Media Relations Consultant

Manulife; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 73,725 - 122,875; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, mental health, vision,

Disability and life insurance

Pension plan and global shareownership

Generous paid time off and leaves

Job summary

Manulife seeks a Media Relations Consultant to enhance and protect reputation through proactive external communications. You’ll develop compelling narratives, manage media engagement, and ensure consistent messaging across earned media channels on a global team.

You will partner with account leads to support objectives and day-to-day media relations needs. The ideal candidate has client-facing, detail-oriented skills, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and demonstrates strong stakeholder

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience (agency experience preferred / a strong plus).
• Strong relationships with business, finance, insurance, and consumer media; US and asset management media are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and continuously update targeted media lists aligned to priority audiences and coverage opportunities.
• Support the development of media strategies and proactive ideas to enhance visibility and promote Manulife’s priorities.
• Draft and tailor timely media pitches by researching journalists’ beats, recent coverage, and audience interests.
• Develop high-quality briefing notes and background materials to support executive media prep and engagements.
• Assist in reputation tracking and issues management, supporting monitoring, escalation, and coordinated response efforts.
• Monitor media coverage and produce reports with clear insights and analysis to share across teams.
• Manage the distribution and publication of press releases across appropriate channels and platforms.
• Serve as a media contact, coordinating interviews with journalists.
• Support the drafting of media FAQs and reactive statements for timely engagement.
• Track and report on media performance metrics, including share of voice and KPIs.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and distill takeaways into actionable inputs.
• Collaborate with North American PR agency partners to amplify narratives across earned media.
• Handle confidential matters with discretion and align with policies.
• Work with Thought Leadership to drive integrated storytelling and cross-functional opportunities.
• Contribute to ICPs that strengthen reputation and advance priorities.
• Stay informed on industry trends and potential reputational risks.

Skills

Excellent writing

Media relations

Relationship building

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Ability to work under pressure

Editing and storytelling

Cision and journalist databases

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field

Tools

Cision

Roxhill

PublicRelay

Job description

The Media Relations Consultant plays a key role in enhancing and protecting Manulife’s reputation through proactive and strategic external communications. This role, on the global communications team, supports corporate priorities by developing compelling narratives, managing media engagement and relationships, and ensuring consistent messaging across earned media channels. This individual will partner with account leads to support the company’s objectives, in addition to supporting day-to-day executional needs of the media relations team for business segments and accounts. The ideal candidate brings a client‑facing and detail‑oriented skillset, and thrives in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment. He/she is a team player committed to service excellence, building stakeholder relationships, and upholding our values.

Position Responsibilities

• Maintain and continuously update targeted media lists aligned to priority audiences and coverage opportunities.
• Support the development of media strategies and proactive ideas that enhance visibility and promote Manulife’s priorities.
• Draft and tailor timely media pitches by researching journalists’ beats, recent coverage, and audience interests to increase relevance and effectiveness of outreach.
• Develop high-quality briefing notes and background materials to support executive media prep and engagements.
• Assist in reputation tracking and issues management, supporting monitoring, escalation, and coordinated response efforts.
• Monitor media coverage and produce reports with clear insights and analysis to share across teams.
• Manage the distribution and publication of press releases across appropriate channels and platforms.
• Serve as a one of the firm’s media contacts, coordinating interviews and ensuring smooth, timely engagement with journalists.
• Ensure all outreach and responses reflect the latest approved messaging, while supporting the drafting of media FAQs and reactive statements as needed for timely and accurate media engagement.
• Assist with tracking and reporting on media performance metrics, including share of voice and key KPIs.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings, both internally and externally, and distill key takeaways into actionable communications inputs.
• Collaborate with North American PR agency partners to support and amplify Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) corporate and brand narratives across earned media channels.
• Handle confidential matters and material information with care, confidentiality, and alignment to Manulife’s code of conduct, media relations and social media policies.
• Work in strong partnership with Thought Leadership team to drive integrated storytelling and fully leverage cross‑functional opportunities.
• Collaborate across Manulife’s global Communications network to contribute to, influence, and lead integrated communications plans (ICPs) that strengthen our reputation and advance strategic priorities.
• Stay up to date and informed on relevant industry trends and developments, analyzing emerging ones that pose reputational risks and opportunities for Manulife.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience (agency experience preferred / a strong plus)
• Strong relationships with business, finance, insurance, and consumer media, US and asset management media are a plus.
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to simplify complex topics.
• Proven ability to operate calmly under pressure and manage sensitive issues.
• Strong project management skills, detail oriented, and ability to work cross-functionally in a fast paced‑ environment.
• Prior experience in financial services and/or insurance a plus.
• Experience with Cision, Roxhill (or another journalist database), PublicRelay (or another data and analytics vendor) a plus.
• As this is a global role, expectation of some work required outside of standard working hours to accommodate time zones, with added flexibility (morning calls before 9AM ET, evening calls 8 – 9PM ET, potential for weekend work).
• Adept at relationship‑building.

When You Join Our Team

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well‑being and inclusion are more than just words.
• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

The role being advertised is an existing vacancy.

About Manulife And John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [e-mail].

Referenced Salary Location

Toronto, Ontario

Working Arrangement

Hybrid

Salary range is expected to be between

$73,725.00 CAD - $122,875.00 CAD

Employees also have the opportunity to participate in incentive programs and earn incentive compensation tied to business and individual performance. The actual salary will vary depending on local market conditions, geography and relevant job‑related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. If you are applying for this role outside of the primary location, please contact [e-mail] for the salary range for your location.

• Manulife offers eligible employees a wide array of customizable benefits, including health, dental, mental health, vision, short‑and‑long‑term disability, life and AD&D insurance coverage, adoption/surrogacy and wellness benefits, and employee/family assistance plans.
• We also offer eligible employees various retirement savings plans (including pension and a global share ownership plan with employer matching contributions) and financial education and counseling resources.
• Our generous paid time off program in Canada includes holidays, vacation, personal, and sick days, and we offer the full range of statutory leaves of absence.
• If you are applying for this role in the U.S., please contact [e-mail] for more information about U.S.-specific paid time off provisions.

We use data and analytics technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and automated processing tools, to analyze and process the information you provide to us or third parties in the application process. For more information, please refer to our personal information collection statement.