Director of Strategic Communications

YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth; Halifax; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary YMCA membership

Access to Y at Home

Three weeks vacation entitlement

Comprehensive benefits & pension

Wellbeing and counselling services

Job summary

YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth is seeking a Director of Strategic Communications to lead daily brand and communications work, strengthen the YMCA’s reputation, and advance organizational priorities. You will collaborate with the Chief Development Officer to develop and implement the brand strategy, manage a communications team, and align across departments and locations to tell authentic YMCA stories.

The role requires strategic thinking, leadership, and deep experience in communications,

Qualifications

• Strategic thinker with initiative and leadership ability.
• Brand management understanding and application.
• Ability to influence and lead across an organization.
• Experience across storytelling, digital and social media, media relations, and content development.
• Experience in issues or crisis communications is a plus.
• Proactive, curious, and creative with sound judgment.
• Post-secondary education in communications or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of the YMCA’s communications and brand strategy.
• Serve as steward of the Shine On brand across programs and locations.
• Translate priorities into effective communications strategies and manage priorities.
• Lead storytelling across social media, digital platforms, and web channels.
• Lead day-to-day media relations and support leaders for media opportunities.
• Provide strategic direction for content, design, and storytelling to strengthen awareness and engagement.
• Build relationships across departments and locations to create shared ownership of the YMCA brand.
• Support government relations with key messages and materials.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Communications team and establish priorities and workflows.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Brand management

Communications

Public relations

Storytelling

Crisis communications

Education

Post-secondary education in communications

Job description

Location: YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
Position Status: Full Time
Compensation: $70,000–$85,000

There is potential inside all of us – we all have it inus to shine.

Every charity exists to help solve a problem – our charityexists to help solve many problems, from childcare shortages, social isolation,mental health issues, access to wellness, and more.

Today, our network is spread across 100+ program locationsin HRM and the province, meeting the most urgent needs of our communities inmental health supports, accessible childcare, supporting an increasingimmigrant population, safe spaces for youth to grow and lead, helping tonavigate a precarious labour market, delivering wellness programming for all,and creating community for isolated older adults.

We give people the tools, encouragement, and safe space todiscover their inner strength. When they know someone’s in their corner, withunconditional support, they realize they can do more than they thoughtpossible. It’s your support, expertise, and guidance that helps people ignitetheir full potential and shape our neighbourhoods into vibrant and healthycommunities.

With us at their side, they can Shine On.

As Part of Your Total Compensation

• Complimentary YMCA membership to our Health & Fitness facilities
• Accessto Y at Home, where you can participate in fitness programs from your ownhome
• Three(3) weeks’ vacation entitlement and paid wellness days
• Comprehensivebenefits package and pension
• Complimentarywellbeing and counselling services

About the Role

The Director of Strategic Communications leads the day-to-day direction of the YMCA’s communications and brand work, helping strengthen the YMCA’s reputation, tell its story, and advance organizational priorities.

Working closely with the Chief Development Officer, the Director leads the development and implementation of the YMCA’s communications and brand strategy and is accountable for the leadership and performance of the Communications team.

The Director works across departments, programs, and locations to bring different priorities and perspectives together under a strong and consistent YMCA Shine On brand.

Acting as a trusted communications partner, the Director builds relationships across the organization, provides strategic advice, and helps leaders and teams connect their work to the broader YMCA story. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thinks strategically, takes initiative, and brings strong communications instincts, creativity, sound judgement, and a willingness to keep learning.

In This Role, You Will

• Lead the development and implementation of the YMCA’s communications and brand strategy, working closely with the Chief Development Officer and leaders across the organization.
• Serve as a key steward of the YMCA Shine On brand, bringing together diverse programs, priorities, and stories under a strong and consistent YMCA voice.
• Translate organizational and departmental priorities into effective communications strategies, while recommending and managing communications priorities across the organization.
• Lead storytelling across social media, digital platforms, web, email, and other channels, identifying and elevating authentic stories that demonstrate the YMCA’s purpose, people, and impact in community.
• Lead day-to-day media relations and support YMCA leaders and subject matter experts in preparing for media opportunities.
• Lead communications responses to emerging issues and sensitive situations in collaboration with the Chief Development Officer and senior leadership.
• Provide creative and strategic direction for content, design, and storytelling, bringing forward ideas that strengthen awareness, engagement, and understanding of the YMCA.
• Build strong relationships and provide lateral leadership across departments, programs, and locations, offering trusted communications advice and creating shared ownership of the YMCA Shine On brand.
• Support government relations through the development of key messages, briefing materials, and communications that advance the YMCA’s priorities.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Communications team, fostering a creative, collaborative, and accountable culture while establishing effective priorities, workflows, and processes.

Education and Skills Qualifications

• Progressive experience in communications, marketing, public relations, brand management, or a related field, with demonstrated ability to think strategically, take initiative, and lead others.
• Strong understanding of brand management and experience translating organizational priorities into clear, creative, and compelling communications.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, influence, and lead across an organization, including working with leaders and teams with different objectives and perspectives.
• Experience leading, coaching, or developing others and creating an environment where people can take ownership, contribute ideas, and grow.
• Strong communications skills and experience across areas such as storytelling, digital and social media, media relations, and content development, with experience in issues or crisis communications considered an asset.
• A proactive, curious, and creative approach, with sound judgment, resourcefulness, and the ability to turn ideas into action.
• Post-secondary education in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

The YMCA recognizes that great leaders bring different combinations of experience, education, and perspective. Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every qualification. We are looking for someone with strong communications instincts, sound judgment, curiosity, and the drive to learn, lead, and grow.

Please note that the salary range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for this position. The midpoint of the range represents a salary for an employee that has complete job knowledge, qualifications, and experience for the position. Typicaly, employees will be hired between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

The salary offered to the successful candidate will consider several factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s skillset, level of experience applicable to the role they are being offered, and internal equity considerations.

August 17, 2026.

Please note that all successful candidates are required to provide:

• ACriminal Record Check
• VulnerableSector Check
• Child Abuse Register Check (less than six months old), if 18 years of age or older

Please note that background checks are reviewed on an individual basis. Offenses, if any, are assessed based on the role and Child Safeguarding requirements and may not eliminate candidates from employment at our YMCA.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At the YMCA, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where every team member feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We believe that a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences enrich our organization, enabling us to better serve our community and achieve our mission. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, racially diverse, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, gender-diverse people, people with diverse abilities, members of ethnic minorities and faith groups, foreign-born residents, and veterans.

If you require accommodation during the hiring process, please inform us in advance so we can arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation.