Director, Communications and Public Relations

Position Information

**Position Title**
- Director, Communications and Public Relations

**Department/Unit**
- Ocean Frontier Institute

**Research Project**
- Ocean Frontier Institute

**Location**
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

**Posting Number**
- GP37-25

**Employee Group**
- Grant-Paid

**Position Type**
- Term

**Duration of Contract (if applicable)**
- 1 year, with possibility of renewal

**Employment Type**
- Full Time

**Full-time Equivalency (FTE)**
- 1.0

**Salary**
- $68,105 - $91,237 per annum

**About the Organization**
- The Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) oversees, on behalf of Dalhousie University, six large-scale programs with total funded value of over $500M: i) Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Transforming Climate Action (TCA); ii) Canada First Research Excellence Fund, Safe and Sustainable Development of the Ocean Frontier (SSDOF); iii) Centre of Excellence in Observational Oceanography; iv) North Atlantic Carbon Observatory; v) Ocean School (in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada); and vi) Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, in addition to other smaller-scale research program grants.

**Job Summary**
- Reporting to the Chief Innovation Officer, the Director of Communications and Public Relations works closely with the Chief Executive Officer & Scientific Director in leading public relations and communications strategy development and implementation in order to tell OFI’s story to various key audiences through multiple means and media with a goal to expand partnerships and support toward OFI’s strategy and sustainability.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Develop and implement strategies and tactics to promote and enhance OFI’s reputation and to advance key priorities and messages, and ensure that outreach and communications materials align, support, and enhance relationships and/or advocacy initiatives.
- Gather and disseminate accurate, consistent, and timely information across internal and external communication channels, including working closely with researchers at partner institutions to tell their research stories to multi-faceted audiences.
- Develop and lead OFI’s digital and social media strategy, broadcast media strategy, brand management, and relationship management.
- Plan and oversee creative design, story telling, and messaging to support OFI’s communications, public relations, and government relations goals.
- Liaise with central Communications and Marketing departments and researchers at Dalhousie University and partner universities, as well as with partner institutions in the United States and Europe.
- Provide leadership and direction to a small team of communications professionals and take a hands on approach in implementing strategy and tactics.

**Note**
- The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

**Required Qualifications**
- Undergraduate Degree in public relations, communications, marketing, design, journalism or a related field, along with a minimum of 5 years of progressive public relations/communications experience, including developing and executing strategy, preferably in a complex organization; or comparable education, training, and experience.
- Self-motivated with a positive and professional approach to management, public relations, and communications, with a proven ability to build and maintain partnerships internally and externally.
- Proven success in creating and implementing public relations and communications strategies.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to build professional relationships with media, stakeholders, partners, researchers, and other audiences.
- Superior oral communication and presentation skills, strong writing skills, and attention to detail with a high level of accuracy.
- Ability to clearly relay information in a compelling way and to translate complicated concepts into clear messages.
- Self-motivated, proactive, and capable of working independently to meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated experience in leading, directing, and developing a small team.
- Strong knowledge and understanding of current trends in public relations/communications.

**Assets**
- Bilingual in English and French, both verbal and written.
- An understanding of ocean and/or climate science.
- Education/training in written communications.
- Experience working in government strategy and relations programs.

**Additional Information**
- Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a voluntary _RRSP_, health and dental plans and an employee and family assistance program._

**Application Consideration**

**Diversity Statement**

Posting Detail Information

**Number of Vacancies**
- 1

**Open Date**
- 06/09/2025

**Close Date**
- 06/23/2025

**Open Until Filled**
- No

**Special Instructions to Applicant**

**Quick