Associate Director, Strategic Communications

About the role

Canadian Blood Services is looking for a Temporary full-time Associate Director, Strategic Communications to join our dynamic Communications team in our Donor Engagement and Corporate Reputation division.

The Communications team empowers and motivates individuals to join Canada’s Lifeline by creating engaging content, building brand affinity, and preserving confidence in Canadian Blood Services.

In this role, you will lead a team of communicators responsible for communications activities that serve the organization’s objectives and its work in delivering on its mission. With a focus on preserving and enhancing the organization’s reputation, you will oversee external facing communications activities. This includes monitoring (measuring) and reporting on media activity, and identifying gaps, successes, and opportunities to amplify Canadian Blood Services role in meeting patient needs. You will work collaboratively with colleagues throughout the Donor Engagement and Corporate Reputation division and provide leadership in analyzing issues and delivering strategic directions to manage emerging and ongoing issues.

Formula for success

• Utilizing your ability to lead and work collaboratively across a diverse team, you will proactively lead and manage a strategic communications team and its resources to meet the business objectives of Canadian Blood Services and its Donor Engagement and Corporate Reputation division.
• You will oversee and execute external media and public relations communication plans over the short and long-term, including identifying targeted stakeholders, key messages, timing and distribution. You will work with internal subject matter experts to ensure the plans are aligned to support corporate objectives.
• Focusing on your continuous growth mindset, you will identify, examine, and advise on a variety of public relations opportunities and activities that will be executed both through your team and external agency resources.
• Harnessing your strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, you will lead your team in developing and fostering positive relationships with media contacts in print, television, radio and other industry and community influencers important to Canadian Blood Services’ brand.
• Drawing on your expertise in media relations, you will brief senior spokespeople, as required, and support team in preparing and briefing all other spokespeople.
• Using your ability to develop and manage effective working relationships, you will work closely with executive and corporate communications on strategic communications around Open Board Meetings, Annual Reports, and strategic and corporate planning.
• Utilizing your exceptional communication skills and ability to adhere to tight timelines, you will lead emerging issues and crisis communications and ensure collaboration with internal stakeholders, both within the department and across the organization.
• Applying your expectational attention to detail, you will oversee media monitoring to ensure accuracy of information, identify developing issues of interest, or trends in reporting. 
• Performs other duties as required.

Desired education and skills

• Post-secondary level education in a relevant discipline from a recognized academic institution is essential, preferably in Public Relations or Communications.
• 10+ years of public relations or communications-related experience.
• Proven success in leveraging public relations and media engagement opportunities to benefit a brand.
• Advising senior leadership/team on external communications opportunities and reputation management strategies and plans.
• Demonstrated ability to present to, and influence, executive level management.
• Experience as a spokesperson.
• Leading, managing and coaching a team of communications professionals, preferably in a virtual environment.
• Managing and selecting internal vendors.
• Managing budgets.
• Demonstrated success in a management role, with an emphasis on strategic communications.
• Establishing communications measurements, plans and tracking results and analyzing and reporting on outcomes.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

What we offer you

• Payment in lieu of vacation
• Payment in lieu of benefits
• Defined benefit pension plan
• Employee discounts, wellness program, professional resources

What you can expect

• This role will work in a hybrid environment with requirements to be onsite at Canadian Blood Services location 40% of the time/2 days of the week.
• You may be expected to travel quarterly, and as required.