Public Policy jobs in Canada

Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing the vast majority of Canada's home, car and business insurance companies. We rely on the collective expertise of our members and leadership team to create policy positions, advocate for a competitive and sustainable market and influence meaningful change in the insurance industry. As advocates for the insurance industry and the people who depend upon it, we seek to understand the challenges facing Canadians, the industry and governments so we can proactively prepare for the future.

Are you passionate about shaping public policy in Canada? Are you interested in financial services? Do you excel in a dynamic environment where your analytical and data skills can make a significant impact? If so, we invite you to apply for the position of Economist / Research Analyst within IBC’s Policy Development department. This is a growth position that is instrumental in advancing innovative public policy solutions for the general insurance industry in Canada.

Reporting to the Senior Economist, you will be a crucial part of our esteemed team, contributing to groundbreaking initiatives that support IBC’s regional teams and its member companies. Your work will help drive change in the property and casualty insurance industry. Our team will help you grow into a formidable public policy expert in terms of domain knowledge, research skill, member engagement and advocacy strategy.

The focus of the role will be to support the Senior Economist in all aspects of financial sector regulation and taxation legislation. Working through IBC’s Finance Standing Committee, and interfacing with regulatory bodies (e.g., OSFI, FSRA, AMF) and tax authorities (e.g., Finance Canada, CRA), you will produce background research materials, draft submissions, assist in the coordination of working group meetings, develop presentations and be an all-purpose research resource.

• Proactively manage IBC’s policy issues, delivering credible research and impactful analysis which will feed into policy and advocacy positions.

• Data Analysis: retrieve, process and analyze industry data from several sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the insurance industry. The ability to identify and communicate market trends is important.

• Research: conduct thorough primary and secondary research, both quantitative and qualitative, on topics related to insurance. Synthetize information quickly, clearly and accurately for a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Resulting presentation should be clear, concise, compelling and tailored to specific audiences (experts and laity alike).

• Writing: support the development of detailed briefing notes, policy submissions and presentations. The ability to effectively convey the results of research in writing and orally is critical.

• Policy Support: assist in the creation and refinement of policy proposals, leveraging data and research to draft submissions in response to government consultations, briefing notes and presentations. Respond to time-sensitive requests from regional colleagues and communication colleagues to support advancing IBC’s advocacy.

• Coordination: assist in the management of industry committees and working groups, including producing agenda and meeting minutes while developing effective relationships with representatives of IBC member companies.

• Collaboration: maintain a thorough understanding of industry issues and public policy issues, in particular those for the region you support as a business partner. The ability to work well in structured and unstructured team environments is vital.

• Education: master’s degree in economics, finance, public policy or a related field is a requirement.

• Analytical Prowess: strong ability to analyze and interpret datasets, identify trends, and draw meaningful conclusions. Skills in quantitative analysis, including data manipulation and interpretation are required.

• Excel Proficiency: experience using Excel to manage and analyze data efficiently. Fluency with key statistical and econometric software tools is considered an asset.

• Research Skills: expertise in conducting thorough primary and secondary research, including jurisdictional scans, to gather relevant information and best practices.

• Communication Skills: excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience crafting clear and persuasive documents such as policy briefing notes, research reports, and presentations.

• Policy Experience: 1-2 years of experience working on public policy issues, particularly economic policy issues, is a strong benefit.

• Self-Motivator and Team Player: ability to work autonomously while also thriving in a multi-disciplinary team-oriented environment.

• Adaptability: capable of managing multiple tasks effectively while maintaining a high-level of organization.

• Customer-focused with excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

• Experience working directly in insurance, financial services or other highly-regulated industry is an asset.

• An understanding of policy and economic principles, and how they apply to decision making in both business and public policy.

• Experience in managing projects, setting priorities, influencing others and taking initiative to ensure on-time delivery.

• Competitive Total Rewards Package: pay, pension and benefits that is comparable within the industry and associations.

• Career Growth: we are rigorous in our selection process. Our objective is to secure candidates who will grow their career at IBC.

• Hybrid Work Environment: we offer flexibility with regard to in-office presence.

• Work-Life Balance: we offer flexibility to choose work hours that suit your preference and provide several perks that support a healthy work-life balance.

• Impactful Work: we are in the business of compliance. However, our advocacy centers on changing the rules and your contributions will directly influence legislation and regulation across Canada.

• Reputation: we are considered by many as the top public policy shop amongst industry associations. The scope, volume and complexity of our work compels us to operate a high level of analytical sophistication. Our team is recognized not only for its excellence, but also for offering opportunities for exposure to IBC’s senior leadership team, senior executives within the insurance industry and senior counterparts amongst government and regulatory bodies.

• Corporate Culture: IBC prides itself on having a respectful, collaborative, team-oriented culture. From the Office of the President down, we do our best to encourage and support our employees, accommodating them when necessary. Our anonymous employee survey consistently reports high levels of employee satisfaction.

• Employee-Led Culture Initiatives: IBC has several internal committees that focus on topics that are of concern to staff, including mental health and diversity & inclusion. These committees seek to promote a healthy and positive working environment.

• Dynamic Environment: be part of a forward-thinking organization that values drive, innovation and creativity.