Director, Government Relations and Health Access

Parkinson Canada

5h•Remote

About The Position

Reporting to the VP, Mission, we are hiring a Director, Government Relations and Health Access. As the new Director, Government Relations and Health Access, you will lead the development and execution of Parkinson Canada’s health policy, government relations, and advocacy priorities across Canada. You will help shape the future of Parkinson’s care by building relationships, influencing decision-makers, and driving strategies that improve access to treatment, services, and support for people living with Parkinson’s and their care partners. You will navigate complex systems, build momentum across diverse stakeholders, and turn strategy into action. You will work across government, healthcare, advocacy, research, and industry environments to identify opportunities, align priorities, and move initiatives forward in a fast-moving environment where relationships, influence, and execution matter. This is an existing remote vacancy with occasional travel as needed for in person meetings.

Requirements

Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments and building alignment across groups with different priorities, perspectives, and motivations.
Experience influencing decision-makers, moving initiatives forward, and creating momentum around shared objectives.
Ability to translate strategy into action, taking broad organizational or advocacy priorities and turning them into clear plans, stakeholder strategies, and measurable outcomes.
Comfort operating with accountability and balancing long-term priorities with evolving opportunities and timelines.
Strong communication skills to build credibility quickly and engage effectively across governments, healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, researchers, industry partners, and senior leaders.
Ability to navigate nuanced conversations, align stakeholders, and represent an organization with professionalism, confidence, and sound judgment.
Thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve, opportunities emerge quickly, and not everything is fully defined on day one.
Comfort working through ambiguity, shifting direction when needed, and maintaining momentum while balancing multiple priorities and stakeholders.
Ability to bring people together around a common direction.
Ability to create clarity, establish accountability, and work cross-functionally to advance initiatives and deliver results.
Highly collaborative but also comfortable taking ownership and helping drive work forward.
Offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check and references.

Nice To Haves

Background in consulting, public affairs, advocacy, government relations, healthcare strategy, or another environment where you were responsible for navigating government and healthcare systems, influencing stakeholders, and helping drive complex initiatives forward.
Understanding of the nuances of working within and alongside public sector environments while bringing a pace, accountability, and execution mindset often developed in private sector or consulting environments where momentum and outcomes matter.

Responsibilities

Lead advocacy and government relations strategy. You will develop and advance advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and government relations priorities that strengthen access to care, treatment, and support for people living with Parkinson’s across Canada. You will identify opportunities, build momentum around key initiatives, and help position Parkinson Canada as a trusted and influential voice within the healthcare ecosystem.
Drive strategic initiatives forward. You will lead high-priority national initiatives and help translate broad organizational and advocacy goals into actionable plans, stakeholder strategies, and measurable outcomes. You will navigate complex healthcare and policy environments, balancing long-term priorities with evolving opportunities and external dynamics.
Build and activate relationships. You will work across governments, healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, researchers, industry partners, and community stakeholders to align priorities, advance shared objectives, and help move initiatives forward. You will facilitate productive conversations, identify areas of collaboration, and help create pathways for progress across diverse stakeholder groups.
Lead cross-functional collaboration. You will work closely with internal teams across Mission, Partnerships, Marketing and Communications, and Insights to ensure advocacy strategies, campaigns, stakeholder engagement efforts, and external initiatives are aligned to broader organizational priorities and community needs.
Guide policy and advocacy positioning. You will oversee the development of briefing materials, policy positions, advocacy messaging, stakeholder presentations, and engagement strategies that support organizational priorities and strengthen Parkinson Canada’s external voice and influence.
Lead and support your team. You will provide leadership, coaching, and direction to team members and external partners, fostering accountability, momentum, collaboration, and strong execution across initiatives and priorities.
Use insight to evolve strategy. You will monitor healthcare, political, funding, and policy developments, using insights, stakeholder feedback, and emerging trends to refine priorities, identify opportunities, and help shape future advocacy and access strategies.