Community Relations Director

The incumbent is responsible for developing and deploying strategies and action plans for stakeholder engagement and relations, both for the Port of Montreal and Contrecoeur. More specifically, this person manages relations with local communities, local elected officials, certain sector associations, relations with First Nations and the management of the City-Port relationship and interface. In close collaboration with the Communications Department, he or she develops and deploys strategies for public consultations and the promotion of the organization’s engagement and contributes to the implementation and promotion of the community engagement policy. In close collaboration with the Chief of Staff and Director of External Relations, this person plays a strategic advisory role to management and supports the implementation of key projects for the organization in addition to actively contributing to the development of content and the deployment of action plans.

The key responsibilities of this position are as follows:

- Recommend to senior management strategies for engagement and relations with the various stakeholders for which he is responsible, for the current activities of the Montreal Port Authority and for projects. At the management level, uses all means at his disposal to ensure the implementation of these strategies, in collaboration with the Communications Department and other relevant departments.
- Support, develop and implement community and stakeholder relations strategies as part of the completion of major projects
- Manage the development and implementation of community and First Nations relations strategies and action plans and support the organization's city-port interface strategy
- Structure and manage relations with local elected officials, in particular the city-port relationship, in the communities where the port deploys its projects and activities (Montreal and the Contrecoeur region) and ensure that relevant information is kept up to date in a tracking system.
- Structure, develop and maintain healthy and constructive relationships with local communities in order to understand and address issues and opportunities, adequately represent the APM and promote the social acceptability of projects and operations.
- Support communication campaigns and media requests in the context of files affecting stakeholders and projects under his/her responsibility
- Contribute to the preparation of content (briefing notes, speeches, briefs, presentations, etc.) for the President and CEO or other executives, in order to ensure alignment with the MPA’s political community relations strategy.
- Provide the required support in terms of community relations with communications business partners and the departments that his/her team is responsible for supporting.
- Management of the department (4 people under the responsibility of the position):

- Establish objectives that affect community relations based on the objectives of the vice-presidency;
- Plan, prioritize and coordinate activities based on the established objectives;
- Involve employees as partners in achieving objectives;
- Develop a positive and collaborative work environment;
- Monitor and follow up on these activities based on the established budget;
- Contribute to performance evaluation (individual and team)

**Skills sought for this position**:

- Act on principle
- Think conceptually
- Update strategy
- Bring your whole self to work
- Exert charismatic influence
- Identify and develop talent
- Be customer-focused
- Navigate turbulence
- Lead with conviction
- Foster lasting professional relationships

**Qualifications**
- University degree in a relevant discipline (communications, political science, etc.)
- 10 to 15 years of experience in a similar position (including team management).
- Recognized expertise in social acceptability and in the management of issues, public consultations and environmental processes.
- Recognized skills in content production as well as in the implementation of strategies and action plans.
- Well above average interpersonal skills: positive leadership, tact, diplomacy and the ability to persuade required to deal with internal management as well as with community representatives and stakeholders under the responsibility of management.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, in French and English, and the ability to represent the Administration in meetings and events organized outside the organization.
- Proven ability to provide leadership and provide clear direction regarding the development, implementation and evolution of strategies, processes and systems.
- Have a strong work ethic, great professional integrity and a willingness to take initiatives.
- Have sound judgment regarding issues and people.
- Developed organizational skills and the ability to work effectively with management at all levels.
- Analytical mind and results-oriented strategic thinking.
- Proficiency in the Office suite