Senior Advisor, Sector Engagement and Strategic Insights

Date: November 28, 2025

Location: Toronto, ON

Requisition ID: 20730

Status: Regular

Business Unit: Corporate Relations, Engagement and Strategy

Why join us?

The IESO is committed to ensuring Ontario’s electricity system meets the province’s needs today and into the future. We are charged with purpose, delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for homes, businesses, and communities across the province. We are energized to grow, embracing opportunities to shape the future of a dynamic and evolving energy sector while advancing our careers. We are powered by teamwork, supported by diverse and passionate colleagues who foster respect, celebrate successes, and thrive on shared achievements. At the IESO, it’s not just what we do—it’s who we are! 

Who we are

Our central role includes managing the provincial power grid in real-time, overseeing and evolving Ontario’s electricity market, engaging with government, municipalities and Indigenous communities, and planning for Ontario’s future electricity needs. Our employees play a key role in driving grid innovation, protecting the system from threats, advancing the province’s energy conservation programs, and forecasting and procuring the electricity resources we’ll need in the decades to come. 

Ontario’s electricity sector is undergoing unprecedented change and growth, from generational investments in new infrastructure, growing demand driven by economic growth, and the establishment of a new electricity market. The Senior Advisor, Sector Engagement & Strategic Insights will have the opportunity to work at the heart of the sector and play a pivotal role in shaping the IESO’s research & engagement strategies.

This role is a part of the Corporate Relations, and Engagement Strategy team and is in union. The Senior Advisor, Sector Engagement & Strategic Insights supports the Strategic Insights function within the Sector Engagement team. The role contributes to the development and execution of delivering evidence-based insights and business intelligence to enhance the IESO’s engagement strategies and support the organization’s growing mandate in the rapidly evolving electricity and energy sectors. Guided by the Senior Manager, Sector Engagement & Strategic Insights, the Senior Advisor works collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to drive success of the IESO by managing research programs, analyzing stakeholder needs, and supporting relationship-building efforts across the energy sector in alignment to Ontario’s energy transition.

What makes this role exciting

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, offering exciting new opportunities for those who want to make a difference.

This position offers the opportunity to influence engagement strategies, deliver actionable insights, and build strong relationships across the energy sector. You’ll collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders, including sector stakeholders and municipal and Indigenous communities, to ensure diverse perspectives inform energy planning and decision-making. Your work will directly contribute to driving positive outcomes for Ontarians and advancing the province’s energy transition.

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll make a meaningful impact by contributing to the IESO team and supporting the electricity needs of the province through:

1. Support development and implementation of the IESO’s research and insights program to effectively deliver business intelligence to drive data-driven decision-making and enhance engagement strategies. This will require collaboration and interaction with varying levels of internal stakeholders, including related lines of business, senior leadership team and executive leadership team, as well as external stakeholders. 
2. Lead and execute robust market and stakeholder research initiatives on behalf of the IESO and develop reporting mechanisms to communicate research insights to internal stakeholders and develop recommendations on how to action insights in alignment to the IESO’s corporate objectives and engagement priorities. 
3. Support the review and advancement of the IESO’s engagement strategies, tactics and plans to enhance relationships with stakeholders and communities; work collaboratively with internal engagement teams to co-develop engagement strategies that align to industry best practices within the energy sector and reflect research insights gleaned. 
4. Develop measurement approach on how to evaluate the success of IESO engagements with stakeholders and communities and devise strategies for continuous improvement; work collaboratively with internal lines of business to share lessons learned and refine engagement approaches, processes, systems and procedures as necessary.
5. Support the development and implementation of strategic planning initiatives in alignment to the IESO’s corporate objectives and engagement priorities within the broader electricity and energy sectors. 
6. Support the development and maintenance of relationships with external stakeholders as determined, including communities, market participants, and advisory groups, as well as net new stakeholders in alignment to the IESO’s mandate within the broader electricity and energy sectors.

In a typical day, you will 

• Conduct research initiatives on behalf of the IESO using effective and innovative research techniques to produce business intelligence, including delivering analysis and end-to-end research through white papers, industry trends, relationship development, survey work and canvassing of memberships and stakeholder networks. 
• Provide support to the IESO’s executive and senior leadership with community and stakeholder intelligence by developing reports, briefings and other tactical work products; develop strong partnerships with internal lines of business and external strategic partners to deliver high-quality insights that advance key initiatives within the IESO and broader electricity and energy sector.
• Enhance the IESO’s engagement strategies and planning for high-priority initiatives and work collaboratively with internal lines of business to develop comprehensive engagement plans that will ensure the organization is taking a coordinated and tailored approach with outreach to stakeholders and communities.
• Attend sector conferences and events to gather insights, represent IESO initiatives, and increase understanding the IESO’s priorities and initiatives with key stakeholders and communities. Help prepare comprehensive briefings for senior leadership based on stakeholder and community feedback and sector intelligence.
• Maintain knowledge of external landscape and macroenvironment developments that could be of interest to the IESO. 
• Perform other duties as required.

Role Requirements

Our team consists of experts from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspectives and skills. 
To succeed in this role, you’ll need:

• Knowledge and experience in Stakeholder Engagement and/or Market Research, with the ability to plan, propose improvements, coordinate, and support the management of stakeholder engagement processes and research & insights mechanisms across the company.  
• Strong communication skills to deal with stakeholders, sector representatives, senior management, and various Committee members, and to establish and manage timely, accurate and coordinated plans in support of the Sector Engagement & Strategic Insights team.
• Proven success in managing relationships and corporate reputation and creating and delivering on stakeholder engagement strategies, plans and programs
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills
• High degree of Political Acuity, able to understand and navigate stakeholder and community processes
• Knowledge and understanding of the energy industry – specifically Ontario’s electricity sector, key players and relationships – is considered a valuable asset.
• Knowledge of business principles and processes to ensure business functions are efficient and at their most productive; leads and advises on special projects and assignments as they arise; liaises with staff across various business units to ensure deadlines and deliverables are met; attends to detail while staying attuned to the macro vision of IESO’s business operations.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, conceptual and forward-thinking skills. 
• This knowledge is considered to be normally acquired through the successful completion of a 4 year university degree, or equivalent.
• A period of over 8 years, and up to and including 10 years, is considered necessary to gain this experience.

How We Support You

From a comprehensive total rewards program to dynamic learning and development opportunities—including job rotations to broaden your expertise—we empower you to define and shape your own success. When you join the IESO, here’s what you can expect:

• Best-in-class benefits and long-term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan. 
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development. 
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees. 

Deadline

December 19, 2025. For future reference, please save a copy of the job posting as it will no longer be available once the posting closes.

Thank you for your interest in a career at the IESO. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that the successful candidate must be legally eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to applicable background checks. 

IESO will not conduct interviews or offer positions via online, text, chat or social media platforms. We will not gather personal information directly from candidates or potential candidates. Selected candidates will work with our Talent Acquisition team to ensure their application is processed.

The IESO will be transitioning to a 3-day in-office work week effective January 2026. Over the course of 2026, the IESO will advance plans to acquire additional office space to accommodate more in-office time. While the timeline for moving to a full 5-day in-office model has not yet been established, we are committed to keeping employees and candidates informed as plans progress and give them as much advance notice as possible to prepare for any changes.

We believe in opportunities for everyone. At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing, and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment—one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know.  

We’re proud to say we’ve been recognized as a supportive, inclusive employer.