COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR

• Job ID: 52803
• Job Category: Communications & Marketing
• Division & Section: Strategic Public & Employee Communications, Strategy & Relationships
• Work Location: City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, M5H 2N2
• Job Type & Duration: 2 Full-Time, Temporary (12 months & 24 months)
• Salary: $86,716.00 - $112,255.00
• Target Hiring Zone : $86,716 to $98,000
• Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
• Affiliation: Non-Union
• Number of Positions Open: 2
• Posting Period: 05-Feb-2025 to 20-Feb-2025
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Are you looking to join a high-performing, fast-paced communications team where your work will truly make an impact on the lives of Torontonians? The Strategic Public and Employee Communications (SPEC) Division is responsible for communicating key City of Toronto programs and services to the public, City staff and media.

We are seeking skilled Communications Advisors to join at least two of our five Centres of Excellence (COEs) within our division. We have two immediate openings in the Strategy and Relationships and Media Relations and Issues Management Centres of Excellence, but as part of this job call, we are also establishing a qualified candidates list for vacancies that we anticipate will soon become available. The candidate list is good for two years.

Hybrid Work Program

This position is eligible for enrolment in the Hybrid Work Program, which allows employees to work some days in the office and some days remotely, where operationally feasible as per the Remote Work Policy. Under the hybrid work model, People Leaders will determine remote work arrangements with their team that best support operational requirements.

In specific to the Strategy and Relationships role, the successful candidate is expected to works one day per week at the Toronto Emergency Management office – located in the east end of Toronto – and another one or two days per week at Toronto City Hall, located in downtown Toronto.

SPEC Centres of Excellence

In your cover letter, please specify the Centre(s) of Excellence you are most interested in.

Strategy and Relationships

Build and nurture relationships with City divisions as the primary contact responsible for communications strategy and counsel. Communications Advisors in this section develop annual work plans and serve as project managers for communications planning, execution and measurement with the other COEs.

Responsibilities for this particular role working with Toronto Emergency Management may include, in addition to strategy, some content writing for public education products, social media and web.

Employee Communications

Lead city-wide internal communications as well as the development of communications for the City Manager (the leader of the Toronto Public Service) and the senior leadership team. The unit is also responsible for internal communications planning, execution, employer branding and internal channels including the intranet.

Public Education, Marketing and Creative

Create compelling narratives to inform and educate the public through traditional, social and digital advertising campaigns, as well as various public education materials to achieve strategic objectives while reaching diverse audiences.

Digital Engagement

Provide communications leadership and ownership of the City's digital channels, including toronto.ca and corporate social media accounts. The unit directs the development of digital communications strategies, content and design standards, and digital brand and content planning and creation.

Media Relations and Issues Management

Develop and deliver media relations and issues management strategies and activities. The unit anticipates, monitors and works to mitigate issues and proactively engage with the media to build strong relationships and achieve balanced and informed coverage. The unit also protects and enhances the City's reputation.

Major Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic communications plans to inform and engage the public, City of Toronto employees and/or the media.
• Cultivate relationships with City divisions, agencies, vendors, media and other interested parties to advance City of Toronto initiatives and campaigns.
• Provide strategic communications advice and counsel to internal divisions and partners.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure impactful and consistent messaging across multiple channels and platforms.
• Write, produce, edit and review engaging communications products including videos, news releases, web content, social media posts, advertisements and newsletters.
• Identify, anticipate and mitigate reputational risks, advising on emerging issues that can affect the City's brand and the achievement of its goals.
• Establish KPIs, evaluate and measure outcomes against communications and/or operational objectives.

Key Qualifications

1. Post-secondary education in a discipline related to the job function (communications, marketing, public relations, journalism) or a combination of education, experience and transferrable skills.
2. Extensive experience developing and executing communications strategies and plans and developing various communications materials.
3. Experience in developing communications strategies that effectively engage diverse audiences in ways that are culturally appropriate, accessible and inclusive.
4. Superior communication skills with excellent writing and editing skills for all communications channels and audiences.
5. Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization.
6. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail to prioritize and manage workload under tight timelines and competing deadlines.
7. Strong political acuity and awareness of municipal processes would be considered an asset.

For the Toronto Emergency Management portfolio, in addition to above:

1. Working knowledge of the Incident Management System (IMS), emergency management, business continuity and crisis communications would be considered a benefit for the Strategy and Relationships role.
2. Prior experience in the nuclear industry or awareness of the energy sector would be considered an asset for the Strategy and Relationships role.

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information, visit jobs.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/CityTOjobs, on LinkedIn at Linkedin.com/company/city-of-toronto or on Facebook at Facebook.com/CityTOjobs.

Note To Current City of Toronto Employees

City of Toronto employees are eligible to apply for the posted job opportunity, but cannot hold two different jobs. To be considered for this job posting, you must indicate that you are a "Current City of Toronto employee" on the on-line application form, and provide your "Employee Number".

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the application process is available upon request. Learn more about the City’s Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.