Director communications - faculty of environment

University of Waterloo; Southwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 113,000 - 142,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Waterloo seeks a Director, Communications for the Faculty of Environment to lead strategic communications, storytelling and governance across a major Canadian faculty. You will advise the Dean and faculty leaders, align local activity with institutional priorities, and guide an embedded communications team to deliver clear, high-impact narratives.

Working with central service lines and partners, you will shape priority setting, manage resources, and develop integrated campaigns

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in communications or a related field.
• 7–9 years of progressive strategic communications experience.
• Experience advising senior leaders on messaging and strategy.
• Proven leadership of embedded or matrixed communications teams.
• Experience coordinating across multiple internal partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic communications planning for a faculty portfolio.
• Provide senior-level counsel on priorities, messaging and governance.
• Oversee embedded communications staff and partnerships.
• Coordinate with central communications service lines and partners.
• Manage resources and budgets within the portfolio.
• Drive measurement, insights, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Strategic communications

Public affairs

Communications planning

Staff leadership

Advising executives

Stakeholder engagement

Embedded communications

Education

Undergraduate degree in communications

Graduate degree asset

Job description

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Hiring Range: $113,285.63 - $141,607.03

Full time

Permanent

Job Category: Communications

Department: Advancement and External Relations - Strategic Communications Planning, Content and Partnerships

Job Description

Primary Purpose

University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 41,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

At the university, the Marketing and Communications function is responsible for enhancing and protecting the university’s reputation. The communications function specifically leads by helping the university communicate with clarity, credibility and purpose, while developing governance, standards and protocols to uphold consistent, coordinated and effective communications across campus.

The Faculty of Environment communications team brings the Faculty’s ideas, people and impact to life for audiences within and beyond Waterloo. Working across communications planning, storytelling, content, social media and digital channels, the team connects students, researchers, alumni, partners and communities with work addressing climate change, resilient cities, natural resources and biodiversity, and sustainable transitions. Combining deep knowledge of the Faculty’s priorities and audiences with the expertise, channels and standards of Waterloo’s wider communications function, the team strengthens the Faculty’s profile and contributes to Waterloo’s reputation for research, education and innovation with real-world impact.

The Director, Communications is the senior communications lead for a faculty or assigned portfolio. The role applies institutional communications strategy by advising faculty or portfolio leaders, leading the embedded communications team and aligning local communications with university priorities, standards and service-line direction. It also brings faculty or portfolio insight, priorities and context into institutional communications planning, contributing to the development and refinement of institutional communications strategy. Serving as the principal communications partner between the supported portfolio and central teams, the Director enables strong communications execution within a coordinated institutional framework. The role is accountable for ensuring faculty or portfolio communications are strategically grounded, aligned and connected to the wider communications function.

As Director, Communications for the Faculty of Environment, you will shape how one of Canada’s oldest and largest faculties of environment tells its story and engages the people who can help advance its mission. You will be the Faculty’s senior communications adviser-counselling the Dean and faculty leaders, setting priorities for the communications team, and turning complex research, educational achievements and community impact into clear, compelling communications for diverse audiences. Working at the intersection of the Faculty and Waterloo’s wider communications function, you will connect Faculty insight with institutional strategy, bring forward high-value stories and emerging issues, and create the conditions for coordinated, audience-focused communications that build understanding, engagement and reputation.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic Communications Leadership

• Leads communications planning the supported faculty or portfolio, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, stakeholder needs, and faculty objectives.
• Establishes communications priorities, planning approaches, and performance expectations that support coordinated activity across local and institutional initiatives.
• Provides strategic counsel to the vice president, dean, executive officer or equivalent portfolio leadership on communications priorities, sequencing, positioning, audience considerations and escalation needs.
• Supports leaders in translating faculty or portfolio priorities into clear communications approaches aligned with university direction.
• Advises on communications implications of faculty or portfolio initiatives, organizational change, emerging issues and reputation-sensitive opportunities.
• Operates within an agreed budget framework established collaboratively through annual planning with the supported faculty or portfolio, the AVP, CIR, and relevant communications leadership, with responsibility for monitoring, forecasting, and ensuring the appropriate and effective use of resources across the Director’s portfolio in alignment with agreed strategic priorities.

Institutional Communications Strategy Application

• Applies institutional communications strategy, narrative direction, messaging frameworks, planning expectations, and communications standards within the supported faculty or portfolio.
• Ensures local communications reflect Waterloo’s priorities, voice and governance requirements while remaining relevant to the faculty or portfolio context.
• Reinforces roles, responsibilities, and expectations for communications planning and communications activities within the supported faculty or portfolio.
• Contributes faculty or portfolio insight, priorities and subject-matter context to the development and refinement of institutional communications strategy, storytelling, planning and communications approaches.
• Participates in emergency communications planning and response activities as assigned within the university’s emergency communications framework.

Faculty and Portfolio Communications Leadership

• Leads faculty or portfolio communications planning within the faculty or portfolio, including prioritization of local activity and coordination with institutional campaigns, messages and service-line initiatives.
• Works closely with central communications service lines, institutional partners, and faculty leadership to coordinate communications activities, planning, and resource requirements.
• Clarifies what work is led locally, what is supported through central service lines, and what requires joint planning and escalation.
• Identifies emerging sensitivities, competing demands or reputational risks within the supported faculty or portfolio.
• Oversees communications resources assigned to the faculty or portfolio communications function, advises leadership on resourcing needs and ensures alignment with institutional communications priorities and service expectations.
• Represents faculty or portfolio communications needs, risks and opportunities within institutional communications planning and coordination activities.
• Provides direction, coaching, and oversight to communications staff to ensure local communications planning, advice, and execution align with institutional frameworks, service expectations, and partnership standards.

Measurement, Insights and Continuous Improvement

• Oversees communications performance measurement, reporting, and evaluation for the supported faculty or portfolio using standardized institutional measurement frameworks.
• Uses communications data, stakeholder feedback, audience insight, and local context to identify opportunities to improve communications effectiveness and service delivery.
• Supports adoption of shared planning tools, standards, reporting expectations and process improvements across the function.
• Uses performance information, stakeholder insight, and organizational feedback to inform communications planning and decision-making.

People Leadership

• Leads, develops, and evaluates communications staff assigned to the supported faculty or portfolio.
• Establishes team priorities, allocates work and resources, and ensures alignment with institutional communications objectives and faculty priorities.
• Builds a high-performing, collaborative and audience-focused team culture.
• Supports common practice in planning, messaging, stakeholder advice, storytelling, and institutional alignment across embedded communication teams.

Education

• Undergraduate degree in communications, public relations, journalism, English, political science, or a related field.
• Graduate degree is considered an asset

Experience

• At least 7-9 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, public affairs, communications planning, or a related field.
• At least 3-5 years experience leading, managing, and developing staff within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
• Experience advising senior leaders on communications strategy, messaging and stakeholder considerations.
• Demonstrated experience leading an embedded communications team, or operating successfully in a matrixed organizational model.
• Experience coordinating communications work across multiple internal partners and functions.