Communications Director

Fonction publique de l'Ontario; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 157,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Continuous learning

Pension plan

Health Plan

Maternity and parental leave top-up

Job summary

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is seeking a strategic Communications Director to provide executive leadership, governance and expert counsel across the IPC's communications portfolio. You will shape organization-wide strategies, lead media relations, public education, digital channels and corporate engagement to advance privacy rights and access knowledge across Ontario.

You will oversee a high-profile team, manage complex initiatives, and drive principled

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level experience providing strategic communications leadership, executive counsel and direction for complex initiatives.
• Extensive experience across strategic communications, public relations, issues and reputation management, media relations, public education, stakeholder engagement, digital and corporate communications.
• Experience leading a multidisciplinary communications function, including people, financial, operational and project management.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for the IPC's communications function and establish organization-wide strategies and standards.
• Serve as senior communications advisor to the Commissioner and senior management, offering expert strategic counsel on sensitive matters.
• Lead corporate issues management, environmental scanning and rapid response during evolving situations.
• Oversee media relations and advise on strategy, messaging and interview opportunities for high-profile inquiries.
• Guide public education strategies and engagement initiatives to explain access and privacy issues clearly to diverse audiences.
• Direct digital channels, editorial standards, brand and accessibility across major publications and products.
• Develop opportunities for executive thought leadership and strengthen the IPC's independent voice.
• Provide strategic direction for initiatives involving government bodies, health custodians, municipalities and other regulated sectors.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic advisory

Media relations

Public education strategies

Digital communications

Stakeholder engagement

Budgeting & contracts

Job description

Apply By:Thursday, October 8, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Strategic Initiatives and External Relations Division (SIERD)

City:

Toronto

Position(s) language:

Job term:

1 Permanent

Job code:

Not Available - Not Available

Not available $156,789 to $197,518

As the principal communication advisor to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC), Assistant Commissioner, Strategic Initiatives and External Relations (SIERD), and senior leaders, the Communications Director provides executive leadership and direction for the IPC's strategic communications, media relations, issues and reputation management, public education, digital communications, stakeholder communications and corporate engagement activities. Reporting to the Assistant Commissioner, SIERD, the Director provides expert strategic counsel on complex, sensitive, fast-moving and high-profile privacy and access-related matters positioning the IPC as a trusted, independent regulator and authoritative source of information and guidance. The Director leads a dynamic group of communication professionals delivering integrated, organization-wide communications strategies that increase awareness and understanding of access and privacy rights and obligations in Ontario

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is an administrative tribunal responsible for the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA). We are seeking a strategic and collaborative Communications Director.

About the job

As a Communications Director, you will:

• Provide executive leadership for the IPC's communications function, establishing organization-wide communications strategies, priorities, standards and approaches aligned with the IPC's mandate, strategic plan and corporate priorities.
• Serve as the senior communications advisor to the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and senior management team, providing expert strategic counsel on complex, sensitive, high-profile and emerging matters.
• Lead the IPC's corporate approach to issues and reputation management, including environmental scanning, identification and assessment of emerging issues, and communications responses during sensitive or rapidly evolving situations.
• Provide executive oversight of media relations and advise senior executives on media strategy, interview opportunities, messaging and responses to high-profile or sensitive inquiries.
• Provide strategic leadership for public education strategies, campaigns, resources and engagement initiatives that make complex access and privacy issues understandable and relevant to diverse audiences across Ontario.
• Provide strategic direction for digital communications channels, corporate content, editorial, brand and accessibility standards, and major publications and communications products.
• Develop strategies to position the IPC as a trusted and authoritative voice on access to information and privacy issues and identify opportunities for executive thought leadership.
• Provide strategic communications leadership for initiatives involving government institutions, health information custodians, municipalities, law enforcement, education organizations, child and family services organizations and other regulated sectors.
• Provide strategic direction for internal and corporate communications supporting organizational priorities, employee engagement and change initiatives.
• Lead the Communications department, including people leadership, professional development, succession planning, resource allocation, budgeting, procurement, contracts, service standards and quality controls.

Education and Experience

• Extensive senior-level experience providing strategic communications leadership, executive counsel and direction for complex, high-profile organizational initiatives.
• Extensive experience across strategic communications, public relations, issues and reputation management, media relations, public education, stakeholder engagement, digital communications and corporate communications.
• Experience leading a multidisciplinary communications function, including people, financial, operational, and project management.

Knowledge Requirements

• Expert knowledge of strategic communications, public relations, issues and reputation management, media relations, public education, stakeholder engagement, digital communications and corporate communications.
• Extensive knowledge of communications strategy, research, audience analysis, evaluation and contemporary communications practices.
• Strong understanding of the role and responsibilities of an independent regulatory and oversight organization and the importance of institutional independence, credibility, and public trust.
• Understanding of Ontario's access and privacy environment and the legislative, policy, regulatory and public-sector context in which the IPC operates.
• Highly developed political acuity and judgment to assess sensitive or high-profile issues while maintaining the IPC's independence and non-partisan role.

Skills and Abilities

• Executive-level advisory skills and the ability to provide credible and persuasive advice in situations involving competing priorities, significant risk or limited time for decision-making.
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to translate complex legal, regulatory, policy and technical information into clear and accessible communications.
• Strong leadership and management skills to build organizational communications capacity and lead highly skilled communications professionals.
• Strong relationship management, consultation, negotiation and influencing skills with senior executives, regulators, public institutions, stakeholders, media and external partners.
• Financial, operational and project management skills to establish priorities and manage staff, budgets, contracts, and multiple high-profile initiatives.
• Sound judgment and the ability to balance transparency and public interest with legal, operational, confidentiality and institutional considerations.

Asset Qualifications

Having the ability to communicate (orally and in writing) in French is an asset.

How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

Commitment to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism: We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and promoting a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.

We also believe in the importance of providing services to Ontarians in both official languages and encourage interested bilingual candidates to apply particularly for public facing positions.

What we offer

• A modern organization with a flexible hybrid work model with in-office attendance at a minimum of 8 days per month.
• Commitment to continuous learning and developmental opportunities for all its employees.
• Work with an innovative and high performing organization committed to creating a positive organizational culture and highly dedicated to its mission of advancing the privacy and access rights of Ontarians.
• A pension plan program.
• Comprehensive Health Plan, Life and Disability Insurance.
• Maternity and parental leave top-up benefits.

Notes: OPS & IPC Reciprocal Staffing Agreement: The IPC has a Reciprocal Staffing Agreement with the Ontario Public Service (OPS) that enables employees to accept positions in either organization while retaining their access to benefits, pension contributions, and years of service.

Qualified List Information: A list of qualified candidates will be established for the Communications Director position in the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) and will be in effect for twelve (12) months from the date the list is created. Qualified candidates on the list may be considered when filling future permanent and/or temporary vacancies in this position.

This posting is for an organization that is separate from the Ontario Public Service. The information and tips on the Ontario Public Service Careers website may not apply to this posting. Please use the contact information below to contact the IPC directly if you have any questions about this position.

Language requirements and assessment: All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the \"position(s) language\" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.