Manager of Communications

MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING (1 vacancy)
Reporting to: Deputy CAO/City Clerk
Department: CAO
Classification: PERMANENT Full Time; Non-Union
Salary Range: $117, $139,366.89
Hours of Work: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
Starting Date: February 2026
Application Deadline: No later than 4:00 p.m. January 1, 2026

Why City of Woodstock?
Known as the Friendly-City, Woodstock is located in the heart of Oxford County and blends big city conveniences with a small-town feel. With a growing population of over 50,000 welcoming citizens, Woodstock residents place high value on our small-town atmosphere, while enjoying urban amenities. The city is a great place to call home with amazing parks and trails, fantastic amenities as well as wonderful arts and cultural facilities. At the crossroads of highways 401 and 403, Woodstock has a thriving manufacturing sector and opportunities in agriculture, education and healthcare and convenient access to communities across Southwestern Ontario. Visitors can enjoy the city's many festivals and delight in the many local shops and restaurants in Downtown Woodstock.
When you work for the City, you get to be part of an incredible team of dedicated people with a range of skills and experiences to share. Our team works together to help build a strong, connected community where people have access to the services they need, while enjoying a relaxed lifestyle. Other great benefits to working at the City of Woodstock:

• Join a growing and dynamic organization offering rewarding careers,
• Competitive Wages,
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan (OMERS) where employee contributions are matched by the City,
• Training opportunities to support you in this role,
• And a great working environment for individuals committed to making a difference, just to name a few.

Position Summary
Reporting to the Deputy CAO, the Manager of Communications and Marketing is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive corporate communications and marketing strategy that supports the City's brand, vision, and service excellence.
This role provides strategic counsel to senior leaders and Council on all matters related to media relations, issues management, public engagement, and internal communications. The Manager oversees the City's digital presence, brand standards, and marketing initiatives to ensure consistent, high-quality, and accessible communications across all channels.
The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor, skilled storyteller, and creative leader who can balance strategic vision with hands-on execution.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Develop and implement corporate-wide communications and marketing strategies that align with City goals and priorities.
2. Provide strategic communications advice and support to City leadership, Council, and departments.
3. Lead media relations efforts: prepare key messages, manage inquiries, monitor coverage, and build strong relationships with local and regional media.
4. Oversee the City's brand management, ensuring consistent application across print, digital, video, and public-facing materials.
5. Manage the City's website, social media channels, and digital communications, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards (AODA).
6. Develop and coordinate communication tools such as What's On Woodstock magazine, media releases, the City Services Calendar, and the Recreation & Leisure Guide.
7. Act as the City's Emergency Information Officer, coordinating communications in accordance with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
8. Provide leadership and guidance to the communications and marketing team.
9. Manage the communications and marketing budget, including identifying advertising revenue opportunities.
10. Prepare speeches, talking points, and media materials for Council and senior staff.

Qualifications:

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or Media Production, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of five (5) years of leadership experience in communications, marketing, or public relations, preferably in a municipal or public-sector environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft compelling and accessible content for diverse audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with demonstrated experience advising senior leaders and managing staff.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, content management systems, and graphic design tools (Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent).
• Experience managing social media platforms and digital marketing campaigns.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and high-profile communications with tact, professionalism, and political acumen.

Working Conditions:

• Regular office conditions
• May require working outside of regular business hours to attend Council meetings, monitor social media on evenings and weekends, and address issues when required

The City of Woodstock is committed to diversity and inclusivity in employment and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds. We embrace equity, diversity, justice, inclusion and belonging and we're committed to building a team that represents many backgrounds, perspectives and skills, representative of the communities we serve. The more inclusive we are, the better our work and workplace will be. We are committed to creating a workplace where people experience meaningful work, a sense of hope and optimism, an environment of trust, and inspired results. If this sounds like an environment in which you would like to work, apply here today We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals, especially those who can provide different perspectives and contribute to a further diversification of ideas.

Please note: Immediate family member, as per City of Woodstock Nepotism Policy, HR-015, shall not be employed in the City of Woodstock in any capacity under the following circumstances, but not limited to wherein the family member is in a supervisory or management capacity or responsible for the work of the individual or the department. A conflict of interest must be declared to the Director of Human Resources as outlined in the City of Woodstock Nepotism Policy, HR-015 as soon as it has been identified.

In accordance with the  Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City of Woodstock will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities. If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please inform the City's Human Resources staff of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require in respect of any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation by contacting [email protected]. In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Personal Privacy Act, personal information collected will only be used for candidate selection. Human Resources will work together with the hiring committee to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

Satisfactory passing of a criminal record check and reference checks as well as proof of qualifications will be required of any successful candidate(s) for this position.

We invite all qualified applicants to submit their resume and cover letter via online at .

We thank all candidates who apply but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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