Temporary Communications Officer (Media and Stakeholder Communications), Communication Department – Education Centre

Posting #24.065

Temporary Communications Officer (Media and Stakeholder Communications) (MM2)
Communication Department – Education Centre

The Waterloo Region District School Board is situated in Canada’s innovation heartland, where we are celebrating the gifts of each and every student by creating limitless opportunities for them to flourish, grow and become their best selves. The Board provides a comprehensive educational program for approximately 65,000 students in the Region of Waterloo. The Board is the seventh largest public school district in Ontario with 16 secondary schools, 106 elementary schools and approximately 11,000 staff members. Additional information regarding the Board is available on the Board’s website at www.wrdsb.ca.

Position Summary

The Temporary Communications Officer (Media and Stakeholder Communications) will have a primary focus on strategic media and stakeholder communication. The incumbent will be responsible for creating professionally developed media content, responding professionally and accurately to media inquiries, improving existing communication tools, and delivering strategic communication to diverse audiences across multiple channels.

You will be the Board’s lead content developer for external audiences and will influence communication across all platforms and tools. The incumbent must be a highly skilled writer and a strategic thinker with superior understanding of media relations, communication planning, marketing, and end user experience. You will provide guidance to senior leaders, administrators and staff on internal communication best practices.

You will engage with WRDSB departments to create content for the community, and other key stakeholders. You will promote a positive corporate culture and share the stories and successes of the WRDSB. Working closely with Communications team members, the incumbent will also develop external communications strategies, stories, and materials, which support the WRDSB Strategic Plan and the goals of the Communications Department.

This role reports to the Senior Manager, Communications.

The successful applicant for this Temporary Mid-Management Level 2 position (salary range of $85,846 – $99,930), will be working 40 hours per week, 12 months per year, effective as soon as possible to January 22, 2025.

Responsibilities

  • Acts as the primary contact for media and respond in collaboration with WRDSB departments to ensure accurate and timely information that supports the strategic goals of the WRDSB;

  • Act as key content provider and strategic storyteller for WRDSB’s communication materials;

  • Ensures consistency, accuracy and excellence in quality and content of messaging for all WRDSB content for corporate communication and accessibility;

  • Supports staff, parents, and school communities in developing communications materials;

  • Provides direction and guidance for all staff in overseeing the production of externally and internally facing content and materials, supporting 122 schools with diverse communication needs;

  • Conducts research, interviews, writes, edits and fact‐checks a variety of communications materials;

  • Strategically reviews board programs, events and activities to develop content of interest to key stakeholders;

  • Acquires and evaluates data to optimize content creation and distribution across all channels;

  • Participates in labour relations and collective bargaining communication and management issues for all unionized employees of the board, including research to support bargaining strategies;

  • Supports the Senior Manager, Communications in providing leadership and direction on communication planning;

  • Supports the development and delivery of professional development programs designed to grow capacity for successful communication across the district particularly for internal communications;

  • Participates in the effective operations of the communications department;

  • Support emergency response communications and issues management; attend Board Meetings as needed;

  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited university AND five (5) years of experience within the last ten (10) years in public relations, communications and/or journalism preferably in a public-sector organization,

OR possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university AND seven (7) years of experience within the last ten (10) years in public relations, communications and/or journalism preferably in a public-sector organization;

  • Demonstrated understanding of issues affecting marginalized groups and working with diverse communities in an anti-oppressive/anti-racist, culturally relevant and responsive manner;

  • Proven ability in managing multiple-source projects that require attention to accuracy, consistency, and the ability to work with many different people with competing priorities;

  • Ability to work to short deadlines in a fast-paced environment;

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; excellent editing skills;

  • Extensive interviewing and researching skills;

  • Experience in a public-sector organization and unionized environment is an asset;

  • Provision of own vehicle for Board business and the requirement to travel to WRDSB sites.

Candidates are asked to electronically submit a copy of their covering letter and resume, quoting posting #24.065 – Temp Communications Officer – Media and Stakeholder, no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 9, 2024 to Laurie Pett, Human Resources Officer at management_resumes@wrdsb.ca.

The Waterloo Region District School Board is committed to equity in employment.  We are committed to fair and equitable hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve, who will foster the success and well-being of our students and who demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in the classroom.

We actively encourage application from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

  • First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;

  • Members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;

  • Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities; and

  • Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

We will make any appropriate accommodation based on any of the human rights protected grounds, to support candidate participation in the hiring process.

Upon request, we will provide reasonable accommodations in the hiring process to support applicants with disabilities.

While we appreciate all applications, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.  No phone calls please.

jeewan chanicka
Director of Education and Secretary

IABC Waterloo