National Director, Communications

hybrid
Toronto, Ontario, Canada .
full-time . October 3, 2024

Description

Job opening date: October 3, 2024

Job closing date: October 20, 2024, at 11:59 PM

Location: Toronto (Flexible Hybrid)

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people, promoting equity, and creating positive change in communities across Canada? We are seeking a dynamic and experienced National Director of Communications to lead our communication strategy, elevate our brand, manage media relations, and be a part of our senior leadership team. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies and plans, as well as a deep commitment to gender equity and anti-oppression principles.

About Us:

YWCA Canada is a leading voice for women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people. For 150 years, we’ve been at the forefront of a movement: to fight gender-based violence, build affordable housing and advocate for workplace equity. We work to advance gender equity by responding to urgent needs in communities, through national advocacy and grassroots initiatives. Local YWCAs invest over $258 million annually to support over 330,000 individuals across the nation. Today, we engage young leaders, diverse communities, and corporate partners to achieve our vision of a safe and equitable Canada for all. YWCA Canada is part of a global movement, World YWCA, working towards gender equity in more than 120 countries and 20,000 local communities.

Responsibilities:

National Brand Stewardship:

Elevate and manage the YWCA Federation’s brand identity
Develop and maintain brand guidelines to ensure consistency in messaging, tone and quality of work representative of YWCA Canada
Support the development of the ‘CEO’s brand’, applying strategies to grow CEO’s network and influence across sectors including corporate Canada, the charitable sector and government
Increase brand awareness and engagement through innovative campaigns, partnerships and storytelling
Support cause marketing opportunities, sponsorship packages, working with partner’s brand and partnership recognition plans

Communications:

Apply gendered, decolonizing and anti-oppressive lens to all internal and external communication material, ensuring that all communication outlets have a polished and professional tone and delivery
Create and execute a communications strategy that aligns with our mission and goals
Lead the development and implementation of external communications initiatives and campaigns, including the Annual Report, visual assets and public awareness tools
Lead the development and implementation of Federation-facing communications
Develop and implement work plans with weekly and monthly targets around content development, channel consistency and strategic communications
Provide final approval of all Federation-wide and public facing communication materials
Anticipate and manage reputational risks and issues, assisting with rapid and effective responses as required, including developing and implementing, where necessary crisis communications plans
Develop compelling and targeted communication plans when requested by other departments
Lead the design and update of the organization’s website
Design and produce visuals and copy for a variety of products: website, media releases, social media messages, presentations, collateral articles and advertisements.
Lead, launch and track and analyze all social media campaigns and appeals
Leads media relations and development of key messages and media strategies on behalf of the organization

Leadership & Collaborations

Manage and mentor the communications team, fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment
Work closely with other teams to ensure a cohesive and aligned communication efforts and amplify the message and impact of the Federation
Seek new organizational efficiencies and opportunities
Contribute to the creation of organizational policies and procedures that support internal alignment and clarity.

Requirements:

7+ years of progressive experience in a Communications role, with at least 4 years in a leadership position
Proven experience in developing and executing successful communications strategies
Strong understanding of brand management and creation, media relations and design
Proven experience developing crisis communication plans
Proficiency in creating visual assets
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Strong leadership skills
Commitment to gender equity and anti-oppression principles
Copywriting is an asset
Bilingualism is an asset (English and French)

Why work with us:

Impactful Work: Join a team that is passionate about creating positive change and making a difference in the lives of women, girls, two-spirit and gender diverse people, and communities across Canada.
Inclusive Culture: We celebrate diversity and value inclusivity in our workplace. Your unique talents, perspectives, and experiences are embraced and respected here.
Opportunities for Growth: YWCA Canada is committed to supporting the professional development and growth of our employees. We offer a professional development stipend, and opportunities for advancement within the organization.
Great Benefits: Enjoy benefits that prioritize your well-being and work-life balance:
Competitive and equitable salary: We offer a competitive salary that reflects your skills, experience, and contributions.
Health Benefits: Enjoy full benefits for you and your dependents with a supplemental $2000/year healthcare spending account, access to telehealth through Maple, and an Employee Assistance Program.
Paid Time Off (PTO): We offer 4 weeks of vacation per year, which increase after 3 years of service (to a maximum of 8 weeks), and 18 Wellness and Emergency days per year.
Holiday Closure and Summer Friday: We offer Summer Fridays in July and August and a 1-week office closure between Christmas and New Year.
Employer Matching Pension Plan: We match up to 5% of pension contributions.
Parental leave top-up: We understand the importance of family and support our employees during significant life events. Our parental leave top-up program provides up to 90% top up for 15 weeks of maternity leave and up to 35 weeks of parental leave.
Flexibility: We understand the importance of flexibility in today's fast-paced world. That's why we offer flexible work arrangements to accommodate your needs and preferences. Whether you prefer to work remotely or at the office or have some flexibility during your workday.

Interview Process:

Submit resume on Humi and answer our questions.
30-minute call with HR (for selected candidates): this will be a call over Teams to discuss your background, YWCA Canada, the role and answer some of your initial questions.
60-minute interview with the Director of Public Policy, Informed Advocacy & Strategic Communications, Director of Member Services, and Director of Fund Development & Partnerships. Depending on where you are located, this might be in-person in our Toronto office, or over a video call.
30-minute interview with the CEO.
Reference Check: We want to learn more about your teamwork and collaboration, so we would like to contact a few individuals you have worked with in the past. Be ready to provide us with 2-3 professional references, including 1 supervisor.
Offer

Some final things to note:

The successful candidate will be committed to working from an anti-oppression, feminist perspective.

To uphold our commitment to equity and fairness, we have implemented a non-negotiation policy for salaries and benefits. Negotiating compensation can perpetuate inequalities and biases, leading to disparities in pay based on negotiation skills or personal circumstances. By eliminating negotiation, we ensure that all employees are treated with equity and have access to the same opportunities for compensation.

Our office is located in downtown Toronto. We are remote flexible, which means that the team can choose if they work at the office or from home and when. As part of the Senior Leadership Team, we do require to meet in person in Toronto 4 times per year. Additionally, there might be travel within Canada a couple of times per year.

If you think you don’t have all the requirements, you are passionate about the YWCA mission and think this is the right role for you, we want to hear from you! We encourage women from racialized and/or newcomer, gender diverse, non-binary and/or gender fluid, 2SLGBTQIA+ First Nation, Métis and Inuit, immigrant, refugee, BIPOC, and people living with disabilities to apply.

Accommodations

YWCA Canada is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We value diversity and inclusion and are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

If you require accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process, or want more information on our accommodation policies, please contact HR at careers@ywcacanada.ca. We will work with you to meet your needs in a timely manner.

Compensation

$103,000.00 - $126,000.00 per year

Know someone who would be a perfect fit? Let them know!