Manager of Strategic Communications

Indigenous Youth Roots; Canada; Hybrid; CAD 71,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits after probation

GRRSP employer contribution

Vacation and statutory holidays

Personal days

Professional development benefit

Cultural days

Volunteer hours

Flexible work week

Job summary

Indigenous Youth Roots is seeking a Manager of Strategic Communications to lead the organization’s communications team from a remote Canada-based location. The role reports to the Director of CKI and focuses on planning, content management, and cross-department collaboration to advance Indigenous youth engagement and visibility.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in external/strategic communications, leadership experience, and strong knowledge of Asana and design tools.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in communications would be considered an asset.
• 3+ years’ experience in external communications or strategic communications.
• 3+ years’ experience in leadership roles with staff supervision or management.
• Strong working knowledge of Asana or similar project management software.
• Experience with Adobe Photoshop or similar design software is an asset.
• Bilingual in French and English is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement communications plans aligned with organizational goals.
• Translate priorities into clear objectives, channels, timelines, and deliverables.
• Maintain organizational communications calendar and monitor effectiveness.
• Oversee workflows, project management practices, and deadlines.
• Supervise communications staff and provide coaching and development.
• Lead social media, website content, and digital campaigns with QA oversight.
• Draft and refine communications materials; ensure accessibility and brand consistency.
• Engage with Indigenous communities and support regional gatherings when needed.

Skills

Strategic communications

Leadership & team development

Project management

Operational communications knowledge

Collaboration & partnership-building

Quality assurance

Decision-making & prioritization

Systems & process development

Education

Post-secondary education in communications (asset)

Tools

Asana

Adobe Photoshop

Job description

Manager of Strategic Communications

(Indigenous applicants preferred)

Job term: Permanent, Full Time

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Canada, remote
(must reside within Canada to be eligible for consideration)

Reports to: Director of CKI

Who We Are

Indigenous Youth Roots is a national, Indigenous youth-led organization rooted in community. We envision a future where Indigenous youth are connected, empowered, and thriving as leaders within their communities. We work alongside communities to offer programs, grants, and opportunities grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, with the goal of strengthening and uplifting Indigenous youth voices. Our work is guided by seven core principles: Reciprocity, Innovation, Accountability, Reclamation, Advocacy, Resurgence, and Solidarity; along with being centered in Indigenous youth perspectives, that shape how we act and relate to one another.

At IYR, we center our people and our communities in all that we do. As a living wage employer, we honour the importance of balance by supporting flexible ways of working, time for ceremony, and the responsibilities that shape our lives. We are committed to meeting accessibility needs and creating a supportive, responsive work environment. Guided by purpose, we focus on meaningful outcomes that reflect our values, rather than upholding the status quo.

Your Impact

The Manager of Strategic Communications provides operational leadership for IYR's Communications team, overseeing day-to-day work, long-term projects, and cross-departmental collaboration. This role will be responsible for supporting the development of practices, procedures, and standards related to external engagements of Indigenous Youth, Elders, community members, partners, funders, and various other folks in an assortment of active and passive communications channels

Summary of Duties & Responsibilities

Communications Planning:

• Develop and implement communications plans that support organizational vision, campaigns, programs, and strategic objectives.
• Translate organizational priorities into clear communications objectives, audience engagements, channels, timelines, and deliverables.
• Work across departments to identify communications opportunities, risks, and emerging needs.
• Maintain an organizational communications calendar for campaigns, announcements, events, and other activities.
• Monitor communications effectiveness and recommend improvements using engagement data and organizational priorities.

Project Management Oversight:

• Develop and maintain Communications workflows, procedures, and project management practices.
• Maintain clear and effective use of Asana for Communications projects, timelines, assignments, dependencies, and approvals.
• Clarify project responsibilities, deadlines, approval processes, and cross-departmental dependencies.
• Monitor project progress, team capacity, competing priorities, and risks.
• Ensure communications materials move through development, review, approval, and delivery in a timely and accurate manner.
• Escalate significant barriers or conflicting priorities to the appropriate department leader as needed.

Digital Media & Content Management:

• Oversee and provide quality assurance for social media, website content, campaigns, and other digital communications.
• Review content for accuracy, accessibility, cultural appropriateness, consistency, and organizational alignment.
• Guide social media strategies, content calendars, campaigns, and digital initiatives.
• Monitor performance metrics and use insights to strengthen future communications approaches.
• Maintain sufficient working knowledge of Communications tools and platforms to support content delivery and continuity when needed.

