Brand Communications Director

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Brand Communications Director is the architect of Brodie's corporate voice & strategic narrative across earned, owned & paid channels. Reporting to Shane Stirling, Executive Creative Director, you'll serve as the primary liaison between Brodie & external media, managing all aspects of corporate communications, public relations & branded content distribution. You'll translate our creative conviction into authoritative communication—building newsletter strategy, daily email engagement, PR infrastructure, media relations & LinkedIn presence that positions Brodie as the primary source in adult basketball culture. This is our Clair Rankin role: someone who can operate with equal fluency in boardrooms & culture, turning what happens on the court into stories that drive business outcomes.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Communications Planning

• Develop & execute integrated communications strategy aligned with business objectives & brand positioning
• Lead strategic planning for all major announcements: product launches, partnerships, expansions, executive appointments & corporate milestones
• Create annual communications calendar synchronized with marketing, partnerships & business development initiatives
• Manage communications budget, agency relationships & vendor partnerships
• Provide strategic counsel to Connor Renton, CEO & Founder, Sohaib, COO and Shane Stirling, Executive Creative Director on messaging, positioning & narrative timing
• Monitor industry trends, competitive landscape & cultural moments to identify proactive story opportunities
• Develop crisis communications protocols & serve as primary point of contact during sensitive situations

Media Relations & Earned Coverage

• Build & maintain relationships with national & regional media across sports, business, culture & lifestyle beats
• Develop targeted media lists & proactively pitch stories to tier-1 & trade publications (Fast Company, Sports Business Journal, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Complex, Hypebeast, Forbes, etc.)
• Serve as primary media contact & spokesperson liaison—manage all incoming media inquiries & interview requests
• Secure high-impact earned media placements that drive brand awareness, partnership opportunities & investor interest
• Plan & execute media events, press conferences & journalist briefings
• Track, measure & report on earned media performance, coverage sentiment & share of voice
• Create media monitoring systems & provide regular competitive intelligence reports

Corporate Communications & Executive Positioning

• Position Connor Renton, CEO & Founder and leadership team as thought leaders through byline articles, speaking engagements & media features
• Develop executive communications strategy: speeches, op-eds, award submissions & conference participation
• Create talking points, Q&A documents & briefing materials for executive media engagements
• Manage corporate announcements, press releases & official statements
• Oversee internal communications related to external-facing announcements
• Draft & distribute quarterly business updates, partnership announcements & milestone communications
• Maintain corporate fact sheets, executive bios & boilerplate language

Owned Media & Content Development

• Launch & manage Brodie newsletter as premier basketball culture publication—establish editorial strategy, content pillars & publishing cadence
• Develop daily email communication strategy that drives engagement, retention & conversion across athlete, partner & community audiences
• Create long-form content (case studies, white papers, industry reports) that establishes Brodie as category authority
• Oversee corporate blog, LinkedIn & owned channels—ensure consistent voice, narrative & strategic alignment
• Commission & edit content from internal contributors & external partners
• Build content calendar that balances business objectives with cultural relevance
• Measure content performance through engagement metrics, subscriber growth & conversion tracking

Brand Messaging & Voice Management

• Develop & maintain messaging architecture for all audiences: athletes, corporate partners, investors, media, community
• Create brand guidelines for corporate communications, ensuring consistency across touchpoints
• Translate Brodie's street-level creative conviction into corporate language that maintains authenticity
• Bridge gap between cultural relevance & corporate credibility in all external communications
• Develop messaging frameworks for product launches, partnerships & brand initiatives
• Ensure all communications reinforce Brodie's positioning as category leader in adult basketball culture

Partnership & Investor Communications

• Create partnership communications materials: case studies, collaboration announcements, co-branded content
• Support business development efforts with compelling brand narratives & proof points
• Develop investor communications that translate cultural momentum into business metrics
• Manage announcement strategy for major partnerships (Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Def Jam)
• Create materials for fundraising efforts, investor updates & board communications
• Collaborate with partnerships team to maximize earned coverage around brand collaborations

Social Media & Digital Communications

• Transform Brodie's LinkedIn into destination for basketball industry insights & business intelligence
• Develop executive social media strategy for Connor Renton, CEO & Founder and leadership team on LinkedIn
• Create B2B content strategy that generates qualified partnership leads & investor interest
• Manage corporate social presence across appropriate platforms
• Monitor social sentiment & provide reputation management guidance
• Collaborate with marketing team to ensure alignment between paid, owned & earned channels

Measurement & Reporting

• Establish KPIs for all communications activities: earned media value, share of voice, sentiment analysis, content engagement
• Provide monthly reports on PR performance, media coverage & communications impact
• Track communications influence on business outcomes: partnership pipeline, investor interest, brand awareness
• Conduct quarterly competitive analysis of category communications landscape
• Present strategic recommendations to leadership based on performance data

