Director of Communications

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 157,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Health Plan

Life and Disability Insurance

Maternity and parental leave top-up

Job summary

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) seeks a strategic Communications Director to lead executive communications, media relations, public education and digital outreach. Reporting to senior leaders, you will shape organization-wide communication strategies that support independence and credibility in privacy and access rights in Ontario.

You will guide complex, high-profile initiatives, manage a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with government institutions, health

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level experience providing strategic communications leadership and executive counsel.
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Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for IPC’s communications function and establish organization-wide strategies.
• Serve as senior communications advisor to Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and senior management, offering strategic counsel on high-profile matters.
• Lead IPC’s approach to issues and reputation management, including environmental scanning and rapid response to evolving situations.
• Oversee media relations and advise on strategy, interview opportunities and messaging for sensitive inquiries.
• Provide strategic direction for public education strategies, campaigns, resources, and engagement initiatives.
• Direct digital communications channels, content, branding and accessibility standards across major publications.
• Develop strategies to position IPC as a trusted voice on access to information and privacy.
• Provide leadership for initiatives involving government institutions and other regulated sectors.
• Oversee internal and corporate communications supporting priorities, employee engagement and change.
• Lead the Communications department, including people leadership, budgets, contracts and service standards.

Skills

Strategic communications

Executive counsel

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Media relations

Public education

Digital communications

Corporate communications

Job description

Organization: Information and PrivacyCommissioner of Ontario

Division: Strategic Initiatives andExternal Relations Division (SIERD)

City: Toronto

Job Term: Permanent, Full-time

Job Code: Director (XEXE2)

Salary: $156,789 to $197,518

Posting Status: Open

Job ID: 249391

As the principalcommunication advisor to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario(IPC), Assistant Commissioner, Strategic Initiatives and External Relations(SIERD), and senior leaders, the Communications Director provides executiveleadership and direction for the IPC’s strategic communications, mediarelations, issues and reputation management, public education, digitalcommunications, stakeholder communications and corporate engagement activities.Reporting to the AssistantCommissioner, SIERD, the Director provides expert strategic counsel on complex,sensitive, fast-moving and high-profile privacy and access-related matterspositioning the IPC as a trusted, independent regulator and authoritativesource of information and guidance. The Director leads a dynamic group ofcommunication professionals delivering integrated, organization-widecommunications strategies that increase awareness and understanding of accessand privacy rights and obligations in Ontario

The Informationand Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is an administrative tribunalresponsible for the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA),the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act(MFIPPA), the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and theChild, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFSA). We are seeking a strategicand collaborative Communications Director.

• Provide executive leadership forthe IPC’s communications function, establishing organization-widecommunications strategies, priorities, standards and approaches aligned withthe IPC’s mandate, strategic plan and corporate priorities.
• Serve as the senior communicationsadvisor to the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and senior managementteam, providing expert strategic counsel on complex, sensitive, high-profileand emerging matters.
• Lead the IPC’s corporate approachto issues and reputation management, including environmental scanning,identification and assessment of emerging issues, and communications responsesduring sensitive or rapidly evolving situations.
• Provide executive oversight ofmedia relations and advise senior executives on media strategy, interviewopportunities, messaging and responses to high-profile or sensitive inquiries.
• Provide strategic leadership forpublic education strategies, campaigns, resources and engagement initiativesthat make complex access and privacy issues understandable and relevant todiverse audiences across Ontario.
• Provide strategic direction fordigital communications channels, corporate content, editorial, brand andaccessibility standards, and major publications and communications products.
• Develop strategies to position theIPC as a trusted and authoritative voice on access to information and privacyissues and identify opportunities for executive thought leadership.
• Provide strategic communicationsleadership for initiatives involving government institutions, healthinformation custodians, municipalities, law enforcement, educationorganizations, child and family services organizations and other regulatedsectors.
• Provide strategic direction forinternal and corporate communications supporting organizational priorities,employee engagement and change initiatives.
• Lead the Communicationsdepartment, including people leadership,professional development, succession planning, resource allocation, budgeting,procurement, contracts, service standards and quality controls.

