Government Relations Specialist, Golden Horseshoe Region at ONTARIO REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION

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Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

21 Sep, 26

Salary

85000.0

Posted On

23 Jun, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Government Relations, Public Affairs, Public Policy, Advocacy, Political Engagement, Stakeholder Relations, Municipal Government, Legislative Process Knowledge, Grassroots Organization, Campaign Management, Strategic Relationship Building, Policy Analysis, Event Planning, Digital Advocacy, Reporting, Liaison

Industry

Real Estate

Description

Position Title: Government Relations Specialist, Golden Horseshoe Region Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent Reports to: Manager of Regional Government Relations Salary Range: $65,000-$85,000 Location: Hybrid; frequent travel within Central Ontario Reason for Vacancy: Existing Vacancy OREA’S MISSION At the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA), it is our goal to keep the dream of home ownership alive. That’s why it is our mission to support the province’s nearly 100,000 REALTORS® in helping people find a great place to call home, work, and thrive. We deliver on that mission by playing a central role in advancing professional standards through advocacy, leadership development, Standard Forms education, and much more. JOB DESCRIPTION The Government Relations (GR) Specialist, Golden Horseshoe Region will be a valued member of OREA’s Regional Government Relations team, reporting to the Manager of Regional Government Relations. With an initial focus on providing advocacy support at the municipal level, this role will evolve to support provincial advocacy initiatives. The overarching objective of the GR Specialist is to support the legislative, policy, and political priorities of the real estate Member Boards in the Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, including Oakville, Brantford, Kitchener, Niagara, Hamilton and those of OREA. Candidates who reside in, or near, the Golden Horseshoe Region are strongly encouraged to apply. This is a hybrid role with frequent travel between Member Board offices in the Golden Horseshoe Region Ontario, with occasional travel to OREA’s offices in Toronto. RESPONSIBILITIES: * Assisting in the creation and deployment of OREA advocacy campaigns, including on digital platforms. * Assisting real estate Member Boards in Central Ontario in achieving their shared goals with OREA. This includes: * Assisting in the development of an annual advocacy plan for the region and individual advocacy plans for each Member Board. * Creating and encouraging Member participation in Call-to-Action campaigns in the Golden Horseshoe Region Ontario. * Connecting Member Boards with OREA’s advocacy resources, including the Issues Mobilization Grant (IMG) program and the Enhanced Member Board Service (EMBERS) program. * Building and maintaining strategic relationships with municipal and provincial elected officials, political staff, senior municipal administrators, industry stakeholders, and community leaders to advance advocacy priorities and increase REALTOR® influence in public policy discussions. * Monitoring local government issues impacting REALTORS® and the real estate industry on behalf of local real estate Member Boards. This will include monitoring traditional media, social media, and municipal council agendas, and will require working with Member Boards to coordinate responses when required. * Planning and delivering REALTOR® Roundtables and stakeholder engagement opportunities that facilitate direct dialogue between REALTORS®, elected officials, and decision-makers. * Identifying political functions and community events of value and working with local real estate Member Boards to coordinate an appropriate REALTOR® presence and participation. * Researching local issues and preparing analysis as requested. * Serving as a liaison between OREA and Member Boards in the Golden Horseshoe Region to establish/maintain relationships with local Board Executive Officers, Presidents, and Political Action Committee Chairs. * Coordinating speaking engagements at local Member Board meetings and participation at local Board events. * Assisting local Member Boards in organizing REALTOR® Member attendance at OREA’s annual advocacy conference and lobby day(s) in Toronto. * Supporting local Member Boards in leveraging OREA’s advocacy resources, including the IMG and EMBERS programs, as well as grassroots engagement initiatives to strengthen local advocacy capacity and participation. * Developing and executing one to two municipal advocacy campaigns annually that advance housing supply, affordability, and REALTOR® priorities, with a focus on achieving measurable policy outcomes. * Attending OREA business/professional meetings as required. * Maintaining accurate activity tracking, relationship management records, performance metrics, and standardized reporting in accordance with Regional Government Relations program requirements. QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS: * Bachelors’ Degree, preferably in a related field * Minimum 3 to 5 years of experience in government relations, public affairs, public policy, advocacy, political engagement, stakeholder relations, municipal government, or a related field. * Knowledge of provincial and municipal legislative processes. * Willingness and ability to travel (up to 20%). Must possess a valid Ontario driver’s license, have access to a car, and be committed to the safe operation of your vehicle in accordance with applicable driving laws in the Province of Ontario. * Experience in grassroots organization and/or Member facing campaigns considered an asset. WHY OREA? * We work on award winning-campaigns, world class events, and some of the biggest issues (i.e. housing/real estate) in Canada! * We offer a competitive salary, defined pension contribution plan, and awesome health benefits. * We help our staff grow their skills to advance their careers through individual professional development budgets. * We provide staff with the best technology and full-time support. * We offer a very competitive vacation package to all staff and additional time off throughout the year for birthdays, moving, and more! Interested applicants should submit their application on, or before July 6th, 2026. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in OREA but only those selected for interview will be contacted. OREA is committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices. If you require an accommodation to fully participate in the hiring process, please contact OREA’s Human Resources department at career@orea.com. [career@orea.com]

Responsibilities

The role focuses on providing municipal and provincial advocacy support for real estate Member Boards in the Golden Horseshoe region. Key duties include building strategic relationships with elected officials, monitoring local government issues, and executing advocacy campaigns to advance housing supply and affordability.