Director of Communications, Transit Projects

University of British Columbia

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Campus and Community Planning, the Director of Communications, Transit Projects will provide strategic leadership and advice on internal and external communications and community engagement initiatives on UBC's transit projects and support broad based advocacy to bring rapid transit to the Point Grey campus:

• Develops and leads the implementation of the strategic and comprehensive communications and community engagement plan for the transit initiative, including identifying and reaching key audiences, managing messaging, supporting engagement tactics, overseeing communication, communications project management, milestones and timelines
• Strategically advises, counsels and provides communications guidance  to senior UBC leadership on rapid transit communications and advocacy initiatives
• Owns and manages the proactive and responsive relationship with the traditional news media and social media related to Rapid Transit
• Develops issues-management and risk mitigation strategies to proactively tackle issues of public and campus concern related to the Transit project, identifying, prioritizing and advising upon these issues
• Leads the development, coordination and execution of internal, rapid transit-related, communications initiatives to inform and engage UBC faculty, students and staff, in close collaboration with Internal Communications
• Leads, manages and delivers communications materials to UBC leadership to enable success in their roles as spokespeople and advocates for rapid transit
• Leads, manages and coordinates stakeholder engagement with health authorities, business groups, unions, neighbourhood associations, and other interested groups and organizations
• Builds strong relationships with communications leaders inside and outside the University, including but not limited to the peer administrative units, UBC alumni, the AMS, the UNA, the Cities of Vancouver and Surrey, Mayors' Council, Metro Vancouver, and TransLink
• Works closely with Public Affairs and Internal Communication units to keep them informed of media and potential issues management items
• Supports relationships with third-party validators and provides communications collateral and counsel to project champions within the business, student, faculty and other communities
• Works with the AVP, Campus & Community Planning; Chief of Government & Institutional Relations, the AVP Communications, and other senior leaders to develop, coordinate and execute communications to create effective engagement with municipal, provincial and federal governments
• Collaborates with the broader community of UBC communicators to ensure consistent University-wide messaging
• Provides leadership to external consultants and contractors, as necessary;

The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of twelve years of related experience in communications and community engagement, ideally within a large and complex private or public-sector organization, ideally working on communications and community engagement for large infrastructure projects; including five years at a strategic level. With a proven record of professional accomplishment in dealing with the media, government, key stakeholders and the general public, the ideal candidate has the ability to think and act independently and see the broad implications of events, anticipate and manage issues and potential problems. This individual must have the skills to work effectively and collaboratively within a team environment, acting both strategically and tactically. Ability to identify and handle critical decisions and to work well and remain calm under pressure is required, as is the ability to handle potentially angry stakeholders and concerned citizens and diffuse tensions.

This position is a key part of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the campus to the region with critical transit infrastructure.

To apply or for more information, please contact careers.dae@ubc.ca

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.