Senior Specialist, Government Affairs

The CSL Group Inc. (“CSL”) of Montreal, Canada is a world-leading provider of marine dry bulk cargo handling and delivery services. Through its major operating divisions, Canada Steamship Lines, CSL Americas, CSL Australia, CSL Asia and CSL Europe, CSL owns and operates a highly diversified fleet of specialized self-unloading vessels, off-shore transshippers and Handysize bulk carriers, and delivers more than 78 million tonnes of cargo to industrial customers annually. CSL's history can be traced back to 1845.

At CSL, we are committed to the wellbeing of our crews and employees, and to promoting a corporate culture that values high ethical standards, a safe and healthy workplace and respect for the environment. A career with CSL is both stimulating and challenging, and we are continually seeking skilled and passionate individuals to occupy key roles throughout our company.

Duties and responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to enhance the company's relationships with government officials, industry organizations and other stakeholders.

• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments at the federal, state, and local levels and advise the different departments in the company as well as senior management on potential impacts to the company’s operations.

• Represent the company in meetings with government officials, industry groups, and other external stakeholders.

• Report back on meetings, current events and news elements with a direct link to company operations.

• Support the Director and other senior team members by crafting key messages, briefing packages and other support tools;

• Collaborate with the company's legal team to draft position papers and other materials related to public policy and regulatory issues.

• Work with the company's commercial and communications teams to develop outreach strategies and tools that support the company's external affairs goals.

• Manage the company's community engagement initiatives, including sponsorships, charitable giving, and employee volunteer programs, and advise on how to make the most effective use of resources to reach our objectives;

• Track and report on key performance indicators related to the company's external affairs activities.

Qualification and skills

• Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, communications, or a related field, or a combination of education and relevant experience.

• At least 7 years of experience in external affairs, government relations, or a related field, with a demonstrated track record of success in developing and implementing effective external affairs strategies.

• Strong understanding of the regulatory and legislative landscape that impacts the shipping industry, environmental policy and international trade;

• Capacity to develop strategies to efficiently explain and educate stakeholders on the particularities of the shipping sector;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both official languages;

• Capacity to lobby in Ottawa and in other jurisdictions;

• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders;

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and a capacity to think about issues in an unconventional lens;

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities effectively and meet deadlines;

• Experience working with industry associations and stakeholder groups;

• Proficient in conducting research, analyzing complex information, and developing well-reasoned recommendations; 

• Experience developing communications for government relations (PR for GR) content;

• Willingness to travel as needed to attend meetings and conferences.

This is a full time, salaried position. CSL offers a competitive salary, employee bonus program and comprehensive benefits package. We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.