Manager, Strategic Communications

National Association of Career Colleges (NACC); Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work arrangement

Ottawa office 2-3 days per week

Competitive compensation and benefits

Job summary

National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) in Ottawa is seeking a Manager, Strategic Communications to shape how we communicate with members, governments, media and the public. This hands-on role blends strategy with writing, content creation and channel management.

You’ll draft materials in English and French, develop communications plans, and publish timely content while collaborating with senior leadership and federal/provincial partners. A hybrid in Ottawa is offered.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in communications, public affairs, media relations or related field.
• Excellent writing and editing abilities.
• Professionally bilingual in English and French with ability to work in both languages.
• Experience producing high-quality written content and managing digital or social media channels.
• Translate policy/technical information into accessible language for diverse audiences.
• Strong judgment, curiosity and attention to detail.
• Degree or diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution including a regulated career college.

Responsibilities

• Develop communications plans with leadership.
• Draft newsletters, press releases, statements, articles, web content and presentations.
• Maintain clear voice and visual identity across all channels.
• Tell compelling stories about career education and stakeholders.
• Support executive communications for leadership.
• Develop high-quality communications in English and French.
• Publish content across social, email and web, including newsletters.
• Monitor policy developments for communications opportunities.
• Coordinate with national team and provincial associations.

Skills

Exceptional writing

Bilingual English & French

Policy & public affairs understanding

Managing digital or social media

Strong organizational skills

Independently manage projects

MS Office proficiency

Education

Degree or diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution

Tools

Canva

Social media management platforms

Email marketing platforms

Microsoft Office

Job description

Help tell the story of career education in Canada.

The National Association of Career Colleges (NACC) is looking for a talented, bilingual Manager, Strategic Communications to help shape how we communicate with members, governments, media, partners and the broader public.

This is a hands‑on communications role for someone who loves both the thinking and the doing.

On any given day, you might draft a response to a new government announcement, write and schedule social media content, prepare the weekly member newsletter, develop key messages for an emerging policy issue, update NACC's website, or help turn a member success story into compelling content.

NACC is a small national organization, and this role is responsible for the day‑to‑day communications work that keeps our members and stakeholders informed while also contributing to longer‑term communications planning. You'll work closely with the Director of Advocacy to determine what NACC needs to say — and you'll often be the person who writes, builds, publishes and distributes it.

What you'll do

Turn ideas and priorities into great communications

Writing is at the heart of this role. You'll work with the Director of Advocacy and colleagues across NACC to plan and deliver communications supporting our advocacy, membership and organizational priorities.

You'll:

• Develop communications plans and approaches in collaboration with the Director of Advocacy and other NACC leaders.
• Draft and edit newsletters, news releases, statements, articles, web content, presentations, speaking notes and other communications materials.
• Help maintain a clear and consistent voice, message and visual identity across NACC's communications.
• Find and tell compelling stories about career colleges, students, graduates, employers and workforce outcomes.
• Support executive communications for NACC's CEO and Director of Advocacy.
• Develop high‑quality communications in both English and French.

Help turn advocacy into accessible communications

NACC works with governments across Canada to advance the interests of regulated career colleges and their students. You don't need to arrive as a government relations expert, but you should be interested in policy, current affairs and communicating complex issues clearly.

You'll:

• Work with the Director of Advocacy to communicate NACC's federal and provincial advocacy priorities.
• Draft letters, meeting requests, follow‑up correspondence and other government and stakeholder communications.
• Contribute to briefing notes, key messages, consultation submissions and advocacy materials.
• Monitor government announcements, policy developments and emerging issues for communications opportunities.
• Translate policy and technical information into language that makes sense to different audiences.
• Support government and stakeholder engagement activities as required.

Keep NACC's communications moving

NACC communicates frequently with members and stakeholders, and this role owns much of that day‑to‑day execution. You'll:

• Develop, write and publish regular social media content, typically posting across NACC's channels each business day.
• Prepare and distribute NACC's weekly member newsletter and other member email communications using Constant Contact.
• Respond quickly to emerging communications needs, including government announcements, policy consultations, sector developments and advocacy opportunities.
• Draft and publish timely web, email and social content, sometimes on short timelines as priorities emerge.
• Maintain NACC's communications calendar while balancing planned content with responsive and time‑sensitive communications.
• Create polished visual content using tools such as Canva.
• Monitor performance across email, web and social channels and use results to improve future communications.

Work across a collaborative national team

Communications at NACC doesn't happen in isolation.

You'll work particularly closely with our Manager, Membership Engagement & Events to coordinate member communications, newsletters, social media, event promotion, conference communications and webinars.

You'll also work with provincial career college associations, member colleges and colleagues across NACC to identify stories, emerging issues and opportunities to communicate the impact of career education.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone with excellent communications fundamentals who is ready for meaningful ownership and room to grow.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Are an exceptional writer and editor who can adapt your voice for different audiences and formats.
• Are professionally bilingual in English and French, with the ability to develop high‑quality communications in both languages.
• Can take complicated information and make it clear, concise and engaging.
• Have 3+ years of experience in communications, public affairs, media relations, government communications or a related field.
• Have experience producing high‑quality written content and managing digital or social media channels.
• Have strong judgment, curiosity and attention to detail.
• Are comfortable working in a fast‑moving environment where planned communications sometimes need to make room for an emerging issue or opportunity.
• Are organized and comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Enjoy collaborating with others but can independently take a project and move it forward.
• Are comfortable working with tools such as Canva, social media management platforms, email marketing platforms and Microsoft Office.
• Have a degree or diploma from a recognized post‑secondary institution, including a regulated career college.

It would be an asset if you also bring experience in:

• Public policy, advocacy or government relations.
• An association, government, political or post‑secondary environment.
• Media relations or executive communications.

NACC is the national voice of regulated career colleges across Canada. We work with governments, provincial associations, members, employers and sector partners to advance high‑quality, student‑focused career education and workforce development.

We're a small and ambitious national organization, which means you'll have the opportunity to work across a wide range of communications and see the impact of your work directly.

In this role, you'll have:

• The opportunity to help shape the national voice of Canada's regulated career college sector.
• Meaningful ownership of communications work with room to grow your strategic and public affairs experience.
• Exposure to national advocacy, public policy, post‑secondary education and workforce development.
• The opportunity to work directly with senior leadership and colleagues across the organization.
• A collaborative environment that values initiative, good ideas and continuous improvement.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• A flexible hybrid work arrangement, with approximately 2-3 days per week in our Ottawa office.

This is a full‑time, permanent position based in Ottawa. Some travel within Canada may be required.