Communications Specialist

kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First
Nation are a distinct BC First Nation whose traditional territory centres on the
Coquitlam Lake Watershed and the surrounding areas. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm draw our name "Red Fish Up the River†from a run of sockeye
salmon that once flourished in the Coquitlam River and Coquitlam Lake prior to
the construction of the Coquitlam Dam. Our name reflects the strong connection
our people have always had to our lands, and the river and lake at the heart of
our traditional territory. The traditional language of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people is hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓,
previously Downriver Halkomelem. Our people descended from
Elders who were renowned as spirit and winter dancers, skilled canoe builders and
master sturgeon and salmon fishers. The Nation is committed to building a
strong, self-governing Nation which honours our rich culture, language and
history and is based on ancient Coast Salish laws and protocols. Today, as in
the past, we are guided by our teachings of our ancestors to be stewards and
guardians of our lands and water for past, present and future generations.

 About the Opportunity

 kÊ·ikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation has
an exciting opportunity for a full-time Communications Manager to join our
close-knit team located at our government administration office in Coquitlam, BC. The Communications Manager reports directly to the
Nation's Chief Administrative Officer and is a member of the Nation's
Management Team. The Communications Manager supports Chief and Council and all government
departments to share information and provide greater transparency on the
Nation's activities and governance; promotes membership engagement in community
programs, services and events and decision-making activities and increase public,
government and stakeholder awareness of the Nation, our role as stewards and guardians
and our rights and title to our land.

 The
Communications Manager is responsible for membership communications, external
communications, media relations and issues management, brand management, event
marketing and also plays a key role in supporting government, stakeholder and
community engagement activities.

 Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

·
Prepares,
implements and evaluates Communications Plans to support the Nation's
Comprehensive Community Plan and Strategic Plan as well as specific
departmental initiatives.

·
Provides
advice and guidance to managers and staff on communications strategies and
tactics to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Participates as a
member of the Nation's Management Team.

·
Conducts
surveys to determine membership communications and engagement preferences and
evaluates the effectiveness of the Nation's communications and engagement strategies
and tools.

·
Advises
Chief and Council on public and media relations strategies, including prepare key
messages and suggested quotes for press releases, organizes media relations and
public speaking training, writes news releases, facilitates media interviews
and prepares presentations for public events.

·
Manages
the production of a bi-weekly email newsletter for members and staff as well as
other newsletters prepared by other departments.

·
Hires and
manages external suppliers to produce videos for the Nation and consults with
videographer(s), government staff and Chief and Council on the production of
videos.

·
Manages social
media platforms (Members-Only Facebook Page and Government Facebook Page,
Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube) and ensures these channels are being
optimized to support communications goals. Creates social media posts, shares
content created by other key stakeholders, monitors membership feedback and
public engagement and evaluates social media usage.

·
Liaises
with other levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal) and other
stakeholders to ensure the Nation is properly consulted and represented in
joint communications materials such as  press
releases, newsletters and videos that pertain to the Nation.

·
Reviews
and makes changes to Communications policies to ensure they reflect membership
needs and communications best practices.

·
Manages
the Nation's website which includes creating and uploading
content, reviewing website navigation and preparing Google Analytic reports on
website usage to ensure our website is being used an effective communications
tool for the Nation and our members.

·
Designs a
wide range of communications materials such as flyers, brochures and social
media posts using Canva. Provides training to staff in how to apply our brand
standards to create simple communications materials using Canva.

·
Supports community engagement strategies such
as develops and administers surveys on the Nation's Survey Monkey account and
facilitates official membership voting using OneFeather.

·
Manages
the Nation's brand guidelines ensuring that all communications materials
reflect our brand standards including the proper use of the Nation's brand
assets (e.g., logos, wordmark, photographs).

·
Helps to
plan events, develops communications materials to market events and promotes
events to encourage membership participation.

·
Manages
the writing, design and production of the Nation's annual report.

About the Ideal Candidate

 ·
You have
a bachelor's degree in Communications or Public Relations.

·
Minimum 5
years of related experience in communications with proven, effective people
leadership/mentorship skills.

·
Work
experience in government communications, for a First Nations or Indigenous
organization or a non-profit or NGO organization focused on sustainability is
advantageous.

·
Knowledge
of Canada's Indigenous people and experience working with, or on behalf of First
Nations, is considered an asset.

·
Excellent
writing and editing skills with an ability to distill complex messages into
simple, plain language that is easy to understand.

·
You are
self-managed, goal oriented and finish what you start.

·
Strong
organizational skills with an able to multi-task, priority set and meet
deadlines.

·
Demonstrated
high emotional intelligence, strong analytical skills and integrity with a
commitment to team-driven success and leading by example.

·
Skills in
photography and/or graphic design would be considered strong assets.

·
Strong
digital skills with a knowledge of email marketing programs (e.g., MailChimp),
social media platforms, online surveys and experience with website content
management platforms.

·
Strong proficiency
and computer experience working with Microsoft Office products including Word
and PowerPoint.

·
Ability
to work flexible hours occasionally

·
Valid BC Driver's
License with a reliable vehicle and appropriate insurance.

About the Rewards

 In exchange for your hard work and dedication, you will be rewarded
with a competitive salary based on your experience. After successfully
completing the first three months of employment, you will be eligible for a
comprehensive employee benefits package that includes:

·
Extended
Health, Dental, Vision benefits, Short-Term, Long-Term and Life Insurance

·
Family
and Employee Assistance Program

·
Registered
Pension plan with an employer match

 This is a great opportunity to contribute at an exciting time of growth
and changes within the Kwikwetlem Nation and to be a part of a team that
creates a place that supports growth and promotes the values of the Kwikwetlem
people. 

 We thank all applicants for their interest, however only short-listed
candidates will be contacted.

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities