PROJECT MANAGER (COMMUNICATIONS) ELECTION SERVICES

Job ID: 46490

Job Category: Communications & Marketing

Division & Section: City Clerk's, City Clerk's Election Services

Work Location: City of Toronto Election Services, 89 Northline Rd. Toronto

Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent Vacancy

Salary: $102,155.00 - $135,815.00, Wage Grade 7.0 

Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week - Hybrid 

Affiliation: Non-Union

Number of Positions Open: 1 

Posting Period: 26-April-2024 to 12-May-2024

Reporting to the Manager of Toronto Elections, the Project Manager of Communications provides marketing and communications leadership for all Election programs. They initiate, plan, implement and manage communications portfolio projects related to the municipal election and by-elections, including referenda, recounts, and contract elections, on behalf of the City Clerk, City Council, four School Boards and the Minister of Municipal affairs and Housing, ensuring legislated requirements are met.

Major Responsibilities

• Implements detailed plans, recommends policies/procedures regarding program-specific requirements, and implements innovative solutions to complex project challenges involving multiple stakeholders to achieve assignment objectives while ensuring all legislative requirements are met.
• Develops, implements, and leads strategic marketing and communication plans targeting public and internal audiences, both educating residents on how to participate and communicating legislated messages.
• Innovates to identify engaging communication vehicles and techniques to reach diverse audiences and position Toronto Elections as a leader in election communications.
• Develops and writes a wide variety of communication material for internal and public audiences, including communication plans, training material, briefing notes, intermunicipal and intergovernmental correspondence, official reports, media releases, speeches, video scripts, ad copy, web and other digital content.
• Leads proactive and responsive media relations and issues management plans, developing key messaging and providing leadership and support for rapid response issues management.
• Provides leadership in best practices and current trends in social and digital technologies and strategies for communicating across multiple digital channels, including web, social media, online applications, SMS, and virtual assistants, ensuring compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
• Collaborates with the City’s multi-disciplinary corporate communications team on issues management, advertising, social media, and web communications.
• Manages stakeholder relations including communications with internal and external partners, City divisions, City agencies and corporations, corporate partners, and other public sector organizations.
• Maintains a thorough awareness of the vision, mission, and strategic direction of the City Clerk's Office (CCO) and its services, the City Clerk's duties, and responsibilities under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 (MEA) and the unique qualities and responsibilities of working in a political environment with elected officials and stakeholders while ensuring cultural sensitivity.
• Supervises the day-to-day operation of all assigned staff; scheduling and coordination of vacation and overtime requests, assigning and reviewing of work, monitoring, and evaluating performance, motivating, and training, ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, continuous learning and encouraging innovation in others.
• Ensures assigned staff are in compliance with the AODA, Occupational Health & Safety Act, and all relevant legislation and associated regulations.
• Evaluates all aspects of service delivery, performance measures and reporting to senior management with recommendations for service improvements.
• Manages and monitors assigned budgets ensuring expenditures are controlled and maintained, including procurement oversight, project control systems, cost evaluation methodologies, and performance evaluation criteria in accordance with approved corporate limitations, policies, and guidelines.
• Responds to issues as they arise within projects and under scrutiny by the media, the public and members of Council.
• Reviews, evaluates, and recommends detailed project plans to the Senior Elections Management Team, including the overall scheduling of projects and reports on the status of subprojects, including contingencies, issues management, change management and resource management, while managing and mitigating risks.
• Prepares and presents project progress reports regularly to the Deputy City Clerk Toronto Elections, Senior Election Management Team and to other stakeholders and staff.
• Prepares various reports for Committee and Council and compiles presentations for the Senior Election Management Team and addresses their questions and concerns.
• Represents the City Clerk in meetings with a wide and diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, City divisions, community groups, sponsors, senior staff, elected officials and other levels of government.
• Exercises sound judgement, integrity, and fairness in dealing with sensitive and controversial matters.
• Assists with the work of the Manager, Toronto Elections as required and in their absence.
• Works evenings, statutory holidays and weekends as required.

Key Qualifications

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to:

1. Post-secondary education in a discipline pertinent to the job function (Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Project Management) or an approved equivalent of education and experience.
2. Superior written communication skills, with proven experience writing for internal and public audiences, preparing communication plans, training material, briefing notes, intermunicipal and intergovernmental correspondence, reports, media releases, speeches, video scripts, ad copy, web and other digital content.
3. Extensive experience planning, developing, overseeing complex communication and marketing strategies, implementing traditional and digital tactics to enhance education, communication, and user-centric engagement opportunities.
4. Considerable experience planning, developing, and overseeing traditional communication campaigns, including branding, design, production, distribution and tracking of collateral material, advertising, and promotional items.
5. Experience developing content schedules and leading AODA-compliant content creation for digital channels and management of online advertising and promotional campaigns, including photography, video, and animation assets for all platforms.
6. Strong presentation and public speaking skills, and a proven ability to communicate at all organizational levels including councillors and the media.
7. Experience working collaboratively in a diverse team environment, with experience in hiring, training, coaching, and supervising project teams, including performance monitoring in a non-union and union environment.
8. Demonstrated ability to work calmly and effectively in a high-volume, high-stress environment with frequent and competing deadlines, while implementing effective protocols for coordinating communication activities across multiple operating areas with diverse stakeholders.
9. Experience utilizing project management approaches to oversee multiple large projects from inception to completion, employing excellent organization skills, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
10. Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills, with the ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships with other staff, community groups, agencies, and corporations in relation to the Communications portfolio.
11. Experience with a variety of software packages including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
12. Experience applying relevant provisions of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and related legislation.
13. Ability to work evenings, statutory holidays and weekends as required and travel to various work locations.

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.