Communications Advisor

**Communications Advisor**

**The Gairdner Foundation**:
The Gairdner Foundation celebrates and recognizes scientific excellence through the annual Canada Gairdner Awards. Since 1959, more than 411 scientists have received a Canada Gairdner Award and to date, 96 have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. The Foundation leverages the prestige of the prizes and laureates to promote the importance of scientific research to the public and next generation of scientists, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs. The Foundation aims to address key issues of the day, such as pandemic responses, vaccine hesitancy and impact of environmental change with input from our outstanding network of international experts. Further, Gairdner aims to inspire the next generation of innovators through outreach programs targeted at students from high school to postgraduate.

**Duties and responsibilities**:
The Communications Advisor will work directly with the Gairdner Foundation team to identify, conceptualize and execute campaigns to boost engagement, educate and inform different audiences about the Gairdner Foundation, the Canada Gairdner Awards and associated scientific programs, upcoming events and latest news. The Communications Advisor will lead promotional and marketing efforts to elevate the Gairdner brand globally. They will develop high-quality communications and media content for a variety of external initiatives, including all official social media channels. Further, the position will work with colleagues to ensure Gairdner outreach programs & partnered events include coherent branding related to Gairdner and conduct follow-up to ensure metrics are captured for annual reports. Join a dynamic team where you will have the opportunity to lead several projects and interact with the world’s most brilliant scientific minds. Each day in this role will be different and Gairdner needs a motivated, detail-oriented individual with strong communication skills and passion for communicating technical topics in an engaging manner.

This is a 12-15 contract position. The Gairdner team works in a hybrid model. You will work from home but be required to come into the downtown Toronto office every Tuesday and be onsite for events as needed throughout the year.

**Social Media**:

- Manage the Gairdner Foundation’s official Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels.
- Create a social media strategy that leverages the Gairdner brand to a global audience. Design and execute social media campaigns that will include, but are not limited to, the promotion of the Canada Gairdner Awards, outreach programs and events, and brand awareness.
- Daily media and social media monitoring to stay up-to-date on current news from past laureates and the Foundation. Amplify relevant content to Gairdner’s channels to invite conversation and education.
- Track and report on social media metrics to identify high-performing content and campaigns for scalability.
- Identify influencers and partnership opportunities for digital campaigns including development of pitch, contracts and supplying content.
- Assist Senior Program Manager in planning and executing nomination outreach campaigns via social media and direct communications.

**Communications & Outreach**:

- Source, liaise and execute new partnerships and ideas that elevate the Gairdner brand to wider and new audiences.
- Develop strategic communications plans for both general brand growth and specific to events and programming. This includes creating content calendars, advertising schedules, paid advertising plans, and more.
- Update the Gairdner Foundation website with information regarding news and events and liaise with web developers on updates as required
- Graphic design, video development and editing about Gairdner laureates and their research programs.
- Lead development, planning and execution of certain events and outreach programming from start to finish.

**Strategy and Funding**:

- Liaise with Executive Vice President to coordinate structure and fulfillment of sponsorship recognition benefits including donor reports, etc.
- Prepare reports and other assignments for senior leadership as required (particularly government reporting on annual outreach activities)
- Assist in implementing a renewed fundraising strategy with donors, partners and Government to support and expand the activities of the Foundation in promoting science excellence, outreach, education and impact
- Provide data and analytics to help fulfill sponsorship recognition and benefits

**Skills and Qualifications**:

- Degree in communications, social media or journalism
- Strong oral and written communication skills and attention to detail
- 5+ years experience in marketing, communications and social media. Grant writing is an asset
- Ability to communicate scientific messages in a professional and engaging manner designed to remove technical jargon
- Experience with major social media platforms including Facebook,