Communications Specialist

Socket.dev; Calgary; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation entitlement

RRSP matching

Health spending account

Extended health and dental benefits

On-site gym (Distress Centre Calgary)

Staff development fund

Development days

Job summary

Distress Centre Calgary is seeking a Communications Specialist to lead communications planning, content strategy and storytelling to strengthen visibility and community impact. You will collaborate with fundraising, program teams and leadership to bring the organization’s story to life.

The role requires a 5–8 year track record in content marketing, media relations and stakeholder communications, with a commitment to ethical storytelling and inclusion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or related field.
• 5–8 years of experience developing content marketing plans and campaigns.
• Experience creating media releases, backgrounders and information packages.
• Experience supporting fundraising and donor engagement campaigns.
• Experience publishing content across web, video and social media.

Responsibilities

• Develop editorial strategy, content and campaign planning to build awareness and understanding of DCC's programs and community impact, including coordinating photography and video.
• Create and manage editorial content across channels to support fundraising and donor engagement.
• Plan and execute internal communications, templates and guides to strengthen organizational alignment and consistency with the DCC brand.
• Support media relations and stakeholder communications, including briefing materials, backgrounders, press releases and opinion pieces.
• Analyze and report on marketing and communications performance, and advise on trends and opportunities to drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Editorial strategy

Content marketing

Social media management

Media relations

Stakeholder communications

Storytelling

Ethical AI

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications or related field

Job description

Communications Specialist

(Communications & Marketing Strategist)

This is a Full-Time position starting on November 2.

Location & Hours

Work location: On-site at Distress Centre Calgary (999 8 St SW, Suite 500).

Hours:Generally, Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, with occasional evenings or weekends as required.

What We Offer

• Generous Vacation Entitlement
• RRSP matching and Health Spending Account
• Extended health and dental benefits
• Access to on-site gym (999 site) at no cost
• Paid development days and a staff development fund
• A supportive, mission-driven workplace where you can grow, take on new challenges, and collaborate with colleagues that value integrity, hard work, and make a meaningful community impact

Who We Are

For over 50 years, Distress Centre has served Calgary and Southern Alberta by providing 24-hour crisis support, information, and resources at no cost. Distress Centre does not define crisis. We do not judge. Anyone can call us day or night.

We are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace where employees are valued, experience a sense of belonging, and are confident in being their most authentic selves. We welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and members of equity-deserving groups. We value all the ways that our community is diverse – in identity, experience and perspective.

What to Expect

The Communications & Marketing Strategist provides communications planning, content strategy, storytelling, stakeholder communications, and channel coordination to strengthen Distress Centre Calgary’s (DCC) visibility, engagement, reputation, and mission support. Reporting to the Senior Communications & Marketing Manager, you’ll work closely with Fund Development, People & Culture, and program teams to bring DCC’s story to life.

What You’ll Do

This list highlights core responsibilities and is not exhaustive. Additional related duties may arise over time and will be discussed and supported by your supervisor.

• Develop editorial strategy, content and campaign planning to build awareness and understanding of DCC's programs and community impact, including coordinating photography and video.
• Create and manage editorial content across channels to support fundraising and donor engagement.
• Plan and execute internal communications, templates and guides to strengthen organizational alignment and consistency with the DCC brand.
• Support media relations and stakeholder communications, including briefing materials, backgrounders, press releases and opinion pieces.
• Analyze and report on marketing and communications performance, and advise on trends and opportunities to drive continuous improvement.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• 5 to 8 years of experience, including:
  • developing and executing content marketing plans and campaigns
  • creating media releases, information packages and backgrounders
  • supporting fundraising and donor engagement campaigns
  • publishing content across web, video and social media
  • monitoring and analyzing campaign performance across digital channels.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; success in this role depends on effective collaboration across teams.
• Knowledge of ethical storytelling principles and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence.
• Proven interpersonal and cultural competency skills to work effectively and respectfully with people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.

Additional Employment Requirements

As a condition of employment, all successful candidates are required to complete and maintain a Police Information Check. For those in direct service user-facing roles, a Vulnerable Sector Search is also required.

Distress Centre is an inclusive workplace. If you are invited for an interview and require accommodation, please let us know. If you require accommodation during the application process, please call our main office and ask to speak to Human Resources.

We may also use AI-enabled tools to support aspects of the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made by people and are guided by our commitment to fairness and inclusion.

We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.