Communications Director (Permanent; Full Time)

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NL Health Services); Ottawa; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health services organization is seeking a Communications Director to provide strategic advice and lead communications efforts. The role involves managing media relations, developing communication plans, and collaborating with various stakeholders to promote the organization's initiatives effectively.

Qualifications

• 10 to 15 years of experience in communications or public relations.
• Experience leading large-scale communications projects.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic communications advice and lead communications for the zone.
• Manage media relations and coordinate public events.
• Develop, write, and edit various communications materials.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Media Relations

Interpersonal Skills

Project Management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations

Membership in IABC

Job description

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NL Health Services) brings together five former separate health entities – Eastern Health, Central Health, Western Health, Labrador-Grenfell Health, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information. The creation of a provincial health authority was announced following recommendations from Health Accord NL.

NL Health Services is responsible for delivering health and community services to more than 528,000 people living in Newfoundland and Labrador and employs over 21,000 people.

Job Summary

The communications director is a member of the senior leadership team within a geographic zone. The director provides strategic communications advice in support of the organization’s vision and support to the zone’s chief operating officer and leadership team while working independently within the policies and procedures of NL Health Services. NL Health Services currently has an opening for a communications director within the Central Zone .

Communications directors in the zones work collaboratively with a team of communications professionals to ensure that the zone’s communications are timely, accurate and effective.Working closely with subject matter experts, the communications director takes the lead on zone-specific communications plans, a proactive approach to media relations, facilities media inquiries, and coordinates public events. The communications directors also leads the management of communications issues at the zone level to ensure effective communications to internal and external audiences.

The communications director is a strategist and an expert writer who has the ability to grasp complex medical and technical information and communicate it in an easy-to-understand manner. The role requires the ability to advise on communications approaches for emerging issues, seek opportunities proactively promote the organization’s positive stories,write compelling materials for print and electronic media. The directorworks collaboratively to manage communications for a range of corporate initiatives; partner on joint communications initiatives; and lead committees to advance communications objectives.The successful candidate must also have the technical aptitude to post content to social media platforms, thecorporate website andIntranet.

This director reports to the senior director for zone communications and works closely with other members of the communications department. They also work closely with colleagues within the zone to proactively advance communications within the zone, and with program leaders across the organization provide-wide to advance communications provide-wide. Specifically, the communications director will :

• Provide strategic communications advice and lead all aspects of communications for the zone including projects, issues, events and other initiatives across numerous departments and programs.
• Manage a range of communications plans in collaboration with numerous departments and programs across the zone to communicate timely and transparent information to stakeholders, employees / physicians and the public.
• Act as a first point of contact for inquiries from journalists in a specific geographical zone and assume responsibility for media relations activities in the zone in accordance with the media relations policy. This may include facilitating interviews with spokespeople; coordinating media events / news conferences; writing statements, public service announcements, and other materials; and monitoring media / social media coverage.
• Provide communications advice and support for highly complex and / or sensitive situations that have an impact on zone operations, or broad organizational impact, and that may require ongoing communication with community organizations, staff / physicians and other stakeholders.
• Seek opportunities and develop plans to proactively promote positive stories across the zone using an array of methods and platforms.
• Introduce mechanisms to collect and monitor the effectiveness of communications and adjust plans as required.
• Work with programs and partners (government, foundations, community organizations) to coordinate, plan and manage corporate events at the zone level, as well as provide required communications advice, products and logistical support.
• Develop, write and edit a variety of communications materials, including news releases, reports, newsletters, speeches, presentation decks, social media for various intended audiences.
• Proactively plan communications to build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues, senior leaders, community leaders and other stakeholders to foster an environment of open, honest, timely and respectful communications.
• Actively participate in various provincial / zone-based committees and project working groups.
• Evaluate and report regularly on the effectiveness and success of communication strategies and approach, and work to continually enhance communications at the zone level.
• Proactively plan communications to engage employees and key stakeholders; build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues, executive leaders, key stakeholders (e.g. physicians, staff, community partners) to ensure effective service delivery and manage expectations; foster an environment of open, honest, timely and respectful communications.
• Work collaboratively with members of the team to advance digital communications including managing social media presence, developing content for the website, Intranet and other corporate platforms.
• Work closely with the communications team to communicate via social media and other digital platforms.
• Advise on organizational policies while aligning communications to support the organization’s goals and strategic objectives. This includes ensuring that brand standards and guidelines are consistently applied on communications materials.
• Evaluate and report regularly on the effectiveness and success of communication strategies and approach, and proactively implementing strategies to continually improve communications.

The director is guided by the organization’s strategic plan, mission statement, vision and values, policies and procedures, legislation and ethical consultation when executing the responsibilities and accountabilities of the position. They must be able to work independently and have the ability to initiate work, multi-task, work efficiently in a fast-paced environment withcompeting priorities and timelines, and adapt to changing needs.

Job Qualifications

Education

• Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications or journalism is required.
• Membership and / or affiliation with professional associations like the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), the Canadian Public Relations Association, the Canadian College of Health Leaders or Canadian Health Executive designation would be an asset.

Experience

• 10 to 15 years of progressively responsible experience in the communications or public relations field is required.
• Experience leading communications for large-scale projects, advising senior leaders, managing complex communications initiatives; and directing media relations activities.
• Experience working with confidential information and a commitment to and knowledge of the principles of privacy, confidentiality and access.
• Experience working in a health-care system and / or change management would be an asset.
• Experience working in a management role and in the health-care system and / or public sector would be an asset.

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

• Strong ability to think strategically and write, edit and deliver a range of professional communications materials across different channels, tailored to specific audiences.
• Considerable experience in media relations, issues management, communications planning, event management and social media is required.
• Ability to grasp complex medical and technical information and communicate it in an easy-to-understand manner for specific audiences.
• Superior interpersonal and consultation skills combined with the ability to build strong partnerships.
• Considerable project management experience with an ability to lead work independently, support the work of colleagues, multi-task in a fast-paced environment; adhere to policy / processes and meet tight deadlines while adapting to changing needs.
• Strong organizational, planning and time management skills.
• Ability to establish positive and productive working relationships with diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to write compelling materials for print, website, digital and social media, as well as the technical aptitude to manipulate and post content to digital and social media platforms.
• Ability to write for, and produce videos, would be considered an asset.

Other

• The director acts with integrity, possesses good judgement and exemplifies corporate values.
• A satisfactory record of work performance and attendance is required.
• Communications directors are located in the relevant zone for which they work.
• The director should have the flexibility to work outside of regular working hours (8 : 30 a.m. – 4 : 30 p.m. or 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), and participation in an on-call rotation is required.
• The director should have the ability to work from a corporate office in the zone, be able to travel to other sites on short notice.