Description
Are you ready to use your superior communications training and expertise to help change the future for at-risk youth in Vancouver? Covenant House Vancouver is seeking a new Director of Communications to join its senior management team in downtown Vancouver. The Director, Communications leads the development of a variety of communications collateral that inform residents and donors in three provinces of CHV services and priorities. They provide oversight and strategic direction to communications staff, including communications counsel planning, issues management, and media relations.
Reporting to the Associate Executive Director, this position is accountable for the following functions: strategic communications planning and management; external communications and issues management; emergency communications planning; media relations; communications services; staff supervision and direction; and interest group communications.
Key responsibilities include development and implementation of external communications strategies, and tactics linked to CHV’s vision, networks and continuum of care. Provides leadership and direction to a team of professional communications staff responsible for providing communications guidance and tools in support of overall agency strategy, including coordination of print and electronic publications materials, management and support for information campaigns, and web site and content coordination. Provides expertise for initiatives including education, advocacy, government relations and liaison, and community relations. Informs CHV projects ensuring appropriate messaging, change management communications and agency branding.
Accountabilities:
- Works closely with senior leaders across CHV and all levels of the organization to provide communications counsel including consultation, facilitation and negotiation.
- Develops and delivers agency communications priorities.
- Works closely with the Director, Development to ensure the agency’s communications program supports the fundraising goals of the agency, and with the Government Relations Advisor to ensure communications support the government relations and advocacy goals of the agency.
- Leads, directs and delivers a broad range of communications services including: strategic communications planning; issues management; emergency communications planning; media relations including domestic and international media; communications services including outreach programs; news releases and backgrounders; publications content; speech writing; web content; media monitoring; events planning/ management; and public communications.
- Supervises and conducts performance reviews for Communications staff.
Qualifications:
- Post-secondary degree in a communications-related field (journalism, public relations, political science, writing, English, etc.)
- 7-10 years in progressively more responsible communications positions
- Alignment with Covenant House Vancouver mission, values and principles
Role Specific Expertise:
- Develops and maintains strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including management and staff at all levels, media, and government agencies
- Uses a comprehensive knowledge of communication and marketing strategies theories/ practices to identify, develop and implement policies, strategies, key messages and initiatives for the organization in line with overall CHV vision.
- Uses expertise to present key messages, and honestly and accurately inform internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective and appropriate communications.
- Identifies emerging initiatives, trends and industry best practices and ensures full consideration in the development and implementation of goals and objectives.
- Demonstrated continued learning and development of supervisory and executive leadership skills.
- Broad based experience in communication including leading and managing communications professionals.
- Must have excellent proficiency with the use of technology, as CHV is a highly technology-enabled agency
Behavioral Competencies:
VISIONING – Identifying long-term goals and championing the implementation of different or alternative ideas. People who are competent at visioning generate creative and strategic solutions that can be successfully implemented. They think in innovative ways and support similar thinking in others. They challenge and push the organization to constantly improve and grow.
IN-DEPTH PROBLEM SOLVING AND ANALYSIS – Solving difficult problems through careful and systematic evaluation of information, possible alternatives and consequences. People who are competent at in-depth problems solving and analysis are capable of generating good solutions to difficult problems. They consider many sources of information, systematically process and evaluate the information against possible courses of action, and carefully deliberate before a final decision.
CHAMPIONING CHANGE – Taking action to support and implement change initiatives effectively. People who display this competency actively lead change efforts through their words as well as their actions. They build the support of those affected by the change initiative and take person responsibility to ensure the changes are successfully implemented.
DRIVING FOR RESULTS – Challenging, pushing the organization and themselves to excel and achieve. People who exhibit a drive for results establish or help establish objectives and contribute to their accomplishments. They assume personal responsibility for the success of the organization and persist, even when faced with obstacles, to achieve results.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT – Seeking opportunities to improve current processes, systems and methods to promote reliability, quality and efficiency of output. People who display this competency are dedicated to the improvement of current work processes. They apply discipline and a detail orientation to their own work activities and constantly look for ways to help improve the quality, efficiency or effectiveness of specific and general work processes. They encourage others to apply similar discipline to achieve continuous improvement.
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING – Effectively organizing and planning work according to organizational needs by defining objectives and anticipating needs and priorities. People who are competent at planning and organizing efficiently manage their time and the time of others and effectively handle multiple demands and competing deadlines. They identify goals, develop plans estimate time frames and monitor progress.
RESILIENCE – Effectively dealing with work related problems, pressure and stress in a professional and positive manner. People who exhibit resilience maintain a positive attitude even when faced with frustration, pressure or change. They recover quickly when faced with obstacles.
INFLUENCING AND PERSUADING – Convincing others to adopt a course of action. People who display this competency influence others without being excessively aggressive or pushy. They understand their audience and modify their method of persuasion accordingly. They are confident and do not give up easily.
MANAGING OTHERS – Directing and leading others to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. People who display this competency effectively manage and direct the activities of others. They work through other people to accomplish objectives, and they encourage performance for motivation and feedback. They hold people accountable.
ORGANIZATIONAL SAVVY – Recognizing and understanding organizational politics and working within organizational dynamics to accomplish objectives. People who exhibit organizational savvy understand the social and political dynamics within an organization and build and maintain partnerships and alliances. They understand people’s roles in the organization and can effectively work through others to get needed resources and accomplish objectives
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION – Communicating clearly and effectively with people inside and outside of the organization. People who are competent at interpersonal communication listen effectively and develop rapport with others. They are able to articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly, they present information in a straightforward and logical way, and they ensure that they are understood. They share information with others that will improve overall work progress
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION -Having the skills to communicate to others in a written format. People who are competent in written communication are able to organize and articulate their thoughts well in formal and informal writings. They adjust their message, vocabulary and form of writing to best speak to their audience.
PRESENTATION SKILLS – Having the skills to effectively communicate to an audience in a formal setting. People who display this competency are able to organize and articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly. They use visual presentation tools to deliver information in a straightforward and logical way. They prepare well, adjust their message to the audience, and deliver smoothly.
CHAMPIONING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION – Understanding, celebrating, and being sensitive to individual differences and the value of equity and inclusion. Championing all people equally, regardless of gender, race, creed, place of origin, status or level of position.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in and would like to be a part of a family like organisation with excellent growth opportunities, please send us your resume. We also offer a great benefits package, competitive salary and the opportunity to attend a variety of training courses all paid for by Covenant House
Covenant House Vancouver celebrates quality and diversity in the workplace. Our commitment is to ensure equity in employment, and we affirm and welcome applicants from all backgrounds of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation and age, except as prescribed by law. We encourage applicants from qualified aboriginal persons, persons of all genders and sexual orientations, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and others with the skills and knowledge to effectively engage with those from diverse backgrounds
To apply, click here: https://www.covenanthousebc.org/job_postings/9145/
