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About the Role

The Strategic Initiatives Associate is a highly cross-functional role that works closely with Venture for Canada's executive leadership to advance strategic priorities beyond day-to-day program delivery. This supporting role spans government relations, strategic initiatives, thought leadership, and executive enablement, helping strengthen Venture for Canada's partnerships, influence, and long-term impact. This role is well suited to someone who thrives in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and can comfortably move between research, relationship management, project coordination, and executive support. Success in this role comes from exercising sound judgment, working proactively, and translating ideas into action with minimal direction.

Responsibilities

Partner cross-functionally with senior leadership on high-priority strategic initiatives as organizational priorities evolve
Research emerging opportunities in entrepreneurship, workforce development, and innovation
Support the leadership and program teams in development of new program concepts, partnership opportunities, and international collaborations
Contribute to and maintain partnership tracking systems and CRM records
Support initiatives that strengthen Venture for Canada's engagement within Canada's entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem
Prepare briefing notes, meeting materials, and background research for government relations engagements
Coordinate with external government relations firms and support RFP preparation as needed
Research government priorities, policy developments, and funding opportunities relevant to Venture for Canada's work
Help maintain stakeholder engagement records and support relationship tracking
Support development of policy reports, white papers, and strategic publications, including Venture for Canada's work on AI adoption among SMEs
Develop case studies, research summaries, and other materials that showcase Venture for Canada's impact and strategic priorities
Translate research and external insights into actionable recommendations for senior leadership
Provide executive support to senior leadership, including calendar coordination, scheduling, email support, network management, and other administrative support as needed
Prepare briefing materials, presentations, and talking points for meetings, speaking engagements, and external event support
Draft and edit correspondence and other communications on behalf of senior leadership
Triage time-sensitive requests and prioritize competing demands with sound judgment
Coordinate logistics for leadership travel and external engagements

Requirements

2+ years of professional experience, ideally in business, consulting, government relations, policy, or a professional-services environment
Strong research skills and the ability to translate research into clear, structured written materials (briefing notes, reports, case studies)
Experience developing and managing external relationships, partnerships, or stakeholder ecosystems, including maintaining relationship pipelines, CRM systems, and engagement tracking processes
Exposure to government relations, public affairs, or policy work (e.g., briefing notes, RFPs, coordinating with external firms) is a strong asset
Experience supporting senior executives is a strong asset
Skilled in working across multiple, unrelated workstreams simultaneously without losing quality or follow-through
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for different audiences, including executives, partners, government stakeholders, and external audiences
Must be legally authorized to work in Canada at the time of application

Skills

Strategic thinking
Self-direction
Pivoting between different types of work
Research
Relationship management
Project coordination
Executive support
Sound judgment
Proactive work ethic
Translating ideas into action
Communication
Writing
Partnership landscape analysis
Policy brief drafting
Relationship building
Flexibility
Adaptability

Location

Remote (Canada-wide)
Preference for Toronto area

Work Type

Remote-first
Moderate in-person attendance of program-related events required

Experience Level

2+ years of professional experience

About the Company

Venture for Canada is a national registered charity equipping talent across Canada with the entrepreneurial skills, mindset, and opportunities to succeed in a 21st-century economy increasingly shaped by rapid change and emerging technology.
We believe that to be entrepreneurial is to act upon opportunities to create value for others.
The resourcefulness and creativity of people across Canada are essential to addressing our country’s greatest challenges.
Venture for Canada serves as a catalyst by empowering individuals to create a more prosperous, inclusive, and innovative society.
Venture for Canada is a remote-first organization with offices based in Toronto and Vancouver.

Equal Opportunity

Venture for Canada is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace.
We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.
Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all stages of the recruitment and selection process.