Director of External Relations

Position: Director of External Relations

Location: Fredericton, On-site. Permanent Full-Time

About CMHA of NB

The Canadian Mental Health Association of New Brunswick Inc. (CMHA of NB) is part of a nationwide, voluntary organization that that envisions a country where mental health is a universal human right. CMHA of NB work is guided by the mission of ensuring that all people in New Brunswick experience good mental health and well-being.

CMHA of NB is STEADFAST and has long fought to improve the state of mental health in New Brunswick, yet acknowledges that the work is ongoing and remains committed to this important task. CMHA of NB is INCLUSIVE and strives for all people in New Brunswick to see themselves represented and served by CMHA of NB. The organization values the voice of those who have experienced mental illness and recognize a diverse range of mental health approaches.

CMHA of NB is PROACTIVE, with leaders who value action over mere talk, and is committed to innovation and forward-thinking to continually address and improve mental health in New Brunswick. Furthermore, CMHA of NB is COMPASSIONATE, approaching its mission with empathy, care, love, and kindness.

CMHA of NB, being COLLABORATIVE, mobilizes and marshals resources, partners, and people to come together to realize necessary changes in our communities and in the mental health system in New Brunswick. CMHA of NB provides a wide range of services and supports to people who are experiencing mental illness, their families, friends, and the public. One of the core goals of these services is to help people with mental illness develop the personal tools to lead meaningful and productive lives.

Position Summary :

By cultivating relationships with community and stakeholders, leading fundraising strategies, and managing media engagement, the Director of External Relations plays a crucial role in enhancing the organization's visibility, delivering the Canadian Mental Health Association of New Brunswick (CMHA of NB)'s mission, vision, and values, and increasing public awareness and support for CMHA of NB's programs and services. This position provides strategic planning, executing, and measuring the programs of external relations with stakeholders, clients, communities, and government, comprehensive communications, marketing, branding, media relations, and public relations while focusing on fundraising and the organization's image. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, this position requires innovation power and passion to develop creative and effective strategies. As a recognized leader, the Director provides guidance to various departments, supports decision-makers, and motivates teams, contributing to CMHA of NB's strategy. Collaborating closely with the leadership team, the Director develops and executes strategies, fostering understanding of CMHA of NB's purpose-driven direction, and promotes a culture of employee engagement. This role involves developing coherent and trustful, continuous external relations strategies, setting targets and priorities, managing budgets, resourcing, and timetabling of these activities, and providing regular reports.

Responsibilities :

Leadership

• Provide leadership to the team, fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Actively participate in CMHA of NB's leadership meetings to create solutions that advance the successful, efficient, and effective relations and execution of CMHA of NB's programs and policy initiatives.
• Supervise and collaborate with team members in executing programs and ensuring adherence to CMHA of NB's standards and practices.
• Develop effective processes, procedures, and systems for the department.
• Provide mentoring and support to individual team members for problem-solving and managing challenging situations.
• Foster a positive and collaborative team culture that aligns with CMHA of NB's values.
• Conduct regular one-on-one and team meetings to discuss goals, resolve concerns, and set annual targets.
• Support team in developing annual work plans and ensure that expectations are clearly identified.
• Support and mentor team members, encouraging continuous learning and development.
• Take responsibility for addressing and resolving performance concerns in a respectful and compassionate manner.
• Conduct performance reviews, assist in hiring and onboarding new team members, ensure on-going training and professional development, and participation in human resource matters.
• Ensure team members adhere to organizational expectations regarding entering time and attendance into the Dayforce system.
• Ensure all department strategies and activities align with CMHA of NB's rules and standards.
• Adhere to ethical standards and policies of CMHA of NB and promptly disclose any conflicts of interest.
• Lead the development of the annual department budget and ensure financial integrity is maintained.

