Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations

Dalhousie University; Halifax; Hybrid; CAD 95,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

Dalhousie University in Halifax invites applications for a Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations. The role provides leadership for media relations, issues management, crisis communications, and reputation management, reporting to the Senior Advisor, President’s Office and Communications.

You will lead strategic communications across the university, build proactive media strategies, advise senior leaders, and manage a team of communications professionals in a complex,

Qualifications

• Undergrad degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or related area plus at least ten years’ of progressively senior strategic communications experience.
• Demonstrated leadership of issues and crisis management, public relations, and media relations, including acting as spokesperson.
• Experience providing strategic communications counsel to senior leaders and supporting executive decision-making on complex matters.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert counsel on complex, sensitive, and reputation-impacting matters, and oversee integrated communications strategies.
• Anticipate and assess emerging issues and lead proactive planning for preparedness and response.
• Lead the university’s media relations strategy and manage principal media contacts and spokesperson duties.

Skills

Strategic communications leadership

Media relations

Crisis management

Spokesperson experience

Stakeholder advisory

Team leadership

Education

Undergraduate degree in PR, journalism, or communications

Master’s degree (assets)

Job description

Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations

Position Title Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations

Research Project

Department/Unit

Department/Unit President's Office

Location

Posting Number

Posting Number S310-26

Employee Group

Employee Group DPMG

Position Type

Position Type Regular, On-Going

Duration of Contract (if applicable)

Employment Type

Employment Type Full Time

Full-time Equivalency (FTE)

Full-time Equivalency (FTE) 1.0

Salary $94,506 - $127,448 per annum based on 35 hours per week

Classification

Classification ADM-08

Provisional Statement

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region’s intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Job Summary

The Strategic Communications & Media Relations function is part of the central Strategic Communications team within the President’s Office and serves as the university’s lead resource for media relations, issues management and crisis communications. It is responsible for strategically building, enhancing and protecting the reputation of Dalhousie University. Reporting to the Senior Advisor, President’s Office and Communications, the Director, Strategic Communications & Media Relations provides leadership for the university’s strategic communications, issues management, crisis communications, media relations, and reputation management functions, serving as a senior communications advisor to the President, Provost, Vice-President, and other senior university leaders.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert counsel on complex, sensitive, and reputation-impacting matters, and oversee the development of integrated communications strategies and institutional responses to emerging issues, risks, opportunities, and high-profile challenges.
• Anticipate, identify, and assess emerging issues, trends, challenges, opportunities, risks and threats that may have institutional implications for the university, and lead proactive planning to support institutional preparedness and response.
• Lead the university’s overall media relations strategy and maintain the university’s principal relationships with media at the local, regional, national and international levels, and serve as one of the university’s principal media contacts and spokesperson on reputation-impacting issues as required.
• Develop and oversee proactive and responsive media relations strategies and practices (annual, event and issue specific) that enhance Dalhousie’s reputation regionally, nationally and internationally.
• Work collaboratively across communications professionals and other partners across the university to advance institutional priorities through integrated communications planning, coordinated messaging, and a consistent approach to stakeholder engagement and reputation management.
• Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for the Strategic Communications & Media Relations function, ensuring the achievement of departmental and institutional objectives. Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and performance management for direct reports.

Note

The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work from within Nova Scotia) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

Occasional evening and weekend work will be required.

Required Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or other related area plus at least ten years’ of progressively senior strategic communications experience (or equivalent combination of training and experience).
• Demonstrated leadership of issues and crisis management, public relations, and media relations, including acting as spokesperson, and leading communications responses to complex, sensitive, and high-profile issues in rapidly evolving environments.
• Significant experience providing strategic communications counsel to senior leaders and supporting executive decision-making on complex and reputation-impacting matters.
• Extensive experience analyzing and synthesizing complex issues, risks, opportunities, and stakeholder considerations, translating them into clear communications strategies and recommendations, as well as demonstrated experience developing and delivering integrated, audience-focused communications strategies, plans, and content for diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience leading, developing, and managing high-performing communications professionals and fostering collaborative relationships across complex organizations.
• Demonstrated experience managing sensitive, confidential, and reputation-impacting matters with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.

Assets

• Master’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or other related area.
• Experience providing strategic communications leadership in higher education or similarly complex organization.

Core Competencies

Dalhousie’s core and leadership competencies, in particular:

• Respect & Inclusion
• Communication
• Thinking and Acting Strategically
• Relationship Building
• Accountability for Performance & Results

Additional Information

Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a defined benefit pension plan, health and dental plans, a health spending account, an employee and family assistance program and a tuition assistance program.

Application Consideration

Applications from current university employees and external candidates are assessed concurrently. Current university employees will be given special consideration.

We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or People and Culture.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please review our Employment Equity information.If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here .

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed to Apply

• Required Documents Résumé / Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Optional Documents Cover Letter