Other

5 days in office at our Toronto HQ - Brodie has thrived due to a culture of collaboration and teamwork in office. Flexibility for event coverage at games and activations.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing or related field
• 7-10 years progressive experience in corporate communications, public relations or brand journalism
• Proven track record securing earned media coverage in tier-1 national publications & trade media
• Demonstrated success building 0-1 communications functions at high-growth companies or building brands
• Exceptional writing & editing skills across all formats: press releases, executive communications, long-form content, newsletter copy, social content
• Deep understanding of media landscape across sports, business, culture & lifestyle categories
• Existing network of media relationships with journalists, editors & producers
• Experience managing crisis communications & sensitive corporate matters
• Proficiency with PR tools (Cision, Meltwater, or similar), newsletter platforms (Substack, beehiiv, Mailchimp), CMS systems & analytics platforms
• Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Strategic thinker with ability to translate business objectives into compelling narratives
• Experience working cross-functionally with creative, marketing, partnerships & executive teams

Nice to Have: 

• Experience at Nike, Adidas, Red Bull, Lululemon or similar brands that operate at intersection of culture & commerce
• Agency background (sports marketing PR, corporate communications, brand strategy)
• Track record launching successful owned media properties (newsletters, podcasts, content platforms)
• Experience in sports industry, basketball culture or recreational sports ecosystem
• Executive communications or CEO/C-suite positioning experience
•  Understanding of Canadian media landscape, Toronto cultural ecosystem & regional/national outlets
• Experience managing brand partnerships with Fortune 500 companies
• Familiarity with investor relations & fundraising communications
• Existing relationships with sports business media (Sports Business Journal, Sportico, Front Office Sports)
• Award-winning work recognized by PR industry (PRWeek, Cannes Lions, SABRE Awards)

Technical Skills

• Expert-level writing & editing in AP style
• Media database management (Cision, Muck Rack)
•  Newsletter platforms (Substack, beehiiv, Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
• Analytics tools (Google Analytics, social analytics, earned media measurement)
• CMS platforms (WordPress, Webflow)
• Social media management tools (Hootsuite, Sprout Social, LinkedIn Campaign Manager)
• Basic design tools for creating media materials (Canva, basic Adobe Suite knowledge helpful)
• Project management tools (Asana, Monday, Notion)

Personality & Working Style

• Natural storyteller who understands narrative architecture, cultural timing & news cycles
•  Fluent in both "investor" & "street"—can code-switch between corporate & cultural contexts seamlessly
• Entrepreneurial mindset: identifies gaps & fills them without being asked
• Strong news judgment: instinctively knows what's a story & how to angle it
• Relationship builder: networks authentically & maintains long-term media connections
• Detail-oriented with obsessive attention to accuracy, brand voice & quality control
• Comfortable with ambiguity, fast pace & evolving priorities in high-growth environment
• Collaborative team player who works effectively across departments
• Confident communicator who can present strategies & recommendations to senior leadership
• Cultural awareness: understands basketball culture, streetwear, youth movements & adult recreational sports
• Proactive problem-solver who anticipates issues before they arise
• Resilient under pressure: maintains composure during crisis situations & tight deadlines

Compensation Disclosure

The expected annual compensation range for this role is between $90,000 and $120,000 CAD. Compensation is based on skills, experience, qualifications, internal equity, and business needs. The compensation range may be adjusted in the future.

Why Join Brodie League

• Comprehensive health and wellness plan
• Access to a yearly Brodie takeover of the Toronto Raptors court
• Significant growth and mentorship opportunities
• Professional development budget
• League membership with access to 600+ weekly games across 22+ markets
• Brodie Athletics gear and seasonal merchandise
• Free league play
• Content creation budget for tools, subscriptions, and equipment
• Details regarding our full benefits package will be provided during the interview process.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial intelligence may be used in the recruitment and selection process, including to screen, assess, or evaluate applicants.

Position Status

This job posting is for a new position at Brodie League.

Application Process

Interested candidates should apply by submitting their resume through the designated application platform.

Include:

• Links to 3-5 media placements you secured (press releases, coverage clips, byline articles)
• Examples of owned content you've created (newsletters, blog posts, executive communications)
• Media contact list size (approximate number of relevant contacts you bring)
• Cover Letter
• • Story Portfolio: What's the most compelling brand story you've ever told? Include link to earned coverage or owned content you created. Walk us through your strategy, execution & results.
  • Media Strategy: How would you position Brodie differently to three distinct publications: Fast Company, Sports Business Journal & Complex? What angles would you pitch to each & why?
  • Newsletter Vision: What would your first Brodie newsletter edition cover & why? What content pillars would you establish & what tone would you strike?

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds foster stronger and more creative work. We strive to create workplaces that reflect the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to working with candidates from all ability levels throughout the recruitment process.