Senior Policy Advisor - Conseiller sénior ou conseillère séniore, Politiques

Guided by our values — Impact, Integrity, Collaboration, Excellence, and Talent — we work with partners nationwide to advance research, commercialization, and innovation. At Mitacs, you become part of a team committed to empowering Canadian talent, fostering meaningful partnerships, and driving innovation that supports Canada’s long-term competitiveness. If you’re inspired by big ideas and passionate about creating national impact, we encourage you to apply. About the Policy Team The Policy team at Mitacs plays a central role in translating complexity into clear, actionable insight. We transform data into informed decisions, develop evidence-based rationales for new initiatives, and articulate the organization’s impact in ways that resonate with government and partners. We ensure that Mitacs programs align with public priorities, clarify the underlying purpose of our work, and provide the policy intelligence and strategic advice necessary to support organizational transformation. We collaborate closely with Programs, Government Relations, and Evaluations to ensure that Mitacs’s strategies, programs, and proposals are grounded in robust evidence, responsive to public-sector priorities, and communicated effectively to funders and stakeholders. The Senior Policy Advisor is a strategic thinker, researcher, and storyteller who will help support Mitacs’s evolution and implement its new strategic plan. A key function of this role is conducting original research that identifies emerging trends, risks, and opportunities—providing the organization with strategic advice for policy alignment and organizational transformation . You will translate complex data into actionable insights, develop compelling narratives for government funders, and support evidence-informed program design. You will lead priority policy files, drive forward-looking analysis, and help shape the strategic direction of the organization. Key Responsibilities Strategic Policy Research & Foresight

• Conduct original policy research, environmental scans, and jurisdictional analyses to inform Mitacs’s evolution and long-term direction.
• Identify new opportunities in research, innovation, talent development, and economic policy that should shape Mitacs programs and partnerships.
• Demonstrate how emerging federal/provincial priorities may impact Mitacs, and provide actionable recommendations for organizational alignment. Organizational Strategy & Transformation
• Provide evidence-informed policy advice that supports organizational transformation, modernization, and alignment with stakeholder expectations.
• Identify policy gaps, risks, and opportunities to strengthen Mitacs’s positioning within the broader innovation ecosystem.
• Develop strategic insights that help executives make decisions about new directions, partnerships, and funding opportunities. Program Development & Evaluation Integration
• Articulate the rationale behind new programs and pilots by grounding them in research, evaluation findings, and public priorities.
• Work with Program teams to interpret evaluation data and recommend whether programs should be scaled, adapted, or sunset.
• Contribute to theories of change, logic models, and other foundational policy materials. Government Relations Support & Funding Proposals
• Produce intelligence briefs, strategic insights, and tailored messaging that help Government Relations engage funders.
• Co-author funding proposals that draw on policy analysis, program impact, and organizational strategy.
• Track government mandates, budget cycles, and policy developments to inform both immediate and long-term organizational strategy. Impact Communication & Storytelling
• Collaborate with Evaluations to translate program results into compelling stories for governments, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Develop content for panels, events, and public communications to clearly articulate Mitacs’s impact.
• Ensure that data, insights, and narratives are aligned with Mitacs’s strategic objectives and funder expectations. Qualifications & Experience
• Graduate degree in public policy, economics, political science, sociology, or a related field preferred.
• 5–8+ years of experience in federal level policy analysis, public-sector research, strategic planning, or government-related roles. Federal Government experience is a strong asset.
• Proven experience conducting original policy research that informs strategy or program design.
• Strong understanding of government decision-making, funding processes, and public-sector priorities.
• Exceptional writing and communication skills—able to distill complexity into compelling stories.
• Experience contributing to organizational strategy or transformation initiatives is a strong asset.
• Comfort working with data, evaluation findings, and qualitative/quantitative research methods.
• Knowledge of innovation, research, or economic development policy is an advantage. What You Bring
• A strategic mindset that connects research insights to organizational decision-making.
• Curiosity and the ability to uncover the “why” behind issues and programs.
• Strong analytical capabilities paired with excellent storytelling instincts.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to influence across teams.
• Comfort working in an evolving environment where policy, strategy, and program delivery intersect. Hiring Range: $77,100 - $97,660 ______ Guidé·es par nos valeurs, impact, intégrité, collaboration, excellence et talent , nous collaborons avec des partenaires de partout au pays pour faire avancer la recherche, la commercialisation et l’innovation. À Mitacs, vous ferez partie d’une équipe qui s’engage à donner des ailes aux talents canadiens, à favoriser des partenariats féconds et à stimuler l’innovation qui consolide la compétitivité du Canada à long terme. Si les grandes idées vous inspirent et la création d’un impact à l’échelle nationale vous passionne, nous vous encourageons à présenter votre candidature. Présentation de l’équipe Politiques L’équipe Politiques de Mitacs traduit des données et des contextes politiques complexes en analyses claires et exploitables. Nous éclairons les décisions stratégiques, élaborons des justifications fondées sur des preuves pour les nouvelles initiatives et rendons compte des retombées de l’organisation de façon à convaincre les gouvernements et nos partenaires. Nous veillons à ce que nos programmes cadrent avec les priorités publiques et nous fournissons des éclairages politiques et des conseils stratégiques qui appuient la transformation de l’organisation. Nous jouons également un rôle de premier plan dans les débats sur les politiques publiques en misant sur les données, les recherches et les analyses pour promouvoir le leadership éclairé quant au rôle des talents dans l’écosystème de l’innovation du Canada. Nous collaborons de près avec les équipes Programmes, Relations gouvernementales, Évaluation et Communications et affaires publiques pour nous assurer que les stratégies et les propositions de Mitacs s’appuient sur des données probantes, correspondent aux priorités du secteur public et sont clairement communiquées aux bailleurs de fonds et aux parties prenantes. Personne-ressource de confiance, le conseiller sénior ou la conseillère séniore, Politiques fait preuve de pensée stratégique et possède de solides capacités en recherche et en rédaction narrative, ce qui lui permettra de contribuer à l’évolution de Mitacs et à la mise en œuvre de son plan stratégique. Ce poste conjugue recherches politiques rigoureuses, mobilisation externe et leadership éclairé. L’une de vos principales missions sera de mener des recherches originales afin de repérer les tendances émergentes, les risques et les possibilités, tout en traduisant ces constats en contenus capables d’influencer les points de vue des parties prenantes et les discussions sur les politiques publiques. Vous jouerez un