Position: Senior Policy Advisor
Status: Full-time, indefinite
Team: Policy and Strategic Partnerships
Reports to: Associate Vice President, Policy
Supervises: N/A
Language(s): English
Location: Remote, within Canada
Starting Salary: CAD $93,497/ year
Deadline for Applications: 19 April 2026, 11:59pm ET
ABOUT EQUALITY FUND
Equality Fund is an innovative global mechanism designed to sustainably resource people-powered movements led by women, girls, and trans people rooted in their own communities. Together with donors, governments and changemakers, we move money to local leaders in the Global South and East to transform their communities and, in turn, the world. Their work strengthens democracy, drives climate resilience, reduces violence, and advances human rights for all. Launched in 2019, Equality Fund has activated over $100 million to more than 1,000 organizations working across 100 countries.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Senior Policy Advisor provides leadership, support and coordination functions in the Policy and Strategic Partnerships team, furthering Equality Fund’s mission to shift resources and power to local leaders and organizations around the world. The Senior Policy Advisor will lead as well as contribute to the implementation of key parts of Equality Fund’s Policy and Advocacy Strategy, develop policy analysis in important emerging areas as well as support the organization’s Government Relations work in Canada. The Senior Policy Advisor is required to work collaboratively and sensitively in a fast-paced environment, both across Equality Fund and within external networks.
SCOPE & RESPONSIBILITIES
Working closely with the Associate Vice-President, Policy, the Policy Advisor as well as the wider Policy and Strategic Partnerships team, the main responsibilities of the Senior Policy Advisor include:
Supports thought leadership on feminist funding
- Conducts rigorous analysis of new and non-traditional global funding trends and opportunities - with a feminist lens.
- Supports in making the case for ‘future-proofing feminist funding’ through analysis, participation in public discussions, joint work with other teams across Equality Fund and external allies, strategic initiatives, etc.
- Strategically engages in select Canadian civil society and global discussions, identifying important opportunities to advance Equality Fund’s priorities.
- Expertly communicates and disseminates policy and advocacy messages to diverse internal and external audiences via multiple channels.
Strategic partnerships
- Actively promotes, builds and strengthens alliances and relationships with new and existing stakeholders.
- Manages Equality Fund’s relationship with key allied organizations and/or actors.
- Represents Equality Fund at external meetings and events (Canadian and global), delivers presentations on behalf of the organization.
- Develops joint strategies and positions, and provides regular read-outs to Equality Fund colleagues on networks to which the organization belongs (e.g. Cooperation Canada, Alliance for Feminist Movements, Women’s Rights Policy Group, Prospera, Dignity Network Canada etc).
- Leads on organizing events with partners and other stakeholders.
Team strategizing, planning and reporting
- Contributes to team strategizing, planning, and reporting efforts (e.g. work planning, reporting, MEL).
- Liaises with Equality Fund colleagues on shared work, specifically the Global Programs team (amplifying voices of grantee partners); Communications (social media updates and written outputs); Strategy, Innovation and Impact (data gathering for casemaking work) and the Executive Office (supporting Equality Fund’s Government Relations work in Canada).
- Maintains and supports the team’s use of Equality Fund’s Salesforce database.
- Supports the use of and the team’s implementation of Equality Fund’s Learning and Impact Framework
- Acts in accordance with our policies around nurturing a safe and respectful work environment; never engaging in discrimination, harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation or abuse of any form, or anything else contrary to our code of conduct.
QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
Experience
- At least 5 years of experience in feminist policy work or related;
- At least 2 years of experience working in the Global South is required. Lived experience in areas relevant to Equality Fund's work is an asset e.g member of a marginalized group based on race, religion, person with disabilities, member of the LGBQTI+ community etc;
- Strong understanding of international development policies, institutions, and trends with robust gender analysis across these areas;
- Understanding of global feminist movements, networks and organizations, ideally with experience working within them;
- Understanding of Canadian and other government approaches to feminist development/international assistance policies and programmes;
- Experience working on policy and advocacy at the federal level and within global forums;
- Experience organizing high-level meetings, webinars, and events for decision-making audiences;
- Strong policy research and analysis skills;
- Demonstrated ability to develop analytical, evidence-based policy papers and reports;
- Excellent written and communications skills, including research reports, briefing notes;
- Project management experience, particularly juggling different types of projects across teams as well as external stakeholders, and the ability to manage deadlines and deliver quality results
- Experience of working on climate finance, LGBTI+ rights, and/or investment would be an asset;
- Professional working proficiency in English;
- Strong conceptual skills and intellectual curiosity;
- Strategic thinker with good political instinct and the ability to identify and maximize strategic openings and opportunities;
- Demonstrated high ethical standards, integrity, honesty, and ability to work with sensitive information in a confidential manner;
- Commitment to the work and values of Equality Fund, which include Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, and Intersectionality; Feminist Leadership; Accountability; and Radical Love;
- Working knowledge of Google Suite and MS Office required;
- Proficiency in French or Spanish is an asset;
- Working proficiency in cloud-based Customer Relationship Management platforms is an asset.
Education
Masters Degree or PhD in the areas of Development Studies, Women’s Studies, Global Studies, International Relations or a related area.
Adaptive Competencies
- High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trust, foster collaboration, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics;
- Ability to thrive in nuanced, dynamic, complex environments and respond effectively to changing priorities and challenges;
- Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to address systemic issues and implement innovative solutions;
- Ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, internally and externally, fostering a culture of shared purpose and accountability.
REQUIREMENTS
- Must be legally eligible to work in Canada;
- Available to travel approximately once a quarter for up to 4 weeks in total per year;
- Occasional evening and/or weekend work may be required when coordinating with people in other time zones;
- Willing and able to work remotely on mostly computer-based work.
OUR ENVIRONMENT OF CARE
- We trust our talented team and are pleased to offer a flexible and virtual work environment.
- We are driven by our values: Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, and Intersectionality; Feminist Leadership; Accountability; and Radical Love. We believe our values are realized through collaboration, a growth and learning mindset, emotional intelligence, diversity, authenticity, a global perspective, care, and building networks. We work to share power and create space for everyone to lead.
- Equality Fund is proud to offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which has no waiting period and includes 4 weeks paid vacation, paid sick time, parental leave top up, medical benefits, life insurance, Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), paid birthday off, and more.
- Equality Fund is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and respectful workplace. We do not tolerate harassment, coercion, sexual exploitation, or abuse of any form. We recognize that those behaviors are often rooted in abuse of power, which is contrary to Equality Fund's mission to make a more equitable world for women, girls, and trans people.
- Equality Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We believe deeply in equality and value diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, and all other protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and positionalities, and are committed to providing an accessible candidate experience. To let us know how we can make an accommodation or adjustment to facilitate the selection process and beyond, please reach out to people@equalityfund.ca.
SELECTION PROCESS
- Equality Fund does not employ the use of AI technology in the screening, recruitment, or selection process.
- Equality Fund does not take informational interviews during the hiring process. We do this both from an equity perspective and a team capacity consideration as this helps to ensure everyone gets a fair chance in their application and that all candidates have equal access to the information that would help them in the hiring process.
- Equality Fund’s People, Equity, and Culture team will work with the hiring manager to do an initial screening of applicants. Please make sure to detail your experience in your resume/cover letter to ensure the committee has the information they need to assess your qualifications for the role. This process takes about 1-2 weeks from the application deadline.
- When there are many candidates who pass the initial screening, the People, Equity, and Culture team may conduct 15-30 minute phone screening calls.
- The hiring committee will conduct first round interviews with selected candidates. Candidates will be sent the interview questions 1 hour in advance of their scheduled interview.
- The hiring committee may conduct a second round of interviews, which may include an assignment.
- The People, Equity, and Culture team will conduct reference checks for the candidate to whom they intend to extend an offer. This process usually takes about 1 week.
- The People, Equity, and Culture team will initiate a background check. This is intended to safeguard Equality Fund employees, grantees, and the organization. We recognize that some communities experience systemic over-policing. As such, only findings related to harassment, exploitation, coercion, sexual exploitation, fraud, abuse, or other findings specifically relevant to the duties of the role will be considered in relation to one’s eligibility for employment.
- The People, Equity, and Culture team will send the selected candidate an Employment Agreement, which the candidate will have time to review and return.
JOIN US!
Though we work to respond to all applicants, at times we may only be able to follow-up with those selected for an interview.
