Job Details: Position Title: Associate Vice President, Government Relations & Strategic Funding
Status: Full-Time Administration
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Faculty/Department: Government Relations
Campus/Location: Primary - North Campus,
Secondary - Lakeshore Campus and Humber Downtown (IGS) ; Hybrid
Minimum Starting Salary: $162,037; starting salaries are determined based on qualifications and years of related experience.
About the Associate Vice President, Government Relations & Strategic Funding Role: Reporting to the Chief of Staff to the President and CEO, the Associate Vice President, Government Relations & Strategic Funding is responsible for leading Humber Polytechnic's strategic engagement with federal and provincial governments, with a primary focus on supporting the President in senior-level government interactions and positioning Humber for public funding success.
This role serves as the institution's primary strategist in government relations, ensuring that all engagements with ministers, parliamentary assistants, elected officials, and senior public servants are well-prepared, strategically aligned, and outcome-oriented.
By integrating political intelligence, relationship management, and strategic grant positioning, the Associate Vice President strengthens Humber's ability to anticipate government priorities, influence policy and funding decisions early, and secure public investments that advance Humber's long-term mission, impact, and financial sustainability.
This role is intended to be strategic, forward-thinking, and collaborative across the institution. This individual will be responsible for institution-wide GR and funding, driving the overarching strategy, while ensuring alignment with institutional goals and objectives and providing measurable outcomes.
Key Responsibilities - President Support & Executive Meeting Preparation
- Serve as the President's principal advisor on government relations strategy and engagement
- Prepare concise, high - quality briefing materials for all senior - level government meetings involving the President, including:
- Meeting purpose and desired outcomes
- Stakeholder profiles and political context
- Key messages and recommended framing
- Risks, sensitivities, and anticipated questions
- Advise the President on appropriate engagement posture (relationship - building, intelligence - gathering, advocacy, or funding positioning)
- Conduct post - meeting debriefs, capture intelligence, and coordinate follow - up actions
- Advise on when presidential involvement is strategically warranted and when it is not
- Government Relations Strategy & Relationship Management
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive government relations strategy aligned to Humber's institutional priorities
- Build and manage a government relationship map that identifies:
- Key political and public service stakeholders
- Relationship strength and institutional ownership
- Strategic interests and engagement priorities
- Coordinate senior - level government engagement across Humber to ensure consistency of messaging and avoid duplication
- Support the President and executive leadership in cultivating strong, non - partisan relationships with government decision - makers
- Represent Humber in senior - level government and sector forums as appropriate
- Political & Policy Intelligence
- Monitor and analyze provincial and federal political, policy, and funding developments
- Track government priorities, mandate letters, budgets, cabinet changes, and election cycles
- Maintain active intelligence channels with government officials, sector partners, and peer institutions
- Translate political and policy developments into clear implications and recommendations for the President and executive team
- Produce regular briefings for the President on emerging risks, opportunities, and trends
- Strategic Grant & Public Funding Positioning
- Lead Humber's front - end positioning for major provincial and federal grants and public funding opportunities
- Identify and prioritize funding opportunities that align with Humber's strategic objectives and capacity
- Advise on and coordinate presidential engagement in support of high - value funding opportunities (e.g., meetings, calls, letters, hosting site visits)
- Prepare grant positioning briefs that articulate:
- Alignment to government priorities
- Humber's unique value proposition and readiness
- Recommended engagement strategy
- Collaborate with Faculties, Research & Innovation, Finance, Continuing Education, and Advancement to support, monitor, and submit competitive grant submissions
- Contribute to improving Humber's grant success rates, funding scale, and strategic value of awards
- Institutional Alignment & Governance
- Establish clear protocols for government engagement and presidential involvement
- Serve as a connection between the President, executive leadership, and academic and administrative units on government - related matters
- Support internal leaders in understanding political context and government expectations
- Implement a proactive approach to address government relations and public funding issues
- Contribute to Board and Cabinet materials related to government relations and public funding as required
About You: You are passionate about working at Ontario's largest Polytechnic; you thrive on improving productivity and quality that contribute to team success! If this sounds like you, keep reading:
Education University degree in public policy, political science, public administration, law, or a related field (graduate degree preferred) .
Experience Required Experience - Significant senior - level experience in:
- Government (provincial and/or federal), or
- Government relations, public affairs, or policy strategy
- Demonstrated experience influencing or supporting public funding or policy outcomes
- Experience briefing senior executives, elected officials, or deputy - level public servants
- Strong understanding of public - sector governance and funding environments
Preferred Experience - Experience in postsecondary education or broader public - sector institutions preferred
- Direct knowledge of Ontario and/or federal government processes and decision - making preferred
- Experience supporting complex, multi - stakeholder initiatives or partnerships preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities - Exceptional political judgment and discretion
- Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, executive - level advice
- Strong relationship - building and influencing skills
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast paced politically sensitive environment
- High degree of professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity
Key Success Measures - President reports consistent confidence and readiness for government meetings
- Increased quality and effectiveness of senior - level government engagement
- Improved early visibility into policy and funding developments
- Increased success rate and strategic value of provincial and federal grants
- Strengthened government perception of Humber as a trusted, delivery - ready partner
Working Relationships - President and President's Office
- Vice - Presidents
- Deans and academic leadership
- Research & Innovation, Finance, People(s) & Culture, Continuing Education
- Provincial and federal government stakeholders
What's in it for you? 
