Director, Communications

If you are looking to join an organization which offers a meaningful JOB OPPORTUNITY then CAS Toronto is the place for you!

 

The Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAS Toronto) is proud of their long history of leadership in protecting children and their commitment to the provision of quality service to children and their families. If you are looking to make a difference in the lives of children, we have an opportunity for you.  Working in the heart of the city at Yonge and Bloor with excellent remuneration, benefits and vacation entitlements come join us and work for one of the city’s Top Employers.

 

CAS Toronto is looking for a communications leader who brings an approach to leadership that is: compassionate, balancing empathy with the needs of the business; mindful, leveraging self-awareness to support highly attuned emotional intelligence; and grateful, recognizing that success involves the contributions of so many others.

 

PURPOSE:

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director, Communications leads the planning, development, and implementation of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s (CAST) external and internal multi-channel communications strategies, manages and expands the profile of the Agency’s brand and amplifies our mission to create a city where children are safe, families are strong and communities are supported. In consultation and partnership with senior leadership, board and staff, and informed by data, the Director, Communications builds CAST’s thought leadership in the sector, enhances employee affinity to our mission and builds and enriches our brand through active brand management.

 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Strategic Communications & Brand Management

• Communications strategy development, implementation and ongoing evaluation
• Brand strategy development and management (in collaboration with an external partner/vendor)
• Stakeholder/audience identification, prioritization and communication priorities
• Channel identification, planning and implementation

 

Stakeholder/Audience Engagement (internal and external)

• Stakeholder communications planning and management
• Relationship building (e.g. regular meetings with internal subject matter experts to understand communication and business needs)

 

Social Media Oversight & Management

• Social media strategy
• Social media monitoring and analysis
• Online community building, engagement and relationship management
• Customer service (e.g. respond to inquiries online regarding duty to report)

 

Content Strategy and Creation

• Editorial planning and key stakeholder channel planning
• Writing for various formats and channels—web, social, media releases, scripts, blogs, etc.
• Speech writing
• Editing and copywriting

 

Digital Design Oversight & Management

• Graphic design
• Videography and video editing
• Photography and photo editing
• Infographics and data visualization

 

Media Relations

• Media monitoring and analysis
• Issues management and crisis response
• Reactive media engagement (e.g., answering media inquiries)
• Proactive media engagement (e.g., pitching stories)

 

Leadership

• Develops and leads a team that reflects diversity, support differences and encourages different perspectives.
• Hire, train and evaluate supervisory staff and may discipline or terminate as required, in addition to administering the Collective Agreement accordingly

 

Other

• Ensures Society’s Code of Ethics, Confidentiality, Anti-Oppression/ Anti-Racism, Harassment & Discrimination policies, etc. are incorporated into self and team.
• Uses sound judgment in consideration of financial resources within branch/departmental budget.
• Ensures compliance with Society’s financial policies and procedures.
• Works in a safe manner in accordance with the Society’s health and safety policies and procedures and all relevant legislation.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

 

Education and Experience:

• Post-secondary degree in communications, political science or public administration preferred , AND
• Minimum ten (10+) years progressive professional communications experience, including deep understanding of strategic communications best practices and approaches, AND,
• Minimum 3 years progressive and responsible management experience, AND,
• Experience managing both external stakeholders and internal communications functions, including understanding relationships with media, government and community organizations OR
• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.

 

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in issues affecting children and their families in the GTA and an understanding of children’s aid societies, their history, challenges and emerging opportunities.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate staff and work collaboratively across teams and influence without authority
• Demonstrated experience working directly with CEO and/or Executive leaders in support of communications strategies
• Strong strategic and practical knowledge of the digital, social and traditional communications channels and their use within the context of an overall communications strategy and day-to-day stakeholder engagement
• Superior written and verbal skills, including public speaking and presentations
• Excellent judgment, discretion and interpersonal skills; ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously, meet deadlines and drive collaboration across multiple areas of the organization
• The ability to calmly, professionally problem solve in stressful situations
• Demonstrated management skills including experience developing high functioning teams
• Proven ability to lead with integrity and behave ethically within an anti-oppression environment

 

 

Anti-Oppression/Anti-Racism at CAS Toronto

CAS Toronto is committed to having a workforce that is reflective of the diversity of the City of Toronto and strongly encourages application from all qualified individuals, especially those who can provide different perspectives and contribute to a further diversification of ideas.

 

Accommodation at CAST

We are committed to a selection process and work environment that is inclusive and barrier free. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code. Applicants need to make any accommodation requests for the interview or selection process known in advance by contacting the Human Resources Department at 416-924-4640 x2300. Human Resources will work together with the hiring committee to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

 

Qualified applicants who are interested in this opportunity can apply by clicking the Apply button at the bottom of this online job posting, fax (416-324-2400), or mail (30 Isabella Street, 5th Floor) to the attention of Human Resources.

 

Applications for this position must be received in the Human Resources Department, NO LATER THAN 11:59 PM on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021.

 

***All newly hired Children’s Aid Society of Toronto employees are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of hire***