Communications Manager

Overview:
**Term: 1 year**

The Communications Manager plays a critical leadership role in the development of communications and building the brand for the Waterloo Eye Institute and the School of Optometry and Vision Science. The Communications Manager take leadership in communications, marketing, branding, and key projects, internally and externally, as well as ensuring the smooth internal communication of information critical to the day-to-day operations of the Institute and the School. The Communications Manager is responsible for the image and reputation in the media and general public, at the local, provincial, national and international levels among a wide range of stakeholders, partners and donors.

**Responsibilities**:
Marketing and Branding
- Responsible for positioning the School as a leader in research and academic excellence through the creation of on-brand marketing materials in support of the School’s strategic plan
- Act as a primary content provider for the School’s print, web and social media channels, identifying and writing engaging and informative stories from academic research, student activities and teaching initiatives ensuring alignment with the broader communications strategic plan
- Coordinate photo and video shoots and/or source photos for copy when necessary
- Research, write and edit compelling copy for all print material that support strategic initiatives. Work with designers, photographers and external vendors to create visually appealing products within budget
- Maintain an excellent understanding of brand guidelines and promote a unified look and feel for the School through the creation and maintenance of a cache of promotional materials

Internal Communications
- Lead the development and implementation of an effective internal communications strategic plan to foster increased information sharing among all stake holders (research, clinical and academic)
- Gather information, conduct interviews, and write content for ongoing deliverables
- Build relationships with faculty and staff in order to maintain awareness of all teaching, research and clinical activities within the School to enhance stakeholder participation
- Ensure that all relevant external communications are shared internally with key stakeholders through appropriate channels
- Own and manage the day-to-day communication activities, including acting as an advisor to colleagues on best practices
- The incumbent is expected to work closely with the senior administrative team to craft timely and appropriate messages to employees
- Write content for the Director to use in public speaking engagements
- Leads the development and implementation of appropriate metrics to define, monitor, analyze and refine all communication initiatives as a basis for strategy development

Advancement and Recruitment (External) Communications
- Act as an editorial resource for the advancement and recruitment team by assisting with researching, writing, editing and designing strategic publications and communications including, annual reports, and brochures. Incumbent must be able to write convincingly in a voice appropriate for intended stakeholders
- Act as key author and editor on the Monthly Director’s Report, the Insight Newsletter, and the Impact Report, writing content, interviewing sources and editing proofs
- Develop messaging for school leadership at speaking engagements, in keeping with and relying on a knowledge of advancement goals and priorities, including slide decks, news stories, media relations and promotions to ensure a consistent and coherent delivery of information across all units within the school
- Support colleagues at events with communications needs or marketing collateral such as donor events, alumni events and continuing education events

Media Relations
- Maintain comprehensive knowledge of all teaching and research activities within the school and clinic
- Strategically and systematically, evaluate research findings, events and new developments, identifying those with the greatest potential for being picked up by the media, and ensuring emphasis on research, academic and clinical priorities
- Gather information, conduct research, and interview sources in order write a variety of high-impact materials for the media, including but not limited to press releases and media advisories. The incumbent must understand and operate in a broad spectrum of political, social and cultural milieus, and be able to distill complex academic information into plain language to bring research to life
- Collaborate with University Relations, Marketing and Strategic Communications, to ensure excellent quality/consistency and initiate coverage and outreach
- Draft quotes on behalf of school spokespeople, including the Director and senior administration
- Acting as an advisor providing expert opinion to effectively counsel academic colleagues on the optimal approach to public messaging to ensure media interest and coverage
- Prov