Communications Officer

Reporting to the Manager, Corporate Communications, and working in a collaborative team environment in the Customer Service & Communications Department, the Communications Officer will provide communications expertise and develop creative solutions to complex communications matters for their departmental portfolio - including media relations support and issues management.

The Communications Officer will develop timely, comprehensive, strategic communications plans and materials; will identify opportunities to share positive stories about City staff, programs, and services, leveraging owned media; and will develop compelling and engaging written and visual content across various platforms to achieve communications goals and objectives.

The Communications Officer will be required to be available to provide communications support on evenings and weekends.

**As the **_Communications Officer,_** **you will**:

- Work collaboratively as a part of the Corporate Communications team, within the Customer Service & Communications Department
- Develop and execute timely, comprehensive, and strategic communications plans and materials related to your departmental portfolio
- Develop communications materials to support initiatives, programs, and services related to your departmental portfolio
- Provide communications expertise to internal stakeholders, and meet with departmental staff as required to assist in issue analysis, media responses, and the development of effective and innovative communications materials
- Identify opportunities, and create written and visual content to share positive stories about City staff, programs, and services across multiple communications platforms, leveraging owned media, including social media, electronic newsletters, intranet, website, and blog, among others
- Coordinate logistics of communications-related media events related to your departmental portfolio
- Liaise with members of the media as a representative of the City, and provide responses to media inquiries

**Your education and qualifications include**:

- Diploma in Communications / Journalism, Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations or Journalism, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Experience developing and executing strategic communications plans/programs at the corporate level
- Experience in video production would be considered an asset
- Expertise in internal communications, media relations, and social media
- Excellent written communication skills including experience writing and editing clearly and concisely in plain language
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective, positive relationships with various stakeholders, including with colleagues, senior management, members of the media, elected officials, and the members of the public
- Strong organizational and project management skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize and coordinate work to a deadline in a high-volume workplace with multiple, competing deadlines
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, to initiate, plan, and complete communications projects with mínimal direction
- Ability to build consensus, generate common understanding, and create shared vision in an environment of diverse stakeholders and interests
- Ability to exercise discretion, diplomacy, and confidentiality

**Conditions of employment**:

- The successful applicant must maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. If the successful applicant possesses a work permit, it is their responsibility to ensure the permit remains valid.