External Relations

• Plan, develop, direct, and implement annual external relation strategies to support the achievement of CMHA of NB's goals.
• Define priorities for external relations that align with the CMHA of NB's strategy and provide insights into building co-operative external relationships.
• Establish, expand, foster, and maintain relations with community leaders and other private, public, and governmental organizations at local, provincial, and national level to obtain their support of CMHA of NB.
• Share vision, mission, values, and goals of CMHA of NB with external audiences and organizations and demonstrate the outcomes and impacts of our programs to engage and expand our target audiences. • Advise the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and the leadership team on current and potential relations, branding, and communication issues; recommend an effective course of action.
• Provide relation support to the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, and the leadership team on confidential, high-profile, and sensitive matters, including preparing informative materials such as presentations, briefing notes, speeches, annual reports, backgrounders, newsletters, profiles, and articles.
• Develop ceremonies and event programs for special occasions, such as Mental Health Week, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Suicide Prevention Month, and other events to increase the community's awareness and support of CMHA of NB's goals.
• Develop and implement programs to increase the CMHA of NB's voice in legislative activities and advocacy networks.
• Provide expertise and guidance to employees in developing, implementing, and enhancing their local, provincial, and national public relations programs, contributing to achieving the CMHA of NB's goals and objectives.

Fundraising

• Work with the Director of Finance and Human Resources and other departments as needed, to further develop fundraising strategies and plans, increase philanthropic income, and establish funding priorities.
• Conduct and implement strategic plans to raise and secure annual funds for expenses.
• Evaluate current fundraising initiatives, including grants, events, and donor programs; and explore new funding opportunities.
• Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with potential funding sources from government, corporate, foundation, and private sectors. • Engage with government officials and elected representatives to gain support for CMHA of NB's policies and funding opportunities.
• Develop, enhance, and nurture community relationships and raise awareness of fundraising campaigns.
• Research and pursue opportunities with new trust funds, develop grant proposals and fundraising applications and establish robust connections.
• Manage an existing portfolio of trust funders while actively cultivating new relationships.
• Research and assess the feasibility of implementing new fundraising methods, such as corporate fundraising, major gifts, or direct mail campaigns.
• Plan, coordinate, and evaluate fundraising events, ensuring effective promotion and profitability.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive database for fundraising activities.
• Handle administrative tasks, including correspondence and accurate report maintenance.
• Foster a team-oriented approach to fundraising throughout the organization.
• Provide coaching and support to enhance fundraising capabilities of employees and volunteers.

Marketing and Branding

• Develop and implement annual marketing and branding strategies to support the strategic priorities of the CMHA of NB, aiming to raise the organization's profile.
• Strategically develop and manage the overall brand identity, collaborating with Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors, and leadership team to protect the organizational reputation.
• Ensure consistency and relevance of the CMHA of NB's brand in alignment with the organization's vision, mission, and values.
• Coordinate and oversee the production and distribution of various promotional materials which highlight the goals, objectives, policies, programs, activities, and accomplishments of the CMHA of NB.
• Cultivate strong community partnerships to enhance understanding and appreciation of the CMHA of NB's brand.
• Collaborate with Director of Operations and other departments as needed to greater understanding and promotion of programs.
• Oversee the development and design of graphic materials in accordance with CMHA of NB's brand guidelines.
• Lead the team and employees in effectively communicating the story of CMHA of NB and its current programs and activities to raise awareness of the organization's brand.

Media Relations

• Direct, coordinate, and manage advertising across various media, including radio, television, newspaper, e-newsletter, brochures, magazines, social media networks, podcasts, and websites to increase awareness of CMHA of NB's services and obtain maximum support and resources.
• Direct all media relations activities to ensure constant, accurate and timely coverage of events and news.
• Act as the primary spokesperson for CMHA of NB' on public relations matters.
• Provide strategic leadership for social media platforms to ensure consistent messaging that enhances brand awareness and engages the public effectively.
• Lead message development and announcement of CMHA of NB's strategies and plans in addition to vision, mission, and values.
• Provide strategic media relations advice and robust issues management support to CMHA of NB as required.
• Proactively pursue and maximize opportunities across diverse media channels to raise public awareness of key issues related to CMHA of NB's programs and policy initiatives.
• Identify the characteristics of diverse target audiences and determine the most effective communications techniques to reach and motivate these groups for maximum support of CMHA of NB's programs, services, and activities.
• Research current trends and audience preferences to optimize media mix for promoting and presenting CMHA of NB's programs, services, and activities.
• Enhance the CMHA of NB's prominence among key audiences and ensure it maintains a compelling digital presence that effectively aligns with organizational objectives.
• Present information on a wide variety of subjects using the full array of written, oral, and visual formats and techniques for diverse media outlets.
• Provide oversight for content, style, and design of CMHA of NB publications and website.
• Develop and implement a search engine optimization program to enhance CMHA of NB's visibility within provincial search results.
• Identify, train, and coach CMHA of NB's spokespeople to prepare them for effective media appearances.
• Oversee the team's development of external publications such as newsletters, releases, email announcements, and on-line content.
• Develop strong relationships with local, regional, and national media to amplify CMHA of NB's messaging and initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Preference will be given to candidates with a University degree in the field of Management, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, journalism, or other related fields and five to ten years of full-time, professional-level work experience, as a leader, with a demonstrated ability to manage communications and public relations, convene stakeholders, and engage across sectors, including experience with various media sources such as social media, web-based, broadcast, and print media. A combination of work experience and education will be considered.
• Experience in mental health, addictions and/or community social services would be an asset.
• Experience working collaboratively with government, philanthropy, community stakeholders, and people.
• A valid Work Permit is mandatory for temporary residents.
• Residency in New Brunswick (NB) or willingness to relocate is mandatory.
• Proficiency in both English and French languages is mandatory.
• A new Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check is mandatory.

