Title:  Director, Canadian Government Engagement - Global Public Affairs

Requisition ID: 257028 

Join a purpose driven winning team, committed to results, in an inclusive and high-performing culture.

Purpose

The Director, Canadian Government Engagement is accountable for setting and executing the Bank’s national government engagement strategy across Canada, encompassing federal, provincial, and municipal governments. The role provides senior leadership, strategic counsel, and external representation to advance the Bank’s advocacy priorities, manage political risk, and strengthen relationships with key decision‑makers and stakeholders. As a trusted advisor to senior executives, the Director integrates public policy considerations into enterprise strategy and ensures the Bank’s interests are advanced in a rapidly evolving political and economic environment.

Is this role right for you? In this role, you will be responsible for:

•    Owns and leads the Canadian government engagement and advocacy strategy, aligned with enterprise priorities, risk appetite, and long‑term business objectives. 
•    Anticipates and assesses impact of political, legislative, and regulatory developments, providing clear, actionable advice to senior executives and business leaders. 
•    Ensures coordination with the VP of Public Affairs and Policy and Industry Affairs team to ensure an enterprise‑wide approach to government engagement across business lines, regions, and other partners, including  Global Communications and Strategy and Operations.
•    Serves as a senior representative of the Bank with elected officials, senior public servants, and industry associations at all levels of government. 
•    Supports and prepares executive leadership for high‑stakes government interactions, testimony, and stakeholder engagements. 
•    Builds and sustains long‑term strategic relationships that enhance the Bank’s credibility, influence, and reputation across all levels of government in Canada. 
•    Oversees responses to government inquiries, issues, or complaints, ensuring timely, accurate, and strategic engagement.
•    Adapts to shifting business and/or government and priorities and looks for opportunities to engage government stakeholders with relevant and timely information, while maintaining focus on key objectives.
•    Contributes to the effective functioning of the Global Corporate Affairs team by fostering effective working relationships across the function and creating a collaborative culture based on transparency, enterprise-wide thinking, and innovation.
•    Understand how the Bank’s risk appetite and risk culture should be considered in day-to-day activities and decisions. Actively pursues effective and efficient operations of his/her respective areas, while ensuring the adequacy, adherence to and effectiveness of day-to-day business controls to meet obligations with respect to operational risk, regulatory compliance risk, AML/ATF risk and conduct risk, including but not limited to responsibilities under the Operational Risk Management Framework, Regulatory Compliance Risk Management Framework, AML/ATF Global Handbook and the Guidelines for Business Conduct. 
•    Champions a high-performance environment and contributes to an inclusive work environment. 

Dimensions

•    The role operates under the direction of the Vice President, The incumbent works closely with other members of the Government Affairs & Public Policy team and wider Global Corporate Affairs team and other senior executives across business lines.
•    National scope with primary accountability for Canada‑wide government engagement.
•    Must be able to register as a lobbyist with the federal government in Canada and will be accountable for lobbying compliance and regulatory obligations across jurisdictions, ensuring adherence to all applicable laws, policies, and internal controls.
•    Operates with a high degree of independence in complex, ambiguous, and fast‑moving environments. 
•    External stakeholders include federal, provincial, and municipal governments, and industry bodies.
•    The role is based in Toronto.

Do you have the skills that will enable you to succeed? We’d love to work with you if you have the following:

•    10+ years of progressive experience in government affairs, public policy, or related fields, with demonstrated leadership at a senior level. 
•    Deep understanding of Canadian public policy, legislative processes, and regulatory frameworks, ideally within financial services or other regulated industries. 
•    Proven ability to influence at the executive and government levels and manage sensitive, high‑impact issues. 
•    Strong strategic thinking, judgment, and communication skills. 
•    Bilingualism (English/French) considered an asset. 
•    Experience driving outcomes in complex, matrixed organizations.

Location(s):  Canada : Ontario : Toronto 

Scotiabank is a leading bank in the Americas. Guided by our purpose: "for every future", we help our customers, their families and their communities achieve success through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets.  

At Scotiabank, we value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the Bank, and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format documents, ASL Interpreter, or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our  Recruitment team know. If you require technical assistance, please click here. Candidates must apply directly online to be considered for this role. We thank all applicants for their interest in a career at Scotiabank; however, only those candidates who are selected for an interview will be contacted.