Director, Communications

Vancouver Foundation; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 117,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Comprehensive benefits package

Dedicated funds for professional dev

Job summary

Vancouver Foundation seeks a Director of Communications to lead strategic communications, marketing, digital engagement, and storytelling. The role advances the Foundation’s mission, values, and priorities, guiding narratives during organizational change and expansion of internal communications capacity.

The position oversees a cross-functional team, prepares donor-facing materials and annual reports, and collaborates with leadership to elevate the Foundation's profile.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in progressively senior communications roles.
• Experience leading teams, including coaching, performance feedback, and people management.
• Experience providing strategic communications counsel, including media relations, issues management, executive communications, and change communications.
• Strong working knowledge of communication principles, strategy and planning.
• Experience supporting organizational change and cross-functional programs.
• Not-for-profit sector knowledge is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of the Foundation's overall communications strategy and cohesive brand.
• Identify opportunities to raise Vancouver Foundation's profile through earned media, speaking engagements, and digital channels.
• Oversee marketing materials, advertising, annual reports, and other strategic communications products.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to translate strategic planning into clear communication approaches for staff and stakeholders.
• Develop and manage the communications budget and ensure transparent reporting of expenses.
• Strengthen internal communications to support staff engagement and organizational culture during transition.
• Partner with leaders to align communications with priority initiatives and community-informed work.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Strategic communications

Leadership

Media relations

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

Director, Communications

Full-Time Temporary 14-Month Contract

Onsite or Hybrid Work Option: Candidates must reside in Metro Vancouver

Expected Start Date: January 11, 2027 (some flexibility available).

Accountability: Reporting to Vice President, Engagement.

Direct Reports: Senior Manager, Strategic Communications; Manager, Content; Manager, Digital Communications Strategy; Manager, Marketing; Coordinator, Communications

Salary: $130,500 annually, plus pension and a generous, comprehensive benefits package that includes dedicated funds for professional development.

Hours of Work: 35-hour work week, Monday – Friday. For most of us, most weeks we work a 32-hour week Monday – Thursday.

Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, November 18, 2026 by 8:00am PCT.

Vancouver Foundation acknowledges that we carry out our work on the lands of Indigenous nations throughout colonial British Columbia. Our office is located on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil‑Waututh) peoples.

Accessibility

Vancouver Foundation supports hybrid work arrangements, with flexibility to work from home and some in-office presence as required. Our office is located on the fifth floor of a building with elevator access, and includes a single-stall, universal washroom.

We are committed to the principles and practices of an inclusive and equitable employment process. Our goal is to be representative of the communities we work with, and we encourage applicants from communities which are structurally marginalized based on refugee claimant status, race, colour, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. We consider qualified candidates regardless of criminal convictions and those who have employment gaps or employment in historically stigmatized industries. We welcome applicants from all communities.

About Us

Vancouver Foundation is a community foundation that serves Vancouver and all of BC. We bring together the generosity of donors with the ideas and energy of people and communities across the province. Every year we fund a diverse mix of grants, both large and small, that help to build healthy, vibrant, equitable, and inclusive communities. Considered a leader in responsive grantmaking and systems change, Vancouver Foundation is the most significant funder of charities in BC outside of government.

As a community foundation, we’re committed to ensuring everyone has a place in our mission. We are on a journey to actively align all aspects of our work — both internally and externally — to our commitment to equity, inclusion, and a more just society.

For a view into our world, please visit: www.vancouverfoundation.ca.

About the Position

The Director, Communications provides strategic leadership for communications, marketing, digital engagement, and storytelling, ensuring communications efforts support the Foundation’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

During this contract period, the Director will play a key role in supporting organizational change, helping translate emerging strategic priorities into clear organizational narratives, guiding communications through periods of transition, and strengthening the Foundation's internal communications capacity to support staff engagement and organizational culture.

Reporting to the Vice President, Engagement, the Director leads a team responsible for strategic communications, content, digital strategy, and marketing. The role oversees the development and implementation of communications strategies, campaigns, and products, including donor-facing materials, annual reporting, and external communications.

The Director works closely with teams across the Foundation to align communications, amplify learning and insights, strengthen relationships with community and sector partners, and identify opportunities to elevate the Foundation's profile through storytelling, public engagement, and digital channels.

The Director is responsible for managing the communications budget, aligning resources to priorities, and ensuring high-quality, consistent delivery across all outputs. Across all responsibilities, the role supports Vancouver Foundation’s commitments to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring communications practices are accessible, authentic, and reflective of community-informed work.

About You

You are a strategic and collaborative communications leader who thrives in complex environments and is comfortable navigating ambiguity and change. You bring a systems-thinking approach, understanding how communications, culture, and strategy intersect to influence organizational effectiveness. You build trusted relationships across functions and levels, create alignment among diverse stakeholders, and help organizations make sense of change through clear, thoughtful communication.

