Director, External Relations & Communications

TechAlliance is the place for dreamers, innovators, and world-changing ideas. We empower world-class tech ventures and fuel growth in Canada’s innovation economy, while championing, coaching, and amplifying businesses, and fostering a vibrant technology community in Southwestern Ontario.

As the lead voice of one of North America's top tech ecosystems, we believe ambitious people do their best work when they’re supported in and outside of work including generous vacation, extra-long weekends (that actually feel long), meaningful perks and benefits, and a workspace built for bold thinking. We’re a human-led, AI first organization – the kind of place curious and driven people want to be part of.

You believe in disruptive innovation that stretches the boundaries of what’s possible. You bring a systems-thinking mindset, embrace experimentation, and approach challenges with curiosity and creativity. As a teammate, you act boldly, focus on solutions, and operate with a growth mindset. You are someone who strives to make an impact in this region’s thriving tech sector and seeks a role where you can put your own innovative spin on things.

About the role

The Director will play an integral role as part of the organization's management team and be accountable for articulating and executing a roadmap for stakeholder engagement, brand, storytelling and public relations to enable the organization's strategic goals.

Key to your success, you will lead relationship management of high profile local, provincial and national stakeholders, cultivating a close and productive advocacy relationship with all levels of government, public funders, and private sector stakeholders with a keen focus on new revenue and unrestricted funding including the design and alignment of funding proposals to increase sustainable public and private revenue streams for TechAlliance.

Working closely with industry partners, media and business leaders, you will focus on the continuous advancement and promotion of London and Southwestern Ontario as a globally competitive and recognizable innovation hub. You possess exceptional written and oral communication skills and are driven to be an ambassador for TechAlliance's moonshot.

You enjoy work that is both strategic and hands-on, which includes conceiving and executing communication plans, writing and delivering key positioning messages advocating for TechAlliance, its members, industry and the region.

This position accomplishes this through behaviors that demonstrate deep alignment with TechAlliance’s overall mission and core values, growing the organizations diversified funding streams, while activating the Southwestern Ontario innovation corridor narrative and innovation agenda to drive positive societal and economic impact. This position will require working in a complex environment of highly competitive ideas with limited funding and multiple, invested and adjacent stakeholders with differing ideas.

Reporting to the CEO you will lead

Stakeholder and Government Relations:

• Develop a framework to influence policy and support the government’s priorities focusing on London as a lever for successful implementation and delivery.
• Participate in local, regional and national networks as TechAlliance’s liaison, leveraging our capacities in support of a collective agenda whenever possible.
• Identify and address critical needs and key opportunities for Ontario’s innovation economy and lead the development of aligned specialized verticals aimed at the commercialization of innovation for SME’s and corporate enterprise.

Thought Leadership and Convening:

• Identify, pursue and plan external meetings, roundtables, events, etc., that position TechAlliance as a leading ecosystem builder and to support the organizations strategic initiatives and campaigns, while stewarding key stakeholders to keep momentum building while delivering value and influence to differing audiences.
• Deliver internal subject matter expertise to the executive team particularly in the areas of public affairs, government advocacy, communications and stakeholder relations, with opportunity to do the same for TechAlliance member companies.

Strategic Positioning and Communications:

• Develop and lead TechAlliances’s external communications strategy and tactics, with a focus on stakeholder communications and relationships, media and government relations.
• Conceive and write corporate communications, including overseeing the process of developing content including impact reports, funding proposals, stakeholder, donor and industry communications, corporate pitch presentations for investors, and the like.
• Inspire and lead a strong team of professional communications staff (including contractors or service providers) who are responsible for storytelling, as well as the Partnerships Manager who is responsible for revenue producing partnerships that foster a vibrant technology community.

The right candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications

• 8+ years’ leadership experience in stakeholder and government relations, working within government and tech and/or non-profit with proven ability to develop, manage and motivate a top caliber team around a compelling vision.
• Openness and transparency in developing and stewarding relationships with people in positions of power while proactively initiating and implementing new ideas and strategies.
• Bold problem solver who is a consistent team player that optimizes growth initiatives with a strong bias for action.
• Strikes a balance between strategic thinking and tactical implementation with exceptional business acumen, be highly driven with ability to command credibility and influence across the ecosystem.
• Turns a modest budget into remarkable results through creativity and elbow grease while managing multiple priorities concurrently.
• Disruptor that possesses analytical rigor, develops materials with meticulous detail and has a proven record of accomplishment to think beyond traditional ideas and solutions with both practical and innovative impact.
• Active social media participant demonstrating market-shaping thought leadership.
• Resides in Elgin, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, or Oxford County. Travel is required.

Applications will be accepted until Thursday, March 26th at noon.