Communications Specialist

**Who We Are**:
CAA Niagara is a proud Niagara Region employer, that strives on delivering rewarding experiences and enhancing the lives of our community. For over one hundred years, we have been a staple within our community, providing such services as emergency roadside assistance, travel services, insurance coverage, membership and rewards savings; continually growing our suite of relevant services and products.

A true community partner, we could not be here without our over 150,000 members across Niagara, allowing us to focus on earning your continued trust, every day

Position Summary

The Communications Specialist plays a key role in building the narrative of CAA Niagara to resonate with external audiences, focused on shaping and maintaining the company’s strategy and brand. A natural passion and desire to get involved and be the voice of others, the Communications Specialist is well versed in media relations and issues management - as well as highly collaborative and will work closely with other members of the Marketing team, cross-functional business units, the Senior Leadership team and provide direct support for the President & CEO to enable a coordinated approach to external communications.
Primary

**Responsibilities**:

- Develop, implement, and evaluate public relations and external communications plans including the creation and management of messages and themes in alignment with the department’s overall communications strategy and CAA Niagara’s strategic goals and priorities.
- Support the execution of Member Exclusive events.
- Design and launch community advocacy programs.
- Oversee and train employee volunteers to represent CAA Niagara in a positive manner in events throughout the year.
- Manage media relations, including responding to reporters, developing media releases, planning media conferences, and monitoring local and regional media as well as identifying key influencers.
- Identify and monitor issues, emerging trends, and themes within towing, membership, insurance, travel, and rewards industries and the community CAA Niagara serves, develop communications plans to address issues or threats, and optimize opportunities for enhanced positive media coverage/exposure.
- Lead the writing, researching, and interviewing required to produce a range of high-quality communications and engaging products (e.g. key messages, annual reports, media releases, briefing notes, articles, blog posts, video scripts, etc.) to address and respond to the needs of diverse audiences and to promote organizational programs and services in a proactive and positive manner.
- Review and manage CAA Niagara magazine content, developing the work plan, creating content, and working with the publishing group and Marketing team to approve the final layout and design
- Manage and respond to Member inquiries and questions on social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Google My Business
- Collaborate with CAA National’s Public Affairs Task Force Group to create national public relations strategies, including impaired driving and distracted driving campaigns.
- Liaise with local government officials, CAA Niagara and other CAA Clubs to ensure road safety messages are being heard across the Region.
- Implement various public relations plans to support CAA Niagara’s overall corporate brand identity.
- Assist with CAA Niagara’s corporate sponsorship and donation strategy, engaging the Community Boost Program and organizing all related events and communications.

This is not an exhaustive list and other duties may be assigned as permanent or temporary, where needs are required.

**Qualifications**:

- Excellent writing skills, with experience creating and editing content for media releases, internal communications, magazine articles, blog posts and social media.
- Experience with planning and executing customer-focused events.
- Resourceful and creative.
- Excellent interpersonal skills - Comfortable speaking to different levels of management, large groups, as well as media, including presentations and on-air interviews, if required.
- Detail-oriented, with a high level of accuracy and strong time & stress management skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with the Marketing team and other departments to achieve shared goals
- Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a focus on quality.

Education & Experience
- University Degree or College Diploma in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications or related field
- 5 years’ experience in communications, public relations or similar role.

Working Conditions
- Working in an office environment with frequent interruptions
- Day travel required around Niagara to interact with government agencies and partners with potential travel nationally to attend Public Affairs Task Force Meetings
- Interaction with others under varying circumstances, including situations of a highly sensitive nature.
- Flexib