Communications Supervisor

Athabasca Tribal Council; Fort McMurray; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company events

Company pension

Dental care

Employee assistance program

On-site parking

Paid time off

Wellness program

Job summary

Athabasca Tribal Council in Fort McMurray, Alberta, is seeking a Communications Supervisor reporting to the Chief Operations Officer to lead internal and external communications for Child and Family Services (CFS).

You will develop and implement communication strategies that promote CFS programs, services, events, and priorities while ensuring timely, culturally respectful and consistent messaging across all channels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Indigenous Studies, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, public and media relations, community engagement, fundraising, or a related field.
• Experience with Indigenous, government, or not-for-profit organizations is an asset.
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategies for grants, sponsorships, campaigns, and fundraising.
• Strong leadership, project management, and coaching skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate communication strategies to support the priorities, programs, and services of Child and Family Services.
• Coordinate communication plans, campaigns, and key messaging for CFS programs, services, initiatives, community engagement activities, and events.
• Maintain consistent communication standards and ensure all CFS communications are accurate, accessible, culturally respectful, family-centered, and appropriate for the intended audience.
• Serve as the primary liaison with external communications supports by coordinating CFS communication priorities, reviewing deliverables, monitoring timelines, and ensuring services meet departmental needs.
• Manage CFS website content, social media platforms, and digital communication channels, including developing timely content, providing live updates for CFS events, supporting emergency or urgent communications, and monitoring community engagement through social media, websites, and email.
• Coordinate the development of CFS communication materials, media relations, newsletters, reports, presentations, speeches, public statements, promotional and educational materials, photography, video content, while supporting crisis communications, and sensitive departmental messaging in collaboration with leadership.
• Research, write, and coordinate grant applications and support CFS fundraising campaigns, and sponsorship initiatives, in collaboration with leadership and CFS program areas.
• Provide leadership, coaching, supervision, and performance oversight to the Event Planner.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Member Nations, children, youth, families, community members, government agencies, funding partners, sponsors, media representatives, and other CFS stakeholders.
• Monitor communication and engagement trends, evaluate the effectiveness of communication activities, and recommend improvements to CFS communication, fundraising, and community engagement practices.
• Ensure sensitive information involving children, youth, and families is communicated in accordance with confidentiality, privacy, consent, and applicable legislative requirements.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support organizational objectives.

Skills

Media relations

Digital communications

Community engagement

Project management

Leadership

Grant writing

Indigenous knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Graphic design software

Website management

Social media platforms

Job description

Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer (COO), the Communications Supervisor is responsible for planning, coordinating, overseeing internal and external communications, media relations, digital communications, fundraising communications, and community engagement activities for Child and Family Services (CFS).

The Supervisor develops and implements communication strategies that promote CFS programs, services, events, and departmental priorities while ensuring timely, culturally respectful, and consistent messaging across all communication channels.

Working collaboratively with CFS leadership, Member Nations, children, youth, families, community partners, and funding agencies, the Communications Supervisor promotes awareness of CFS programs and services, strengthens community engagement, and supports departmental priorities. The position provides leadership to the Event Planner, oversees communications and promotional activities for CFS initiatives and events, manages digital communications and community engagement, and liaises with external communications supports to ensure activities align with CFS priorities, applicable standards, cultural protocols, and the needs of the communities and families served.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement, and evaluate communication and promotion strategies that support the priorities, programs, and services of Child and Family Services.
• Coordinate communication plans, campaigns, and key messaging for CFS programs, services, initiatives, community engagement activities, and events.
• Maintain consistent communication standards and ensure all CFS communications are accurate, accessible, culturally respectful, family-centered, and appropriate for the intended audience.
• Serve as the primary liaison with external communications supports by coordinating CFS communication priorities, reviewing deliverables, monitoring timelines, and ensuring services meet departmental needs.
• Manage CFS website content, social media platforms, and digital communication channels, including developing timely content, providing live updates for CFS events, supporting emergency or urgent communications, and monitoring community engagement through social media, websites, and email.
• Coordinate the development of CFS communication materials, media relations, newsletters, reports, presentations, speeches, public statements, promotional and educational materials, photography, video content, while supporting crisis communications, and sensitive departmental messaging in collaboration with leadership.
• Research, write, and coordinate grant applications and support CFS fundraising campaigns, and sponsorship initiatives, in collaboration with leadership and CFS program areas.
• Provide leadership, coaching, supervision, and performance oversight to the Event Planner.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Member Nations, children, youth, families, community members, government agencies, funding partners, sponsors, media representatives, and other CFS stakeholders.
• Monitor communication and engagement trends, evaluate the effectiveness of communication activities, and recommend improvements to CFS communication, fundraising, and community engagement practices.
• Ensure sensitive information involving children, youth, and families is communicated in accordance with confidentiality, privacy, consent, and applicable legislative requirements.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support organizational objectives.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Indigenous Studies, Public Administration, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, public and media relations, community engagement, fundraising, or a related field; experience with Indigenous, government, or not-for-profit organizations is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement communication, marketing, engagement, and fundraising strategies, including grants, sponsorships, campaigns, and communications.
• Proven leadership and project management skills, with the ability to coach staff, build relationships, manage competing priorities, solve problems, and meet deadlines.
• Exceptional written, verbal, editing, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Experience managing websites, social media, digital communications, media relations, and live event coverage, with proficiency in Microsoft Office, graphic design, website, social media, and digital marketing platforms.
• Knowledge of Indigenous cultures, traditions, protocols, and engagement principles, with the ability to communicate in a culturally respectful manner.
• Knowledge of Cree and/or Dene is considered an asset

Requirements:

• Clear Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check.
• Valid Class 5 Driver's Licence with a clear Driver’s abstract.
• Availability to travel and work outside of business hours when necessary.

• Company events
• Company pension
• Dental care
• Employee assistance program
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• Wellness program

We encourage applicants to self-identify to support our efforts to broaden the diversity of applications; however, responses are voluntary and are not necessary to have your application considered by ATC. For the purposes of employment equity, an Indigenous person is someone who identifies as First Nation, Inuit, or Métis. Based on this definition, are you an Indigenous person?

We encourage applicants to self-identify to support our efforts to broaden the diversity of applications; however, responses are voluntary and are not necessary to have your application considered by ATC. For the purpose of employment equity, members of visible minorities mean persons, other than Indigenous peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour. Based on this definition, are you a member of a visible minority?