Consultant, Media Relations & Communications

Blackbird Strategies; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Purpose-driven work

Meaningful cross-sector files

Collaborative team with senior adviso

Competitive salary

Paid time off: two weeks at end of Dec

Paid time off: three weeks throughout

Health and dental benefits after prob.

Bonuses and sales incentives

Job summary

Blackbird Strategies in Ottawa is seeking a Media Relations & Communications Consultant to help clients tell their stories, protect reputations, and shape public conversations on priority issues. You’ll collaborate with government relations and policy teams to ensure messaging aligns with advocacy work.

You’ll handle strategic communications plans, write press materials, build relationships with national and regional media, and support crisis communications with tight timelines.

Qualifications

• 2–4 years of experience in media relations, communications, or public affairs.
• Excellent writing skills: clear, persuasive, and quick.
• Established relationships with Ottawa and national media are a strong asset.
• Sound judgment under pressure; crisis and issues management experience.
• Understanding of how Parliament and the federal government work is an asset.
• Ability to manage several files and deadlines.
• Proficiency in English and French is an asset.
• Experience working with First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategic communications and media relations plans for clients across sectors.
• Write news releases, media advisories, op-eds, statements, and key messages.
• Build and maintain relationships with national, regional, Indigenous, and trade media.
• Pitch stories, coordinate interviews, and prepare spokespeople with media training and briefing materials.
• Monitor media coverage and the political environment, flag emerging issues and opportunities.
• Support issues management and crisis communications, sometimes on tight timelines.
• Coordinate communications around parliamentary moments, announcements, budgets, and major events.
• Work with government relations team to align public messaging with advocacy strategy.
• Contribute to proposals, new business pitches, and the firm’s own communications.

Skills

Media relations

Public affairs

Writing skills

Relationship building

Crisis management

French language

Job description

Consultant, Media Relations & Communications

About Blackbird

Blackbird Strategies was founded in 2019 to deliver government relations, public relations, and advisory services differently, and to challenge an industry that too often fails to understand the realities of its clients.

We are a woman-owned, values-driven firm with a deliberately diverse team: consultants from across the political spectrum, with varied backgrounds and lived experiences. We share the conviction that our skills should serve people whose voices are rarely heard at boardroom tables or on Parliament Hill, and organizations committed to being good corporate citizens.

Queen Street Analytics has recognized us as one of Canada’s top firms representing Indigenous communities and organizations. Our work also covers energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, and healthcare, as well as nonprofits advocating for meaningful change across Canada’s North.

The Role

We’re looking for a Media Relations & Communications Consultant to help clients tell their stories, protect their reputations, and shape the public conversation around the issues that matter to them. You’ll work closely with our government relations and policy teams, so communications strategy and advocacy move together.

At Blackbird, titles don’t define what you work on. We value expertise, not just experience. You’ll be trusted with real client files from day one.

What You’ll Do

• Work on strategic communications and media relations plans for clients across sectors
• Write news releases, media advisories, op-eds, statements, and key messages
• Build and maintain relationships with national, regional, Indigenous, and trade media
• Pitch stories, coordinate interviews, and prepare spokespeople with media training and briefing materials
• Monitor media coverage and the political environment, and flag emerging issues and opportunities
• Support issues management and crisis communications, sometimes on tight timelines
• Coordinate communications around parliamentary moments, announcements, budgets, and major events
• Work with our government relations team to align public messaging with advocacy strategy
• Contribute to proposals, new business pitches, and the firm’s own communications

What You Bring

• At least 2-4 years of experience in media relations, communications, or public affairs, whether at an agency, in government, on the Hill, in a newsroom, or in-house
• Excellent writing skills: clear, persuasive, and quick, with a strong sense of what makes news
• Established relationships with Ottawa and national media are a strong asset
• Sound judgment under pressure and comfort with crisis and issues management
• Understanding of how Parliament and federal government work is an asset
• Ability to manage several files and deadlines at once
• Proficiency in English and French is an asset
• Experience working with or for First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities and organizations is an asset

Why Blackbird

• A firm with a purpose: our work helps under-represented voices reach decision-makers
• Varied, meaningful files across Indigenous affairs, health, energy, finance, labour, and the nonprofit sector
• A collaborative team where you work alongside senior advisors and executive members
• Competitive salary, paid-time off (two weeks at the end of December/beginning of January, three weeks throughout the year, health and dental benefits following the end of your probationary period, bonuses, and sales incentives

Blackbird Strategies is committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve.