Manager, Mineral Policy and Regulatory Affairs

Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)

Manager, Mineral Policy and Regulatory Affairs

Hiring Range: $88,000 - $110,000 on an annual basis.

Placement within this range is based on relevant experience and internal equity.

Position Context: This posting is for a new position.

Working Arrangement: Hybrid, attendance at the office required 1 day per week, plus in-person meetings and on-site attendance for required events.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Senior Director of Policy and Programs, the Manager, Mineral Policy and Regulatory Affairs plays a key role in advancing PDAC's advocacy priorities related to mineral exploration and development, regulatory efficiency, and land access, while also providing operational leadership and coordination across the Policy and Programs team.

The Manager will support staff development and curation of program content, research and communications. The Manager will liaise between the Senior Director and Policy Analysts, foster effective communication across the policy team, and ensure strategic goals are achieved.

The Manager will oversee PDAC's Lands and Regulations programming, which seeks to enhance certainty and efficiency of the frameworks that regulate land access, land use-planning and land rights as they relate to mineral exploration and development. The Manager will lead collaboration between senior management, external stakeholders and PDAC's strategic committees.

The role provides an opportunity to contribute to policy and regulatory issues that directly affect mineral exploration in Canada, including critical minerals, federal resource-development strategies, major project initiatives, Northern and Arctic policy, and infrastructure that supports mineral exploration and development in remote regions.

Candidates may come from a range of professional backgrounds, including mineral exploration and mining, geoscience, natural resources, government, public policy, regulatory affairs, critical minerals, major project development, land-use planning, energy, infrastructure or related sectors. Direct mineral exploration experience is an asset; however, candidates with strong transferable policy, regulatory and natural-resource experience are also encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Operational and Administrative Coordination

This position supports the Director in overseeing daily team operations, helping to ensure effective workflow, collaboration, and coordination across policy files, including priorities affecting the mineral exploration sector. The successful candidate will develop and maintain internal processes to support project tracking, team planning, reporting, budgeting, work planning, meeting logistics, and external correspondence. This includes helping to ensure deliverables and internal deadlines are completed in a timely and organized manner.

Staff Support and Development

The successful candidate will provide day-to-day supervision, work direction, coaching, and development support to Policy Analysts, in coordination with the Director. This includes supporting workload planning, prioritization, quality review, onboarding, and performance feedback. In this capacity, the Manager will also serve as a point of continuity in the Director's absence and contribute to longer-term planning for the department.

Program and Policy Development

This role supports the development and execution of key policy initiatives affecting mineral exploration, mining and the broader minerals sector, including managing select projects as delegated by the Director. The Manager will assist in preparing briefing notes, consultation submissions, presentations, policy responses, and other written materials, ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment with organizational priorities.

The position also monitors emerging legislative, regulatory and policy issues relevant to mineral exploration and helps coordinate internal responses to government consultations and policy discussions. Areas of focus may include federal legislation, critical minerals, resource development, the Building Canada Act and related major project initiatives, land-use planning, land access, Northern and Arctic policy, remote infrastructure, and other federal strategies affecting mineral exploration and mining in Canada.

Communication and Collaboration

The Manager acts as a liaison between the Director and team members to support clarity of priorities, deliverables, and expectations. This position helps ensure alignment and consistency across policy positions, initiatives, and written materials.

The successful candidate will also work collaboratively with managers across departments, including Convention, Communications, and Membership, to support consistent practices and the effective execution of shared organizational goals, including initiatives that engage PDAC members and professionals working within the mineral exploration industry.

Committee and Stakeholder Coordination

This role leads the planning, coordination, and delivery of PDAC's Lands and Regulations portfolio, including annual priorities, committee work plans, consultation responses, member engagement, issue tracking, and related policy deliverables affecting mineral exploration and development.

The successful candidate will plan and coordinate meetings of the Lands and Regulations Committee, including preparing agendas and materials, tracking action items, and ensuring timely follow-up. The Manager will also provide updates and recommendations to committees on ongoing projects, regulatory issues, and engagement initiatives.

The Manager will engage with government, industry representatives and other stakeholders on issues affecting mineral exploration in Canada, including matters affecting junior mineral exploration companies and companies operating in remote, Northern and infrastructure-constrained regions.

The Manager will represent PDAC at conferences, workshops, and other events to support awareness, partnerships, and policy priorities.

Research and Analysis

This position is responsible for identifying, monitoring, and analyzing policy issues related to land use, land access, land rights, land-use planning, federal legislation and regulatory frameworks, as well as other matters affecting mineral exploration and the mineral exploration industry.

Research may also address critical minerals, federal resource-development strategies, the Building Canada Act and related major-project initiatives, Northern and Arctic policy, remote infrastructure and emerging federal priorities affecting mineral exploration and mining in Canada.

The successful candidate will conduct research and prepare briefing materials, position papers, reports, and other resources to inform decision-making and advocacy efforts. A key part of the role is translating complex technical, regulatory, and policy information into clear, accessible materials for PDAC members and stakeholders.

Reporting & Updates

The Manager will prepare regular updates to help track departmental goals, progress, and achievements. This includes developing and maintaining templates and processes that support efficient reporting and communication with the team, senior PDAC staff, committees, and the Board.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Political Science, Environmental Studies, Geoscience, Engineering).
• 5-10 years of experience in policy analysis, advocacy, government relations and/or related work within the mineral exploration, mining or natural resources sectors.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including management, supervision, team leadership or significant responsibility for directing the work of others.
• Experience supervising, coaching or providing work direction to staff, analysts or project teams.
• Comprehensive understanding of federal legislation, regulatory processes and federal strategies affecting natural resources and resource development.
• Knowledge of land use, land access, land rights, land-use planning and regulatory issues affecting mineral exploration and mining in Canada is an asset.
• Knowledge of, or experience working with, critical minerals policy, federal resource-development strategies, Northern or Arctic policy, remote infrastructure or major-project development is an asset.
• Familiarity with the Building Canada Act and other federal initiatives affecting major projects, regulatory efficiency and resource development is an asset.
• Familiarity with capital markets, financial disclosures, and data analysis.
• Knowledgeable in land use, conservation and protection strategies.
• Direct experience with mineral exploration, junior mineral exploration companies or the broader mining industry is an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and advanced Excel skills for data analysis.
• Excellent written, verbal, and editorial communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects with varying objectives.
• Proven ability to engage and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex technical, legislative or regulatory information into clear policy positions, briefing notes, consultation responses and advocacy materials.
• Flexibility to leverage technology to improve operational efficiency and capacity.
• French language skills are an asset.

The successful candidate will be working in a hybrid work model, with the requirement to attend the PDAC office 1 day per week, as well as in-person meetings and on-site attendance for required events. The PDAC office is located at 170 University Avenue, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario.

Applicants are requested to submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

PDAC does not use automated decision-making or artificial intelligence tools to screen or assess candidates for this role. PDAC is committed to fair and inclusive hiring practices and will provide accommodations, upon request, to support participation in all stages of the recruitment process.