SENIOR ADVISOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Business Development Bank of Canada; Montreal; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Business Development Bank of Canada is seeking a Senior Advisor for Public Affairs and External Communications. This role involves leading communication strategies to enhance BDC's visibility and support Canadian entrepreneurs. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in media relations and a strong background in communications, with a focus on stakeholder engagement and corporate strategy.

Benefits

Flexible and competitive benefits

Employee Savings and Investment Plan

Defined Benefit Pension Plan

$750 wellness and health care spending account

Paid vacation and personal days

Opportunities for learning and development

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in communications.
• Experience in financial institutions or Crown corporations is an asset.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in French and English.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead impactful communications initiatives.
• Align communications strategies across departments.
• Manage media relations and external communications projects.

Skills

Media relations

Social media

Issues management

Speechwriting

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications or public relations

Job description

SENIOR ADVISOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS page is loaded

SENIOR ADVISOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Apply locations Montreal time type Full time posted on Posted 3 Days Ago time left to apply End Date: June 5, 2025 (11 days left to apply) job requisition id R-6504

We are banking at another level.

Choosing BDC as your employer means working in a healthy, inclusive, and skilled workplace that puts forward the best conditions to bring together unique teams where employees are empowered to act. It also means being at the centre of ambitious economic and financial projects to see further and to do things differently, to fuel the success of Canadian entrepreneurs.

Choosing BDC as your employer also means:

• Flexible and competitive benefits, including an Employee Savings and Investment Plan where BDC matches part of your voluntary contributions, a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, a $750 wellness and health care spending account, to name a few

• In addition to paid vacation each year, five personal days, sick days as necessary, and our offices are closed from December 25 to January 1

• A hybrid work model that truly balances work and personal life

• Opportunities for learning, training and development, and much more...

POSITION OVERVIEW

You are part of a highly collaborative and innovative team whose mission is to raise awareness of BDC, the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, and everything it can do to support the organization’s business development efforts and help Canada’s SMEs.

You’re a self-starter who will contribute to our mission by designing, leading and delivering impactful communications initiatives that resonate with BDC’s core audiences and are aligned with our corporate strategy.

Reporting to the Director, Public Affairs and External Communications within the Corporate Strategy team, the Senior Advisor plays a strategic leadership role in advancing a 360° approach to communicating. This includes integrating internal, stakeholder, and government relations opportunities from an enterprise perspective while leveraging traditional and digital channels.

CHALLENGES TO BE MET

• As a vector of corporate strategy, you play a lead role aligning peers in the Bank across groups like marketing, government relations, social media, stakeholder and partnership management, among others, to deliver communications strategies that drive tangible outcomes for the organization.

• Within the team, you work with the Director to connect the dots across the organization and BDC’s external orbit to build an overarching communications narrative.

• Direct all aspects of external communications projects by planning and delivering 360º project plans, logistics, budgets, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that define success (e.g. product or initiative launches, social media PR campaigns, stakeholder engagement efforts, etc.).

• Lead media relations projects (proactive and reactive) and issues management on an ongoing basis by providing sound advice, strategy development, key messages, and written material.

• Provide advice to senior executives, national/regional management regarding issues and opportunities, positioning and speaking engagements, with a proactive and multichannel approach.

• Develop and maintain trust-based relationships with the media and journalists.

• Oversee the work of external suppliers on an as needed basis

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

You’re a self-motivated individual that enjoys the challenge of proactive public affairs work. As a keen observer of the business ecosystem, you like to bridge creativity with effi c iency and create opportunities to connect with audiences that reflect the world in which entrepreneurs live and work. Working with a great team and making meaningful contributions to their success as much as yours sounds like a great place to work.

• Bachelor's degree in communications or public relations or equivalent education and experience

• Experience in communications for financial institutions, venture capital or Crown corporations a definite asset

• 7-10years of experience in communications with experience in a wide array of communications functions (e.g. media relations, social media, issues management, speechwriting)

• Experience working with executives and members of senior management, including presidents and CEOs

• Proven track record of designing and executing enterprise-level communications strategies

• Proven track record in generating earned media coverage through proactive pitching is considered an asset

• Experience and exposure to government relations is considered an asset

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in French and in English

• Ability to see the big picture

• Ability to influence others with diplomacy and tact

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain key relationships with stakeholders

• Ability to work under pressure

• Sense of autonomy, creativity

What We Offer:

• A stimulating and collaborative work environment.

• High-impact and meaningful projects.

• An organizational culture focused on excellence, innovation, and respect.

• Flexible schedule and the possibility of telecommuting.

Proudly one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment where all employees can thrive and feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If you require an accommodation to complete your application, please do not hesitate to contact us at [e-mail] .

While we appreciate all applications, we advise that only the candidates selected to participate in the recruitment process will be contacted.

About Us

BDC is a bank unlike any other. We are the only bank dedicated exclusively to the development of Canadian businesses. The only institution whose purpose is to promote the growth of the Canadian economy by focusing on the success of small and medium-sized businesses, with a human touch and a genuine presence. At BDC, we’re changing people’s and businesses’ lives for the better. That’s what makes us unique as a bank.

That’s why we are banking at another level.