Relationships Manager
Title: Relationships Manager
Reports To: Sr. Director of Projects and Stakeholder Relations
Location: Hybrid Work Model (Toronto, Ontario)
Everything gets better when you get active.
ParticipACTION is an iconic Canadian charitable organization and an enduring part of Canada’s physical activity history, encouraging people to get healthy by getting physically active since 1971. Through our award-winning public education campaigns, best-in-class thought leadership and innovative engagement initiatives, we are working to build a Canada where physical activity is a vital part of everyday life for everyone.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Sr. Director of Projects and Stakeholder Relations, the Relationships Manager is responsible for developing a relationships strategy, building and fostering strong partnerships and engagement within the physical activity, sport, recreation, health sectors, including other organizations that support ParticipACTION’s strategic plan and mission. The individual supports internal team members, initiatives and activities by utilizing their extensive network of sector, non-sector and equity-deserving organizations, which could include supporting government relations and advocacy efforts.
Position Responsibilities
Partnerships, Community Relations and sector engagement
- Establishes, builds, nurtures and maintains strong relationships with various organizations in the physical activity, sport, recreation, health sectors and other non -sector organizations to advance ParticipACTION’s mission and vision
- Supports the delivery of ParticipACTION initiatives and activities through partnerships, in collaboration with various internal team members
- Identifies and responds to requests for partnership/collaboration opportunities and provides reports and recommendations to Leadership Team for consideration
- Leads an internal partners and relationships team including the development and implementation of a Partners and Relationships strategy for all ParticipACTION initiatives, in collaboration with the marketing and communications team
- Supports the work of ParticipACTION’s various advisory groups, including recruitment, material development, meeting agendas and engagement
- Identifies potential advocacy partners, associates or networks to support ParticipACTION’s efforts and/or grant submissions
- Manages sector contact list and network map, ensuring the information is current and organized
- Ongoing performance monitoring, identifying efficiencies and optimizations to further engage sector and non-sector organization
Communications and Representation
- Represents ParticipACTION on identified national, provincial and/or local committees and networks where applicable and feasible
- Makes presentations to identified national, provincial and/or local stakeholders and/or conferences as part of knowledge translation and engagement plans for various initiatives
- Responds in a timely manner to requests from partner/sector organizations
- Communicates internally the latest physical activity and sport-related statistics, research and news identified through relationship management
- Supports the development and distribution of content and communications to various team members, groups and sector contacts
- Contributes to funder reports and grant submissions
* All other duties as assigned
Qualifications and Skills
- University Degree in Health Sciences, Public Relations, Communications, Public Health or related discipline
- Proven track record in building and managing partnerships
- Minimum of 5 years of progressive strategic relationship development and management, ideally within the sport and physical activity sector
- Demonstrated capacity to develop and maintain strong professional relationships with internal and external team members and groups and work effectively with all levels
- Background in issue representation, facilitation and committee participation
- Understanding of public policy and advocacy activities is an asset
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
- In-depth understanding of the physical activity and sport sector(s), the operation of not-for-profit organizations, as well as understanding of government and corporate sectors an asset
- Ability to work in a team and independently
- Fluency in French is an asset