Communications Manager, Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications Department is responsible for advancing the UWinnipeg brand. This includes all institutional marketing and communications, the university’s website, social media, and creative services to support departments throughout campus.

The **Communications Manager is a full-time continuing position. **Within the larger Marketing and Communications Department, this position leads a small team of Communications Officers to develop and execute communications strategies to advance the goals of the University. This position also serves as the back-up to the Executive Director in their absence, which may include attending senior leadership meetings, working with highly confidential information, and preparing communications for critical incidents affecting the campus.

**Responsibilities**:

- Manage a team of communication professionals - including hiring, training, and performance management.
- Oversee communications work to ensure timely delivery of high-quality products.
- Mentor staff, providing guidance and support in their professional development.
- Act as the back-up to the Executive Director for leading the execution of the Emergency Communications Plan in the case of an institutional emergency.
- Together with the Executive Director, provide communications support when issues with potential to damage the University’s reputation arise, preparing and distributing clear and effective messages in high-pressure situations.
- Develop and implement communication plans to promote the university's news stories, events, and initiatives.
- Collaborate with senior leaders to develop communication strategies that support the University’s priorities.
- Lead an advancement communications strategy to improve engagement with the University’s alumni community.
- Research emerging issues and opportunities and prepare briefing notes for the President and other senior leaders.
- Create comprehensive communications plans to support major university events.
- Coordinate the work of staff contributing to communications projects, ensuring all tactics within each communications plan are completed on time and at a high level of quality.
- Monitor communication metrics and adjust strategies to achieve maximum reach and engagement.
- Review and revise stories before publication to the University’s news site.
- Write key pieces in support of major events and initiatives, such as honorary doctorate citations, toasts, introductions, news releases, and speaking notes.
- Ensure either internal or freelance photographers are present at key institutional events where photos should be taken, contacting freelance photographers and coordinating their work.

**Qualifications**:

- Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum of seven years of experience in communications, with experience in media relations and crisis communications preferred.
- Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, with experience in speech writing and editorial content creation preferred.
- Experience in managing a team of communications professionals, with the ability to provide clear direction and feedback.
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, faculty members, and community partners.
- Familiarity with current social media platforms and strategies, including best practices for engaging audiences and measuring impact.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with changing priorities and tight deadlines.
- Passion for higher education and the role it plays in society.

**An equivalent combination of education, experience, skills, knowledge and abilities may be considered.**

**Condition(s) of Employment**:

- Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

**The salary range for this position will be from $63,008.40 to $87,269.00 annually.