Executive Director of External Relations and Communications

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this position strategically plans and implements interactions and communications with external parties including members, Plan employers, Police Associations, service providers, the public, other pension plans, the government, and others for the purposes of education, reputation management, advocacy, and brand marketing. KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Relations Using information from both the management team and external parties, develop and implement engagement strategies and initiatives that advance the organization’s business priorities and reputation. Advise and solicit feedback from the management team on external engagement status, strategies, and emerging issues to support strategic decision processes and responses. Identify and coordinate networking and hosting opportunities to enhance relationships with external parties. Develop consultation processes and feedback mechanisms to ensure programs and communications are strategically meeting the organization’s needs. Inform and advise the management team on information and learnings from the current environment and external interactions. Develop and maintain strong and collaborative relationships with internal and external parties with the goal of showing pension and corporation value and building understanding of that value for members, employers, Police Associations and within industry and government. Supporting the delivery of government relations and advocacy strategies aligned with the corporation’s overall business priorities and strategic goals. Promote, advocate and represent the achievements and needs of SFPP Corporation both internally and externally to gain support for its many endeavours. Communications Strategically design, plan and execute opportunities to drive awareness of both the Plan and the Corporation, and the contributions of both, to external parties. Strategically design, plan and execute communications programming to bring awareness of the Plan, the Corporation, and the value of defined benefit pensions to external parties. Plan and execute the production of communication tools and messages, working cooperatively with SFPP Corporation's management team and key service providers to ensure communications are meaningful and comprehensive and avoid duplication. Plan and execute topic-specific strategic and measurable integrated communications and marketing plans that will function with varied priorities and externally interested parties. Plan and execute a multi-year, integrated corporate-wide strategic communications and marketing plan to achieve the strategic vision and support Plan growth. Plan and execute the evolutionary development of the brand and reputational elements through a marketing lens and direct a dashboard of key metrics to track progress and effectiveness. Develop and approve policies and procedures to ensure Plan reputation and recruitment strategy success. Proactively develop policies, processes and practices that remove systemic barriers to success. Leadership Participate in overall strategic planning for SFPP and the Corporation as well as responsible for strategic planning for the external relations and communications portfolios. Set clear standards and expectations. Critically analyze and evaluate the two areas’ performance against the strategy and make changes as required. Hold yourself accountable for meeting performance objectives. Benchmark the Corporation's performance with other key institutions and organizations. Report to the SFPP Corporate Board of Directors and Sponsor Board as required about planning, performance, or any other topics, as required. Monitor and ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural requirements in the external relations and communications areas. Ensure that all area initiatives advance the broader strategic goals of the Corporation and the Plan. General Such further and other duties may be required. SCOPE/COMPLEXITY The Executive Director, Communications and Strategic Relations reports directly to the CEO and is jointly responsible for strategic planning and effective and efficient execution of strategic relations and communications programming including: Manage SFPP’s and SFPP Corporation’s online presence, including content strategy and website maintenance Plan and execute internal engagement strategies Plan and execute external engagement strategies, including advocacy Create an environment of data-based decision making Collaborate with CEO to plan and execute executive communications Event support Plan and create member-based communications, tools, and resources (such as handbooks, reports, videos, and presentations) based on an understanding of members’ information needs Engage in government relations Crisis communications Engage in resource planning and annual budget estimates Develop voice and brand guides and ensures consistent application Write a variety of materials including news articles and video scripts Identify and monitor emerging issues that affect SFPP Corporation as well as SFPP and its members Look for opportunities to share information and research across organizations KEY RELATIONSHIPS CEO (daily) Other Corporation staff (Daily) External service providers (Weekly) SFPP Corporation Board of Directors (as needed) SFPP Sponsor Board (as needed) KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES Management Is an organized, task-oriented team player who can strategically synthesize research and input from various parties into a plan, and then execute that plan, on time and within budget. Has presence, energy, and genuine passion as well as the ability to integrate with and motivate a team. Is a leader who creates a shared purpose. Has the ability to think in \"big picture\" terms. Relationship Building Develops and maintains a planned network of relationships with members, key external parties, internal peers, and colleagues in the industry, etc., including relationships that are key to advocacy efforts. Develops rapport and builds trust quickly with both internal and external colleagues and partners. Communication Shows strong written, verbal, and presentation skills and is an active listener. Able to adapt communication to the needs of varied audiences. Able to communicate persuasively. Provides necessary information and analysis to support proposed changes. Able to \"stand up\" and support their decisions and manage diverse and complex stakeholder groups. Interpersonal Skills Has excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to get along well with others, building relationships, both internal and external to the organization. Has an energetic and outgoing personality. Team Player Works cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness. Displays enthusiasm and promotes a friendly group working environment. Works effectively in a team environment and is also motivated to work independently. Committed to Organizational Excellence: Committed to excellence and innovation in the workplace. Continually looks for opportunities to create efficiencies while achieving results. Able to work within an evolving political and economic environment and deal effectively with ambiguity. Problem-Solving Skills Able to solve problems and make necessary decisions and focuses on the solutions rather than the problems and has a well-developed sense of reasoning. Committed to Personal Excellence Continuously strives to stay current and be at the leading edge in their field. Committed to ongoing learning and growth. Self-motivated and encourages others to achieve personal excellence. Personal Management Skills Has excellent organizational and time management skills, with demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage multiple strategic and administrative priorities and tasks. Ability to delegate effectively, establish clear accountabilities, and develop the capabilities of others. Has a demonstrated history of success as a results-oriented self-starter. QUALIFICATIONS The ideal candidate will have an educational and experiential background that supports skills in the areas of external relations and communications, along with supporting the ability to strategically plan and execute programming and perform administrative responsibilities. A university or similar degree in business, marketing, public relations, communications, or related field would be preferred. The individual will have a minimum of 5 years of related work experience. Educational or employment experience in pensions is an asset. The ideal candidate will be proficient in Microsoft Office 365, specifically in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Visio. The individual will have a strong record of success in building relationships with a diverse audience, including government ministries and agencies, and the broader public. The candidate will have demonstrated experience as a successful leader in complex and multi-faceted organizations, preferably with a membership-driven culture. They will have a strong appreciation of strategic planning and successfully executing an integrated external relations strategy that encompasses an integrated marketing, communications, and advocacy plan. The candidate will have proven experience in initiating, developing, and executing communications strategies and plans, budgeting, and managing capacity and workload. INDEPENDENCE OF ACTION/AUTHORITIES This position reports to the CEO and requires independence in research, planning, and execution, with the oversight of the CEO.Applies judgment in balancing conflicting priorities. LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISORY, ADVISORY AND TEAM RESPONSIBILITY The Communications Manager reports to this position. #J-18808-Ljbffr