General Communications Support:

• Oversee, review, and where appropriate draft, edit, proofread, or refine communications materials.
• Develop key messages and communications products with departments and organizational leadership.
• Maintain consistency with organizational brand, voice, accessibility standards, and communications practices.
• Maintain team resources, including templates, style guides, standards, and communications tools.
• Provide communications guidance while respecting the subject-matter expertise and content ownership of contributing teams.

Leadership & Supervision:

• Manage day-to-day Communications team operations and priorities.
• Translate Director and organizational direction into clear team responsibilities, timelines, and desired outcomes.
• Supervise direct reports and provide guidance, coaching, feedback, training, advocacy, and performance management.
• Support onboarding, professional development, and role clarity for Communications staff.
• Hold accountability for team performance, project delivery, and organizational alignment.
• Maintain continuity of Communications operations during staff absences or capacity gaps by redistributing work, adjusting priorities, and stepping into essential communications functions when required.
• Regularly assess and recommend improvements to team processes, practices, tools, and resource needs.
• Foster a collaborative and accountable team environment grounded in respectful communication and relational accountability.

Community Engagement:

• Promote a collaborative, transparent, and accountable organizational culture that reflects IYR’s values.
• Participate actively in staff meetings, working groups, and committees to advance organizational goals.
• Uphold and promote the organization’s cultural values and guiding principles in all workplace practices.
• Engage with the Indigenous community and support initiatives that strengthen relationships and collaboration.
• Support the planning, coordination, and delivery of regional gatherings, meetings, and community engagement events.

Health, Safety, and Wellness:

• Carry out your duties in a manner that does not adversely affect your own health and safety or that of others by reporting all potential hazards, all incidents, and injuries.
• Co-operate, support, and engage with any measures introduced in the workplace to improve occupational health & safety.

Other:

• Maintain high ethical standards and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness in all endeavours and communications.
• Support and participate in all IYR staff, department, and team meetings.
• Participate in external and internal committees, working groups, or projects as required.
• Be available for in-person engagements when required and provided reasonable notice.
• Undertake other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in communications, public relations, business administration, or a related field would be considered an asset.
• 3 or more years’ experience in external communications, public relations, strategic communications, or a related field.
• 3 or more years’ experience in leadership roles, including staff supervision or management.
• Strong working knowledge of Asana or comparable project management software, including managing workflows, timelines, assignments, and dependencies.
• Working proficiency with Adobe Photoshop or comparable professional design software, with the ability to make basic content adjustments and support communications deliverables when needed.
• Experience supporting internal communications is an asset.
• Experience integrating data or audience insights into communications is an asset.
• Experience working with Indigenous youth and communities is an asset.
• Bilingual in French and English is an asset.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Communication: Connects communications activities to broader organizational priorities and objectives.
• Leadership and Team Development: Provides clear direction, mentorship, feedback, accountability, and support.
• Operational Communications Knowledge: Maintains strong working knowledge of core Communications functions and can provide hands-on support to maintain essential deliverables when team capacity changes.
• Collaboration and Partnership-Building: Works effectively across departments and with external stakeholders while maintaining clarity around roles and responsibilities.
• Project Management: Manages multiple priorities, timelines, resources, dependencies, and competing demands.
• Cultural Integrity and Relational Accountability: Grounds work in care, respect, responsibility, reciprocity, and Indigenous and relational worldviews.
• Quality Assurance: Identifies errors, inconsistencies, accessibility concerns, cultural considerations, and reputational risks before content is published.
• Decision-Making and Prioritization: Makes informed operational decisions and appropriately escalates matters requiring broader authority.
• Systems and Process Development: Strengthens workflows, tools, documentation, and shared practices to support sustainable team operations.

Compensation

• Salary: $70,675 to $82,680 annually
• Health benefits: will begin following a 3-month probationary period
• Other: GRRSP employer contribution that is 5% of salary
• Vacation: 15 days and statutory holidays, in addition to a 2-week winter closure
• Personal Days: 15 days
• Annual Professional Development Benefit: $1500 annually following a 3-month probationary period
• Cultural Days: 5 days annually
• Volunteer Hours: 5 hours monthly at any organization of your choice.
• Flexible Work Week Options: 4 and 5 Day work week options.

Accommodation & Equity

Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail]. IYR believes in barrier-free hiring practices. Please reach out to indicate how we can accommodate you.

Indigenous Youth Roots is committed to equitable representation and access. Candidates from Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities are encouraged to self-identify in the cover letter.

This posting is for a new position with intent to hire for this position within the following 30 day period.