Director, Communications

**Job Description**:
**About the Department of University Communications**:
As part of The Office of University Advancement, Marketing and Communications integrates expertise, efforts and experience to help Mount Royal University meet its institutional goals. Marketing and Communications also collaborates with resources on and off campus to provide the best possible support to foster Mount Royal’s reputation and image as a premier Canadian undergraduate institution.

**About the Role**:
Communications at Mount Royal University is about building trust, engaging communities and inspiring people. We’re searching for a confident, collaborative and strategic Director of Communications to join our leadership team. Reporting to the Associate Vice-President, Marketing and Communications, and as part of the Community Engagement division, you'll guide and empower a talented team of communication professionals who help tell the University's story across diverse platforms.

Our brand promise, Grow Beyond, is a bold declaration of who we are and our ambitions for the future. It’s a commitment to supporting students as they push past expectations, faculty as they shape new leaders, and staff as they create a thriving community.

As Director of Communications, you’ll play a crucial role in amplifying this vision internally and externally, ensuring our messages resonate, inspire and build meaningful connections.

**Responsibilities**:

- **Team Leadership** (30%): Provide strategic oversight and formal leadership to the Communications team, managing all communications platforms including media relations, social media, internal communications, publications, events, and community engagement.
- **Strategic Collaboration** (30%): Work closely with the AVP and Director of Marketing to develop and implement a multi-year, measurable marketing and communications strategy aligned with the University’s Strategic Plan.
- **Institutional Voice** (25%): Act as a key advisor, recommending messaging and positioning to senior leaders on complex campus issues, ensuring alignment with MRU’s strategic priorities and values.
- **Crisis and Issues Management** (15%): Lead crisis communications planning and response, continuously enhancing preparedness, training, and strategic responsiveness across campus.

**What we're looking for**:
**Leadership**
You are an insightful leader with an exceptional ability to lead your team through both proactive communications and immediate responses to dynamic and challenging situations. You guide your team with calm, clarity and a deep understanding of the University’s strategic priorities. You are an empathetic leader and set a positive example in all aspects of your role.

**Organizational Collaboration**
You excel at building strong, trust-based relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. You can navigate complex organizational structures with diplomacy, influencing decisions through effective communication and strategic vision. You understand the power of collaboration and how collective effort drives sustainable institutional success.

**Exceptional Judgment and Problem-Solving**
You possess outstanding judgment and decision-making skills, allowing you to navigate challenges with confidence and composure. Your ability to anticipate issues and proactively manage communications, positions the University positively, even in complex scenarios. You seek diverse perspectives and excel at making decisions and recommendations with all available information.

***Qualifications**:

- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field; a Master’s degree is considered an asset.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive communications experience, demonstrating strategic oversight, crisis management, and team leadership.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and content development skills.
- Proven experience leading communications in complex, multi-stakeholder environments; post-secondary or public sector experience preferred. Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities effectively and calmly under pressure.

**Salary**: $109,020.00 - $129,733.00

**Closing Date**:April 20, 2025

**A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one.pdf document. Please title your.pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 999999, CV.pdf).