Senior Director, Strategic Communications

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - Excluded M&P

Job Profile

XMP Salaried – Information Services, Level F

Job Title

Senior Director, Strategic Communications

Department

Communications | VP External Relations

Compensation Range

$12, $19,905.67 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

December 3, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement (in office twice a week) , however may be subject to changes due to operation requirements.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The University of British Columbia is seeking an experienced and strategic communications leader to serve as the Senior Director, Strategic Communications. This position is critical for advancing the university's reputation, achieving long-term strategic marketing and communications goals, and building alignment across all major institutional campaigns and among UBC's communicators network.

Reporting directly to the Associate Vice-President, Communications, the Senior Director plays a critical role in leading central essential strategic leadership, counsel, and expertise for UBC's major communications campaigns working collaboratively with other teams and leaders across the institution. You will be a trusted advisor to the, President's Office, VP External Relations, AVP Communications and other senior leadership across the university. The role provides strategic communications and marketing expertise and leadership for significant initiatives grounded in the university's strategic plan refresh - UBC's Strategic Directions while also providing strategic advice, counsel and support through your team to the VP External and UBC President's Office on proactive reputation building communications initiatives and opportunities

Organizational Status

Reports to the Associate Vice-President, Communications. Works closely with enterprise-wide executive members, senior communications and strategic professionals. Works directly with all members of the Strategic Communications management team, Senior Director, News and University Affairs and Senior Director, Brand and Marketing Communications. Senior Director, Strategic Communications will shape and build stronger internal relationships to consult on a wider scale beyond the immediate Communications team.

Work Performed

The Senior Director, Strategic Communications provides strategic leadership for the university's major communications campaigns and projects. Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic Campaign Leadership: Overseeing major comms and campaign strategy and providing strategic direction for institutional campaigns and projects grounded in UBC's Strategic Directions
• Reputation Management: Providing strategic advice on proactive reputation-building initiatives and opportunities and identifying and collaboratively addressing reputational risks and correspondence requiring an institutional response from the President's Office in collaboration with the News and University Affairs team.
• Content and Digital Strategy: Driving the overall strategic direction of digital marketing, institutional priority content strategy, and digital engagement strategy for the institution. This includes developing core messaging and foundational narratives for UBC's new strategic directions in collaboration with relevant Vice Presidents, Deans and their senior communications staff and executing integrated campaigns.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring the strategic alignment of institutional campaigns between the President's Office, UBC Senior Leadership, External Relations and other academic and administrative portfolios. You will lead the development and alignment of internal and external communications activities in collaboration with other unit senior directors and managers.
• Performance Measurement: Driving performance measurement across all communications initiatives using advanced analytics to assess impact, define outcomes, and optimize effectiveness.
• Team Leadership: Directing a team of communication professionals in best practices, managing subordinate staff and external service providers, and playing a leadership role in building a strong community of practice among broader university communicators.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This role is highly visible and critical to UBC's success. Errors in judgment could result in far-reaching, long-term, and serious negative reputational, financial, and public relations impacts for the university and its partners. Poor leadership or lack of sound judgment could alienate stakeholders, jeopardize key relationships, and negatively impact the reputation of the university and its senior administrators.

Supervision Received

Works with minimal guidance under broad guidelines established by the Associate Vice-President, Communications.

Supervision Given

Manages staff, consultants and external service providers directly and indirectly through subordinate managers.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. A minimum ten years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• At least ten years' experience in a strategic leadership position leading integrated communications and/or marketing strategies and content management with over 10 years of broader communications and marketing experience
• Extensive experience overseeing the management of large and complex communications and marketing projects with a high level of accountability.
• Solid understanding of owned channels, with advanced working knowledge of using communications strategies to deliver results toward major goals that can move reputation.
• Proven strategic and creative thinker, innovator, and problem-solver with high attention to detail and skills in conflict resolution.
• High degree and proven competency in managing complex relationships with differing objectives.
• Must be a self-starter with initiative, able to adapt easily to changing priorities, manage multiple initiatives, and demonstrate strong leadership, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.