Communications Manager

At Victoria Hospice, our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those facing life-limiting illness, death and bereavement through patient and family centered care, education, research and advocacy.

**Description**:
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Manager of Communications provides communications leadership for various aspects of the organization’s strategic priorities in order to protect, maintain and advance its reputation, vision and goals.

The Manager is responsible for developing and leading communications for the organization, including internal communications, media and donor relations and public relations. This role provides cogent communication counsel to senior members of the organization and drives initiatives that effectively share the organization’s mission and stories with internal teams and the public.

**What you’ll do**:
**Communications Strategy**
- Provide leadership and consultation in across various aspects of communications to advance strategic priorities.
- Maintain and strengthens Victoria Hospice’s reputation with both internal and external partners.
- Develop and implement an integrated content strategy.
- Responsible for the development, handling and distribution of sensitive information to senior management in a timely manner.
- Responsible for leading the organization’s social media strategy and execution of the defined strategy.
- Lead brand management for Victoria Hospice, including the development and promotion of brand presence.
- Proactively identify emerging issues and opportunities on a regular basis and recommend appropriate communications approaches.
- Develop and implements proactive communications programs and strategy for a variety of departments.
- Lead Communications initiatives that contribute to a connected work environment for staff, departments and volunteers.

**Leadership**
- Lead ongoing planning for the Communications portfolio to ensure fully integrated, high quality, and cost-effective service is provided that is consistent with evidence-based best practices.
- Participate as a member of the Leadership Team, in discussion of society-wide issues and initiatives and provides feedback on focus areas.
- Evaluate performance of program area against operational and strategic plans, developing strategies and solutions to address deficits.
- Develop and recommend operating budget for services within the Communications portfolio.
- Implement, manages and assumes responsibility for approved portfolio operating budgets taking corrective actions as necessary.
- Provide leadership to Communications team members and the organization by coaching, guiding and modelling Victoria Hospice values.
- Support training and development opportunities for staff, encouraging ongoing professional development.
- Assist team members to define shared and individual goals and support individuals to meet performance expectations.
- Participate in personnel management, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, leave management and employment transitions.
- Develop and maintain a recruitment, retention, and succession planning strategy for the department, in collaboration with HR that ensures the portfolio provides the highest quality of service within budget parameters.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships across the organization.
- Support effective change management and readiness strategies necessary to implement effective changes across organization.
- Ensure Communication practices meet accreditation standards.

**External Communications and Partnerships**
- Work collaboratively with external communication agencies and contractors to ensure consistent and cohesive messaging is delivered across both internal and external channels.
- Ensure credibility with external audiences through ongoing, clear, accurate, and two-way communication.
- Provide leadership and direction to external contractors, and suppliers.
- Seek opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new ones.
- Manage administrative functions related to suppliers including procurement, contracting, invoicing, and supplier delivery.

**Other Duties**
- Participate in the leadership on-call rotation schedule
- As assigned

**What you’ll bring**:

- The completion of post-secondary education equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in writing, journalism, communications, public relations or related discipline
- 5-7 experience in a communications role
- Experience leading and managing a team
- Experience in a social profit, fundraising or health care communications role
- Expertise in implementing effective communications campaigns for a broad range of partners
- Extensive knowledge in developing and executing strategic communications plans
- Demonstrated ability to manage people and work effectively and collaboratively with teams and contractors
- Advanced writing and presentation skills, ghostwriting, speech writing
- Ability to see the big picture an