Manager, Public Affairs

At CN, everyday brings new and exciting challenges. You can expect an interesting environment where you're part of making sure our business is running optimally and safely―helping keep the economy on track. We provide the kind of paid training and opportunities that long-term careers are built on and we recognize hard workers who strive to make a difference. You will be able to thrive in our close-knit, safety-focused culture working together as ONE TEAM. The careers we offer are meaningful because the work we do matters. Join us!

*The position is open to candidates located throughout the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Job Summary

The Manager Public Affairs is responsible for identifying, informing and solving complex community issues, and fostering positive relationships with communities in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as municipal, provincial and federal officials. Our successful candidate is able to manage a fast-paced environment, collaborating within a team, or working autonomously. The incumbent provides expertise for the whole region and supports the Senior Manager in delivering on the team's overall mandate. The position is part of CN's Stakeholder Relations Division, whose purpose is to grow and support CN's people, business and reputation.

Main Responsibilities

Public Affairs Management

· Develop positive relationships, seek endorsements and support from stakeholders, including municipal, provincial and federal elected officials, political staff, community leaders, organizations, industry associations and chambers of commerce.

· Manage issues and incidents as required.

· Manage internal development of CN's public affairs position and approach to issues, working across departments and functions as ONE TEAM and seeking support for public affairs initiatives

· Manage relationships with local communities (on issues like proximity, equipment and infrastructure) and communicate CN's positions to elected officials and residents

· Act as a trusted advisor to CN colleagues on Public Affairs matters by providing expertise on strategic projects

· Develop an understanding of the rail industry and network internally among various CN departments to be better enabled to respond to issues as they arise.

· Prepare all aspects of communications, including planning events and drafting materials (e.g. speaking remarks, briefing notes, event scenarios, memos, presentations) for public appearances of Senior Executives and colleagues from other business units

· Provide advice on regional sponsorships and donations and act as the public face of CN at sponsored events

· Actively use a digital platform to reach, record and monitor engagements with stakeholders

· Represent CN on industry and community groups and committees, as necessary.

Working Conditions

The role has standard working conditions with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. The successful candidate must be available to work weekends when necessary, for activities like CN-sponsored community events, stakeholder meetings and to respond to incidents. The role also participates in CN's on-call shift rotation, which requires Public Affairs team members to be available 24/7 to respond to critical incidents during their shift. Minimal (up to 20%) local travel is required of the role, mostly within the eastern prairies (Manitoba / Saskatchewan).

Requirements

Experience

Public Affairs

· Between 7 to 10 years of communications, public relations, government/politics or stakeholder engagement experience

o Experience in project management, change management or the transportation and logistics industry is considered an asset.

Education/Certification/Designation

· Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Journalism, Political Science, Law, or equivalent

· Valid Driver's License

Competencies

· Bilingualism is an asset

· Railway knowledge (or a related field) is an asset

· Government/political experience is an asset

· Demonstrates strong autonomy and the ability to take calculated risks in decision making

· Collaborates with colleagues to enable productive engagements with stakeholders

· Inspires others with impactful communications and adapts to the audience

· Deals with urgent situations by calmly and quickly adapting to changes

· Ability to strategically assess situations and develop plans for resolution/action

· Initiates and drives organizational change to enable business transformation

· Shares information within and across functions to get things done effectively

· Makes informed and timely decisions

· Promotes and supports a safety culture across the organization.

Technical Skills/Knowledge

· Very strong writing and presentation skills

· General Microsoft computer skills

About CN

CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the Southern tip of the U.S. through a 19,500 mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. At CN, we work as ONE TEAM, focused on safety, sustainability and our customers, providing operational and supply chain excellence to deliver results.