Manager, Communications & Community Engagement (Community Services)

The Role

As a key member of the Region’s Communications Leadership Team, helps deliver on Regional Council’s vision by promoting the community brand on local and provincial levels. Manages strategic communications and engagement across a diverse portfolio that includes Children’s Services, Employment and Income Support, Housing Services, and Seniors Services. Works with departmental staff, Corporate Communications, and community stakeholders to build and implement meaningful community engagement strategies on key planning initiatives. Provides strategic expertise to identify communications issues and risks. Forges strong relationships locally and provincially. 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises staff working in the areas of communications, community engagement, and promotions (directly and indirectly) to deliver strategic communications for the corporation. 
• Provides strategic advice to the Commissioner and departmental Directors to identify communications issues, risks, and opportunities. Advises departmental management and staff on public-facing issues and items. 
• Manages day-to-day communications activities, and consistent, coordinated responses to issues across the Department, with a focus on quality and strategic timing. 
• Develops an annual departmental communications plan, including key targets, and manages implementation. Supports and drives the development of the corporation’s integrated brand strategy within the Department. Collaborates with staff across the Department to identify strategic promotional opportunities. 
• Working with leadership, conceptualizes, designs, and implements meaningful, creative engagement strategies to ensure citizens are aware of and contribute to important conversations about significant public policy initiatives. 
• Develops a strong understanding of departmental, divisional, and corporate goals and strategies, and ensures they are integrated into communications and outreach activities.
• Provides expertise and contributes to the development and implementation of departmental best practices, strategies, policies, procedures, and standards for communications.
• Manages the development of the Department’s annual report.
• Oversees the Department’s social media strategy. Develops social media best practice strategies to de-escalate issues. Manages escalated resident complaints/concerns arising from social media channels. Liaises with corporate communications to ensure issues or needs are identified and managed.
• As a key member of the Region’s Communications Leadership Team, works closely with corporate communications regarding media strategy and issues management. Develops media relations plans and integrated communication approaches in response to requests/issues, as needed. Manages media issues and requests for the Department.
• Manages planning and coordination of special events.
• Demonstrates the Region’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, transparency, and accountability.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills normally acquired through a degree in a related field (e.g., journalism, communications, media studies, political science, business administration, public administration) plus progressively responsible related experience.
• Knowledge of strategic communications and community relations practices, media relations, and social marketing tools/technologies. 
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, legislation, and standards (e.g., freedom of information, privacy, accessibility, Canadian Press), and collective agreements. 
• Understanding of social services and the impacts of policy on vulnerable individuals. 
• Analytical, problem solving, research, and continuous improvement skills to assess and respond to/manage daily media issues, and stay current with best practices to drive community engagement in key policy and planning initiatives.
• Leadership, human relations, public relations, and presentation skills to supervise, train, develop, motivate, and support staff; establish and maintain working relationships; advise and support corporate leaders; make presentations to clearly convey information; negotiate media buys; and participate as an effective team member. 
• Ability to write clear, concise media releases, communications plans, reports, procedures, key messages, and correspondence. Ability to translate complex/unclear information into clear, concise statements for audiences with varied understanding of government issues/services. 
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and digital communications software.
• Ability to participate in an official standby/on-call rotation to respond to legislated or time sensitive demands beyond regularly scheduled work hours. 
• Ability to travel within and outside Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to adjust schedule to attend evening meetings.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.