General Manager, Strategic Communications and

Why Guelph:
**What we offer**

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

- Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
- Paid personal days;
- Hybrid and flexible work arrangements;
- Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
- Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
- Employee and Family Assistance Program;
- Parental leave top up program;
- Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
- Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview:
**Key duties and responsibilities**

**Leadership**:

- Be responsible for the strategic communications function including but not limited to issues management, internal and external communications, media relations, social media and advertising.
- Be a champion for modernization and ensure Guelph’s strategic communications, community engagement efforts, and customer service programs respond to changes in the external environment and keep pace with new and emerging methods and practices.
- Act as a key senior advisor to the CAO and the Executive Team, taking a lead in reputation management and trust development, and acting as the chief spokesperson for the City.
- Be a strategic business partner, working collaboratively with department leaders to advance service delivery as One City, One Voice, Shared Purpose.
- Participate in strategic planning for the department as a member of the Corporate Services Service Area leadership team.
- Provide visible, positive and engaged leadership to staff.
- Lead and foster an engaged, high performing team; promote continuous learning, accountability, professional development, and innovation.
- Contribute to and show leadership in corporate initiatives, corporate planning and other corporate activities as a member of the Leadership Team.
- Ability to navigate politically and organizationally sensitive topics and issues with specific experience in developing strong and trusting relationships on behalf of the organization and in a multi-stakeholder environment.
- Strong experience in issues management.
- In concert with the City’s Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) and under the direction of the City’s Emergency Operations Control Group, support public communications outputs in relations to emergency management and emergency situations.

**Department Management**:

- Lead communications, marketing, engagement and customer service strategy, policy and governance for the organization consistent with the City of Guelph Strategic Plan and Guelph’s Community Plan. Further lead with a digital mindset as it relates to the City’s social media program and related policies and practices.
- Ensure the City’s communications needs are effectively met by deploying and assigning appropriate levels of strategic communication resources.
- In partnership with others across the organization, support the City’s efforts to standardize, enhance, modernize customer service efforts, including through the City’s digital platforms.
- Lead the work of the Strategic Communications and Community Engagement department and manage the department’s human, physical and financial resources.

**Performance Monitoring and Measurement**:

- Monitor the department’s annual performance against established departmental objectives, key performance indicators and industry best practices.
- Oversee the refinement of departmental goals and key performance indicators, and support ongoing program evaluation for communications and engagement plans.

**Financial Management and Corporate/Community Awareness**:

- Be responsible for the preparation, presentation and management of the department’s multi-year budget.
- Awareness and understanding of risk / risk management best practices with the ability to identify and navigate risks through careful communication while maintaining integrity and transparency.

**Qualifications and requirements**
- Experience providing leadership, guidance and direction to a team of communications and engagement practitioners in the public sector or similar environment.
- Experience in the administration of budgeting, financial control and human resource management.
- Skills in effective community engagement, issues management, change management, strategic planning, group facilitation, project management and continuous improvement.
- Experience in the delivery of front facing customer services in a complex public sector organization, including the ability to develop, formulate and deliver on customer service strategies that support modernization and continuous improvement in the delivery of customer service.
- Excellent communication, presentation and relationship management skills with a proven record of establishing effective relationships with elected officials, staff at all levels, the community, and strategic business partners.