Senior Communications & Public Relations Officer

ByWard Market District Authority | Autorité du district du Marché By; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

15 days of paid vacation

Community-focused work environment

Job summary

A prominent district authority seeks a Senior Communications & Public Relations Officer in Ottawa. This full-time role involves public communications and media relations, ensuring compelling narratives for one of Canada's top tourist attractions. Responsibilities include drafting press releases and newsletters, coordinating media outreach, and monitoring media coverage. Candidates should have 3–5 years of experience in communications and strong bilingual skills. This is an in-office position offering a collaborative work environment and various benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in communications, public relations, or related field.
• Understanding of newsroom environments.
• Experience working with public sector organizations is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Draft press releases, media advisories, and newsletters.
• Coordinate media outreach and maintain media relationships.
• Monitor media coverage and provide summaries.

Skills

Strong writing and editing skills

Experience with media outlets

Excellent organizational skills

Confidence in public engagements

Ability to monitor media coverage

Education

Degree or diploma in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, or related field

Job description

Position: Senior Communications & Public Relations Officer (Full-Time)

Employer: ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA)

Salary Band: $60,000 – $70,000, commensurate with experience

Language Requirement: Bilingualism (English and French) required

Location of Work: 55 ByWard Market Square, Ottawa, Ont.

JOB SUMMARY:

The ByWard Market district is Ottawa’s number one tourist attraction and the premier destination for shopping, dining, arts, culture, and entertainment for visitors and residents. Established in 2023, the ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA) serves as the custodian of the vision, vibrancy, and economic prosperity of the historic ByWard Market district. Our mission is to connect community, culture, and commerce through meaningful experiences, programming, and initiatives.

As the voice of one of Canada’s most recognized public market districts, the BMDA plays an important role in shaping the narrative and public perception of the ByWard Market locally, nationally, and internationally.

The BMDA is seeking a Senior Communications & Public Relations Officer to support the organization’s public communications, media relations, and district storytelling with a strong focus on editorial writing and narrative development. Reporting directly to the Marketing & Communications Manager, this role helps shape and protect the public narrative of the district through clear, timely, and compelling communications.

The successful candidate will develop written communications such as newsletters, LinkedIn posts, media materials, and public messaging; coordinate media relations and public relations opportunities tied to district initiatives and events; and work with external creative partners to coordinate the production and rollout of communications materials for district campaigns and activations.

This position works closely with the Digital Media Content Creator to ensure messaging across digital platforms, media relations, and newsletter remains aligned and consistent. From time to time, this role may represent the organization at community events or announcement moments and will support leadership in preparing key messages and speaking materials.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Draft press releases, media advisories, background materials, and public communications for district announcements, initiatives, and programming.
• Draft written communications, including newsletters, LinkedIn content, and other public-facing messaging.
• Coordinate media outreach and maintain relationships with local and regional media outlets.
• Monitor local, regional, and national media coverage related to the ByWard Market and provide summaries identifying key narratives, emerging issues, and opportunities for proactive communications.
• Track online conversations and public sentiment (online media, forums, blogs, review platforms, etc.) using monitoring tools such as Cision to identify potential reputational risks or opportunities.
• Assist in coordinating interviews and preparing briefing materials, key messages, and speaking notes for BMDA leadership.
• Assist with organizing media events, press conferences, and announcement moments tied to district initiatives and programming.
• Coordinate the production and rollout of communications materials by working with external creative partners, print vendors, and internal teams to ensure assets are produced and deployed on schedule.
• Represent the organization at select community events, public forums, or announcement moments as required.
• Stay informed on emerging issues, media trends, and best practices in communications and public relations.
• Other duties as required.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in communications, public relations, journalism, media relations, or public affairs.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Experience working with media outlets and an understanding of newsroom environments.
• Ability to monitor media coverage and identify emerging narratives related to an organization or sector.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple communications priorities simultaneously.
• Experience coordinating communications initiatives with external creative partners or vendors.
• Experience working with public sector organizations, tourism or destination organizations, cultural districts, or non-profit organizations is considered an asset.
• Experience working in journalism, news media, or editorial environments is considered a strong asset.
• Confidence supporting media events, public announcements, and stakeholder communications.

EDUCATION:

A degree or diploma in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you possess a combination of the above skills, knowledge, attitudes, and experience, please submit a resume and cover letter in one PDF by email to Fadoua Srihen, BMDA Office Administrator, no later than 5 p.m., Friday, April 3, 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

SUBMIT RESUME: [e-mail]

SUBJECT TITLE: [YourName]_BMDA_SeniorCommunications

The benefits of joining the ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA) team include a health plan, 15 days of paid vacation, an office located in the ByWard Market district, and the opportunity to be part of a growing corporation responsible for two historic public markets in our Capital. While we highly value work‑life balance, please note that this position is strictly in‑office. Working in our environment fosters collaboration, communication, and a strong sense of community among colleagues, businesses, and visitors.

The BMDA is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All candidates are encouraged to apply, and please do not hesitate to reach out to discuss the position with us.

Our interview process is structured to give us a deeper understanding of your skills and experience while also allowing you to learn more about our team and the position. It includes three stages.

Initial Interview:

Your first conversation will be with our Communications Manager and Executive Director. This discussion, conducted via a digital platform, will focus on your background, communications experience, and approach to media relations and public messaging.

Communications Exercise:

Candidates advancing to the next stage will complete a short communications assignment designed to showcase writing ability and communications judgment. The assignment is independent of any active BMDA projects.

Team Introduction:

In the final stage, candidates will meet informally with members of the team. This is an opportunity to learn more about the organization, meet colleagues, and ask questions about the work environment.

Please note that not all candidates will proceed to each stage. We aim to make each stage as fair and transparent as possible and appreciate your time and interest in the role.