Core Competencies :

• Leadership
• External and Public Relations
• Strategic Communication
• Rapport/Relationship Building
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Partner Management
• Teambuilding
• Marketing and Branding
• Social Media
• Problem-solving and Critical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility & Adaptability
• Time Management & Priority Setting
• Self-Awareness & Confidence
• Initiative & Commitment
• Continuous Learning & Development

Knowledge, Abilities & Skills:

• Ability to provide team leadership and supervision for the development and implementation of the organization's mission, vision, and values.
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set, and achieve strategic objectives, and manage the budget.
• Prior experience working within the non-profit sector, especially at leadership and managerial level is an asset.
• Knowledge of federal and provincial legislation applicable to voluntary sector organizations.
• Knowledge of the formal NB mental health system, community organizations, and resources, including CMHA of NB programs, is an asset.
• Knowledge of mental health, social determinants of health, health equity, social justice, addiction, social service systems, and best practices for engaging people with lived or living experience.
• Knowledge of budgeting, cost estimating, fiscal management principles and procedures.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, including, speaking, listening, and written communication and on on-line platforms.
• Strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and effectiveness at individual, program, and system levels.
• Ability to work effectively in various settings and environments, both one-on-one and in group settings.
• Ability to work effectively with public and private non-profit agencies and organizations on a local, provincial, and national basis.
• Strong public relations skills to advance organizational agenda and support initiative fundraising and engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
• Skill in establishing creative public relations campaigns.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft 365 is required.
• Ability to use, adapt and embrace new technologies and strategies.
• Strong working knowledge of media relations, marketing, branding, and advertising techniques.
• Communications media sources and their most effective uses, including print, broadcast, web, and social media.
• Demonstrated experience with graphic and content design concepts and tools and production of marketing and public relations materials is an asset.
• Methods and techniques of preparing and disseminating news releases and securing media placements.
• Knowledge and skills of research methods and techniques and analyzing data.
• Ability to organize data into logical formats for presentation in reports, documents, and other written materials.
• Professional, compassionate, and non-judgmental approach to communication.
• Empathy towards individuals with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.
• Highly motivated and passionate about mental health and anti-oppressive work.
• Conscientiousness, loyalty, self-discipline, and commitment to organizational goals, policies, and rules.
• Agreeableness, willingness to work with others, consideration, and genuine concern for others' well-being.
• Emotional stability, a calm and relaxed approach to situations, events, and people.

Working Conditions:

• The workweek is 30 hours.
• Flexible work schedules may be required to meet operational requirements.
• Travel within the province and country is necessary.
• Work in various settings or in partnership with other health agencies is expected.
• This position will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer.

How To Apply:

• Please submit your resume and cover letter in one PDF file to careers@cmhanb-acsmnb.ca.
• CMHA of NB is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the New Brunswickers we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively support workplace equity for all persons, and are committed to including and reflecting the population we serve. CMHA of NB encourages applicants to identify as belonging to one of the designated groups of the Employment Equity Act. Preference shall be given to those who demonstrate they are among the most qualified as stated above. Employment Equity Act

We thank all those who apply; however , only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.