Senior Union Communications Leader

SEIU Healthcare; Richmond Hill; On-site; CAD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Pension plan

Flexible time

Employee Assistance Program

Professional development

Job summary

SEIU Healthcare Canada is seeking a Director of Communications to lead a multidisciplinary team and unify the union’s communications efforts from our Richmond Hill office. The role reports to the Executive Vice-President and requires strategic vision, strong writing, and seasoned media leadership to reach members, the public, media and government.

The successful candidate will align department workflows, governance and brand standards, while advising senior leadership and coordinating with all

Qualifications

• Senior communications leadership in a union, health care organization, advocacy group or comparable member-based institution, with 6-10 years of progressively senior experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• A record of bringing a team together and building the systems it relies on
• Excellent writing and editing, shown in published work
• Direct experience with news media, including difficult stories under pressure
• Experience leading communications for campaigns with defined goals and deadlines
• Working command of digital channels, social media, analytics and visual production
• Sound political judgment and the ability to advise elected leaders
• Working knowledge of how unions operate and how health care is delivered
• A demonstrated commitment to justice for working people
• Strongly Preferred: Experience in the labour movement and with collective bargaining communications
• Knowledge of Ontario’s health care system and its workforce
• Government relations or press secretary experience
• Experience leading a crisis response for an organization in the public eye
• Experience communicating with a large, diverse, multi-sector membership
• Translation, accessibility or adult education experience
• Bilingualism in English and French. Other languages spoken by members are also an asset

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage and develop a team of design strategists, brand journalists, a new media specialist, a digital media strategist, a photographer and a web architect, and build a respectful, healthy team culture
• Build one intake, approval and project management system for all communications work
• Set clear roles, named owners and editorial sign-off for everything that goes out
• Manage the department budget and vendors, and decide what is produced in-house
• Develop and deliver an annual communications plan tied to the union’s priorities
• Advise the President and officers on communications and reputation, before decisions are made
• Work with each department from the start of its projects, through a regular planning rhythm
• Own the union’s visual identity, voice, brand standards and templates
• Shape how the public, allies, employers and government understand the union and its members
• Personally lead media relations: build reporter relationships, pitch stories, issue releases and statements
• Prepare spokespeople and serve as a spokesperson when asked
• Set social media strategy and oversee content, community management and paid promotion
• Anticipate emerging issues, maintain the crisis communications plan, and lead the response when an issue breaks
• Keep members, stewards, elected leaders and staff informed on a reliable schedule
• Make sure bargaining, ratification and meeting notices reach members accurately and on time
• Serve as senior writer and editor for speeches, statements, opinion pieces, reports and member materials
• Lead communications for bargaining, organizing and political action campaigns, including print, digital and worksite materials
• Make communications accessible, in plain language, and available in the languages members use
• Apply an equity lens to all communications and meet Ontario accessibility requirements
• Support member and steward education materials with sound adult learning practice
• Set website strategy and keep the site a current, useful source for members
• Direct photography and video that put members and their work at the centre
• Maintain a current, consented library of photos and footage
• Report regularly on what reaches members and what moves them to act

Skills

Communications leadership

Team building

Writing and editing

Media relations

Campaigns

Digital channels

Political judgment

Union knowledge

Diversity equity inclusion

Job description

SEIU Healthcare Canada is seeking a Director of Communications to lead a multidisciplinary team and unify the union’s communications efforts from our Richmond Hill office. The role reports to the Executive Vice-President and requires strategic vision, strong writing, and seasoned media leadership to reach members, the public, media and government.

The successful candidate will align department workflows, governance and brand standards, while advising senior leadership and coordinating with all