and practices.
• Ability to travel to communities across Quebec, including occasional multi-day stays.
• Availability and flexibility to support public consultation activities, including evenings and weekends as required.
• High level of integrity and professionalism.
• Bilingualism (French and English), both spoken and written.

Skills and Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain positive relationships.
• Ability to translate complex information into clear, accessible messages, communicate effectively with diverse audiences, and produce high-quality written materials.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain trusted relationships with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Ability to remain composed and effective in high-pressure or challenging situations.
• Strong ability to produce high-quality deliverables for stakeholders, the public, and senior leadership.
• Experience with federal and/or provincial regulatory processes, such as those of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) or Quebec’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) (asset).
• Knowledge of the public transit and rail transportation sectors and their unique challenges and opportunities (asset).
• Knowledge of the Borealis stakeholder engagement platform (asset).