Interim Senior Manager, Public Relations

Go Fractional; Montreal; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Lightspeed is seeking a Senior Manager of Public Relations for a 13‑month fixed-term contract based in Montreal. You will lead corporate and industry storytelling across North America and Quebec, advising senior leaders and coordinating with cross-functional partners to influence media, customers, partners, and stakeholders.

You will craft high-quality external communications, manage crisis and issues communications, and drive measurement of PR impact while collaborating with the Global

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive experience in public relations or corporate communications within tech/fast-paced environments.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills for strategic messaging.
• Experience building media relationships across business, technology and mainstream press in Canada and Quebec.
• Experience advising senior leaders and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience with data storytelling, issues management, crisis communications, measurement, and planning.
• Bilingualism in English and French; English fluency required.
• Familiarity with Monday.com is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop corporate and industry stories across North America and Quebec to influence media and stakeholders.
• Shape Lightspeed's POV on policy topics in Canada and the US, raising profile among business and enterprise media.
• Build relationships with reporters and influencers in tech and business spaces.
• Lead proactive media engagement and pitching across Canada and Quebec for various narratives.
• Collaborate with data science and business analysts to generate data-driven stories.
• Provide executive communications counsel and crisis communications support.

Skills

Public relations

Writing & editing

Media relations

Bilingual (English/French)

Project management

Data storytelling

Crisis communications

Executive communications

Monday.com

Tools

Monday.com

Job description

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by

Are you actively looking for a new opportunity? Or just checking the market? Well… you might just be in the right place!

We're looking for a Senior Manager, Public Relations (13 month fixed term contract) within Lightspeed's Global Communications team, based in Montreal. Reporting to the Director of Public Relations, you will develop and drive corporate and industry stories across North America and Quebec that advance Lightspeed's narrative and influence with media, customers, partners, and key stakeholders.

This is a strategic and hands-on role for a communications leader who can connect business priorities to external storytelling, advise senior leaders, influence cross-functional partners, and execute high-quality communications in a fast-paced technology environment.

This is a 13 month fixed term contract

What you'll be doing:

Corporate Narrative & Media Strategy

• Develop and drive corporate and industry stories in North America, and our home province of Quebec, that advance Lightspeed's narrative and influence.
• Work closely with the Director of Public Relations to shape Lightspeed's point-of-view on policy-related topics in Canada and the US, and grow the company's profile among relevant business and enterprise technology press as well as mainstream media.
• Develop and maintain relationships with reporters and influencers in the tech and business space.
• Lead proactive media engagement and pitching across Canada and Quebec, identifying the right story, spokesperson, timing, and outlet for corporate, product, customer, data, and industry narratives.
• Bring a strong understanding of the Canadian media landscape, including Quebec, and serve as a lead for Lightspeed's Canadian PR strategy and execution while supporting broader North American communications priorities.
• Find creative ways to bring Lightspeed and our industries closer to their customers and inject Lightspeed's vision and product roadmap into the news cycle.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Storytelling

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and senior leaders to understand their strategic objectives and align communication initiatives accordingly, including product updates and opportunities for customer, partner, and data storytelling.
• Coordinate with data science and business analyst teams, as well as external vendors, to cultivate a calendar of data science opportunities tied to product announcements and tent-pole events.
• Build plans that anticipate the unique needs and challenges of internal stakeholders and align communications with broader organizational goals and priorities.

Content & Communications Production

• Write, edit, and produce high-quality communications for external audiences, including presentations, press releases, briefing documents, speeches, and bylines.
• Edit communications from press partners and agencies and make recommendations to ensure messaging is consistent with global communications strategy and tone.
• Bring a creative, hard-working, and open mindset focused on creating solutions and opportunities through communications activities.

Executive, Issues & Crisis Communications

• Work with senior leaders around issues management, media interview preparation, and crisis communications.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to senior leaders and executives, bringing a clear point of view and recommendation that accounts for business priorities, stakeholder needs, and reputational considerations.
• Lead communications effectively in high-pressure situations and help teams navigate issues with clear roles, messaging, and next steps.
• Monitor emerging media narratives, industry developments, competitor activity, and reputational issues that could create communications risks or opportunities for Lightspeed.

Planning, Measurement & Performance

• Lead strategic communications initiatives that require coordination across multiple departments, leveraging Monday.com to manage planning and execution.
• Establish objectives and measurement frameworks to assess the effectiveness and ROI of communications activities and use results to inform future strategies.
• Conduct regular project reviews and post-mortems to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement.
• Provide executive-level project updates to support decision-making and resource allocation, and continually communicate progress and results to involved stakeholders.
• Report on the quality and impact of communications work, including media quality, message pull-through, share of voice, reputation, and other relevant strategic outcomes.
• Support budget management and resource allocation for communications initiatives.

What you need to bring:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in public relations, corporate communications, or external communications, ideally in technology, fintech, SaaS, or another fast-paced business environment.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to simplify complex information and turn it into clear, strategic messaging for different audiences.
• Experience building media relationships and securing meaningful opportunities with business, technology, and mainstream press, with strong knowledge of the Canadian media landscape and Quebec considered a significant asset.
• Experience advising senior leaders and influencing cross-functional stakeholders, with the judgment to bring clear communications recommendations and a point of view rather than simply execute requests.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and stakeholders.
• Experience with data storytelling, issues management, crisis communications, measurement, and communications planning.
• Bilingualism in English and French is a strong asset given Lightspeed's Quebec headquarters.
• Familiarity with Monday.com or comparable project management tools is an asset.
• As a global company with employees and clients outside of Quebec, fluency in English as a working language is required for this position.