You bring strong judgment and the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling messages that resonate with diverse audiences. You are skilled at leading teams, managing competing priorities, and providing strategic communications counsel. You communicate with clarity and influence, are comfortable representing the organization in public and media settings, and are committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and community-informed storytelling through your work.

You’re ready to join us as we explore and shape how Vancouver Foundation might do even more to align justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion with our culture and our mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the strategies that guide the Foundation’s overall communications with a focus on building cohesive messaging and brand presence that resonates across audiences.
• Identify opportunities to generate awareness of Vancouver Foundation, its values and mission, and to lead on those issues through speaking opportunities, earned media, and digital channels.
• Oversee marketing initiatives, including donor-focused materials and campaigns, advertising, annual reports, and other strategic communications products.
• Work closely with the Director, Community Learning & Engagement and Director, Evaluation, to share learning and mobilize knowledge and strengthen relationships with equity-seeking communities and the social purpose sector.
• Develop and oversee communications budget, monitoring expenses and reporting variances.
• Lead and strengthen the Foundation's internal communications function, developing approaches, tools, and practices that support organizational change, staff engagement, leadership communications, and a strong culture of transparency and connection.
• Partner with organizational leaders to translate strategic planning work into clear communication approaches, helping staff understand emerging priorities, organizational changes, and their implications for day-to-day work.
• Other Duties as Assigned.

Requirements

Education/Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in progressively senior communications roles.
• Experience leading teams, including providing coaching, performance feedback, and people management support.
• Experience providing strategic communications counsel, including media relations, issues management, executive communications, and change communications.
• Strong working knowledge of communication principles and practices, including strategy and planning.
• Experience supporting organizational change, transformation initiatives, strategic planning processes, or complex cross-functional programs.
• Sound understanding of not-for-profit organizations and community development (an asset).

Job-Specific Skills/Attributes:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different audiences.
• Strong working knowledge of communications and marketing principles, practices, and technology.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and deploy resources strategically in order to maximize impact.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and multitask in a fast-paced, changing environment.

Core Competencies

• Fostering Psychological Safety: Creates a team environment where people feel safe to share ideas, ask questions, and be themselves. Listens openly, owns mistakes, and adjusts communication to meet different needs. Understands how leadership, policies, and power affect trust and team dynamics.
• Ethical Use of Power: Uses power fairly and responsibly. Makes decisions in inclusive ways, treats people with respect, and addresses bias or unfair behaviour directly.
• Advancing Reconciliation, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion with Cultural Humility: Leads with respect and openness to different perspectives and experiences. Builds inclusive teams, adapts leadership to different cultural norms, and actively works to remove barriers. Understands the impact of colonial systems and is committed to equity and Reconciliation.
• Empowering Others Through Agency: Builds trust by giving team members the space and support to lead. Delegates clearly and confidently, encourages autonomy, and helps others take risks with the right guidance and tools.
• Change Agility: Leads through change with flexibility, empathy, and clarity. Helps teams understand the purpose of change, adjusts plans and approaches as needed, and provides support during transitions.
• Communication and Influence: Communicates clearly and regularly, tailoring messages to the audience and situation. Gives timely feedback, translates strategy into action, and builds relationships to advocate for team needs and influence outcomes.
• Service Focus: Understands the needs of internal and external communities and responds with care and respect. Coaches teams to solve problems effectively and looks for ways to improve service delivery.
• Professional Responsibility: Leads with accountability, honesty, and consistency. Follows through on commitments, supports team performance and development, and models professionalism by learning from mistakes and helping others do the same.
• Self-Awareness: Understands how their emotions and values affect others. Reflects on their impact, adapts communication and coaching styles, and shows emotional awareness in team interactions.
• Use of Technology: Uses the right tools to support team goals and improve workflows. Encourages learning and adapts to tech changes, ensuring systems are used effectively for communication, collaboration, and data.
• Planning, Judgement and Problem-Solving: Makes thoughtful, fair decisions based on clear plans and team capacity. Anticipates challenges, adjusts resources, and supports the team in solving problems and testing solutions.
• Forward Thinking: Looks ahead to identify opportunities and align team efforts with long‑term goals. Encourages innovation and new ideas that support future impact.
• Organizational Awareness: Understands how the organization works and how decisions are made. Aligns team actions with broader priorities and helps others see how their work contributes to shared outcomes.
• Managing People & Developing Others: Supports team growth through coaching, feedback, and mentorship. Creates opportunities based on individual strengths and helps team members set and reach career goals.

We know that there is rarely an ideal or perfect candidate for a job, and we are actively working to eliminate barriers in our employment process. If you have experience similar to what is described above—or if the core activities in this role are exciting to you, but you do not meet the above exactly—we encourage you to apply and elaborate in your cover letter.