You willqualify for this position by demonstrating:

Education and Experience:

• Extensive senior-level experienceproviding strategic communications leadership, executive counsel and directionfor complex, high-profile organizational initiatives.
• Extensive experience acrossstrategic communications, public relations, issues and reputation management,media relations, public education, stakeholder engagement, digitalcommunications and corporate communications.
• Experience leading amultidisciplinary communications function, including people, financial, operational,and project management.

Knowledge Requirements:

• Expert knowledge of strategiccommunications, public relations, issues and reputation management, mediarelations, public education, stakeholder engagement, digital communications andcorporate communications.
• Extensive knowledge ofcommunications strategy, research, audience analysis, evaluation andcontemporary communications practices.
• Strong understanding of the roleand responsibilities of an independent regulatory and oversight organizationand the importance of institutional independence, credibility, and publictrust.
• Understanding of Ontario’s access and privacy environment and the legislative, policy,regulatory and public-sector context in which the IPC operates.
• Highly developed political acuityand judgment to assess sensitive or high-profile issues while maintaining theIPC’s independence and non-partisan role.

Skills and Abilities:

• Executive-level advisory skillsand the ability to provide credible and persuasive advice in situationsinvolving competing priorities, significant risk or limited time fordecision-making.
• Exceptional written and verbalcommunications skills, including the ability to translate complex legal,regulatory, policy and technical information into clear and accessiblecommunications.
• Strong leadership and managementskills to build organizational communications capacity and lead highly skilledcommunications professionals.
• Strong relationship management,consultation, negotiation and influencing skills with senior executives,regulators, public institutions, stakeholders, media and external partners.
• Financial, operational and projectmanagement skills to establish priorities and manage staff, budgets, contracts,and multiple high-profile initiatives.
• Sound judgment and the ability tobalance transparency and public interest with legal, operational,confidentiality and institutional considerations.

AssetQualifications

Having theability to communicate (orally and in writing) in French is an asset.

What’sin it for you?

• A modern organization with aflexible hybrid work model with in-office attendance at a minimum of 8 days permonth.
• Commitment to continuous learningand developmental opportunities for all its employees.
• Work with an innovative and highperforming organization committed to creating a positive organizational cultureand highly dedicated to its mission of advancing the privacy and access rightsof Ontarians.
• Comprehensive Health Plan, Lifeand Disability Insurance.
• Maternity and parental leavetop-up benefits.

AdditionalInformation

Address: 2Bloor St E, Toronto, Toronto Region

CompensationGroup: Excluded

Commitment todiversity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism: We are committed tobuilding a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and promoting adiverse, anti-racist inclusive accessible ethical workplace.

Our hiringprocess is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and theAccessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working toprevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodationto address specific needs related to Code protectedgrounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more informationabout accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

We invite allinterested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people withdisabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as peoplefrom a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, genderidentities and expressions.

We also believein the importance of providing services to Ontarians in both official languages and encourage interested bilingual candidates to applyparticularly for public facing positions.

Notes:

OPS & IPCReciprocal Staffing Agreement: The IPC has a Reciprocal Staffing Agreement withthe Ontario Public Service (OPS) that enables employees to accept positions ineither organization while retaining their access to benefits, pensioncontributions, and years of service.

Qualified ListInformation: A list of qualified candidates will be established for theCommunications Director position in the Information and Privacy Commissioner ofOntario (IPC) and will be in effect for twelve (12) months from the date thelist is created. Qualified candidates on the list may be considered whenfilling future permanent and/or temporary vacancies in this position.

This posting isfor an organization that is separate from the Ontario Public Service. Theinformation and tips on the Ontario Public Service Careers website may notapply to this posting. Please use the contact information below to contact theIPC directly if you have any questions about this position.