Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sector Engagement

Department: Industry Advancement

Employment Type: Full Time / Hybrid / Indeterminate

Language Designation: English/French Bilingual - CBC (Read/Write/Speak)

Posting Close Date: August 30, 2026

Tourism is the heartbeat of communities from coast to coast to coast. At Destination Canada, our aspiration for the tourism industry is to generate wealth and wellbeing for all of Canada and enrich the lives of our guests. Our mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. We seek diverse, ingenious thinkers teeming with intellectual curiosity and a deep desire to grow Canada’s tourism industry – strengthening the socio-cultural, environmental and economic vitality tourism brings to Canada.

We’re looking for an experienced and strategic executive leader to guide Destination Canada’s corporate affairs, sector engagement, corporate communications, and major events activities across Canada and internationally.

Reporting to the Senior Vice-President, Industry Advancement and Corporate Secretary, you’ll lead how Destination Canada engages with tourism partners, industry leaders, stakeholders, and broader economic audiences. You’ll oversee corporate communications and external engagement strategies that strengthen the organization’s reputation, amplify its impact, and position tourism as one of Canada’s leading service exports and a driver of economic growth, global competitiveness, and trade diversification.

You’ll also provide strategic oversight for Destination Canada’s major events activities, ensuring they support organizational priorities, sector engagement, stakeholder relationships, and Canada’s global tourism competitiveness.

This is a highly strategic role that combines stakeholder engagement, communications, relationship management, and enterprise outreach leadership. You’ll work closely with senior leaders and partners across Canada to strengthen relationships, align engagement approaches, shape strategic conversations, and advance shared priorities for the tourism sector and Canadian economy.

The role is ideal for a collaborative and influential leader who brings strong strategic thinking, exceptional relationship-building skills, and experience navigating complex multi-stakeholder environments.

• Enterprise Sector Engagement: Designs and executes Destination Canada’s enterprise approach to sector engagement and stakeholder relations, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, mandate objectives, and long-term tourism sector outcomes that support Canada’s global competitiveness.
• Corporate Communications Strategy: Oversees corporate communications strategies, external messaging, and organizational positioning that strengthen Destination Canada’s reputation, visibility, and engagement with external audiences across Canada and internationally.
• Corporate Affairs and External Positioning: Leads corporate affairs and external positioning strategies that strengthen understanding of Destination Canada’s mandate and tourism’s role in advancing Canada’s economic growth, global competitiveness, productivity, and trade diversification objectives.
• Stakeholder Relationships: Supports relationships with key Tourism partners, associations, destination organizations, and other stakeholders, in coordination with senior leadership.
• Executive Advisory: Provides strategic advice to senior leadership on stakeholder dynamics, reputational considerations, emerging issues, external trends, and opportunities that may impact Destination Canada, the tourism sector, or Canada’s competitiveness.
• Enterprise Engagement Strategy: Leads the development and coordination of Destination Canada’s enterprise stakeholder engagement and outreach approach, ensuring consistent, strategic, and aligned engagement with partners, stakeholders, and external audiences across the organization.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Works collaboratively across Destination Canada to align stakeholder engagement, communications, outreach, and major events activities through an integrated enterprise approach.
• Operational and People Leadership: Provides strategic plans and recommendations on planning and prioritization for the Corporate Affairs and Sector Engagement function to the SVP and senior leadership, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing work environment.

• Graduation from a recognized university in communications, corporate affairs, public administration, political science, business, tourism, or a related discipline, or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience.
• At least 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience in corporate affairs, stakeholder engagement, communications, strategic partnerships, major events, external relations, or related fields, including experience leading complex external engagement initiatives.
• Senior-level experience leading stakeholder and relationship strategies across multi-stakeholder environments involving industry partners, governments, associations, Indigenous organizations, or senior external audiences.
• Experience overseeing corporate communications and external positioning strategies.
• Experience developing and executing enterprise-level strategic plans and outreach strategies across diverse stakeholder environments.
• Strategic thinking and advisory capability: ability to translate broad organizational objectives and external dynamics into integrated engagement, communications, and outreach strategies.
• Relationship-building and collaboration skills: ability to establish trust, influence without direct authority, and foster alignment across diverse stakeholder groups and internal teams.

• Experience working within the tourism, destination marketing, economic development, trade, or major events sectors.
• Understanding of federal government, Crown corporation, or broader public sector environments.

Salary range: $142,000 - $184,600

Within the range, the base pay offered is determined by multiple factors, including job-related skills and relevant education/experience. Please note starting salaries for new hires typically fall between the minimum and mid-point of the range, to support internal equity and allow room for progression as employees grow and excel in their roles. The range above reflects base pay only and does not include the competitive at-risk pay program and benefits that we offer!

Our total rewards offering is designed to support your health, wellbeing, and life outside of work. In addition to base salary, you’ll have access to:

• Extended health and dental benefits
• A defined contribution pension plan
• A minimum of 3 weeks’ vacation
• 5 paid days for personal and family needs each year
• 1 paid wellbeing day per year
• Generous maternity and parental leave top-up
• An employee and family assistance program
• Flexible working options, including a hybrid model and compressed workweek
• Support towards your professional growth with learning and development opportunities, mentorship, and more.

• This role follows a hybrid work arrangement, where work is performed onsite at least 3 days per week. Please note the work arrangement is subject to change.
• This role may require travel at least 1-2x per year

At Destination Canada, we believe that Canada's diversity is its greatest asset and is what touches travellers' hearts most deeply. To that end, we are committed to inclusive leadership within our workplace, workforce, and interactions with partners and travellers alike. Destination Canada is an equal opportunity employer committed to reflecting Canada's diversity through fair and accessible hiring and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. If you require accommodations at any point in the recruitment process, please reach out to [email protected].

We know that applying for a new job can be both exciting and intimidating, and we sincerely appreciate your interest and effort. Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted.