Director, Communications

at  Mount Royal University

Job Description:

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 10 - 15 years of increasingly responsible communications experience
• A high level of practical skill in writing and general communications practice
• Exceptional judgment and problem solving skills
• Proven experience working successfully within a highly collaborative environment
• Experience with crisis communications and issues management
• High energy, with a comfort juggling many competing priorities
• Preference given to individuals with an expertise in equity, diversity and inclusion
• Preference given to individuals with professional experience in public sector or post-secondary education

ABOUT THE ROLE

Marketing and Communications at Mount Royal University is looking for an experienced and confident professional to lead the Communications portfolio. If you are an exceptional collaborator with senior level leadership expertise, we want to meet you. Reporting to the Vice-President, University Advancement, the Director of Communications leads and empowers a talented team of highly skilled communicators. The team manages all of Mount Royal’s communications vehicles, including media, social media, website, publications, community relations, events, and all centralized internal and external communications initiatives and platforms.
The Director of Communications oversees both long-term projects and urgent priorities, developing sophisticated communications strategies to address future communications needs for the University while also providing a daily and immediate communications response to a wide range of projects, challenges and opportunities. This role leads crisis communications, and supports issues management by employing exceptional judgment and problem solving skills.
Together with the VP and the Director of Marketing, the Director of Communications seeks ways to help foster a fully integrated Marketing and Communications team. Recognizing the value of diverse talents and specialties, the Director of Communications works closely with the Director of Marketing to make good projects even better.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide formal leadership to the Communications team as they manage communications across their respective vehicles and channels, and informal leadership to the Marketing team on shared projects
• Provide institutional perspective, priorities and context to the team, enabling them to understand the big picture and represent institutional direction in their work
• Empower the team to learn and develop their own communications skills, and to embrace innovative and technology-driven strategies
• Responding to the University Strategic Plan Framework, collaborate with the VP and Director of Marketing to build a multi-year, measurable marketing and communications strategy, along with annual business plans in support
• Manage and enhance the Crisis Communications Plan, updating and improving annually
• Train staff from both within and outside of Marketing and Communications on crisis communications to ensure familiarity with roles, capacity among team members and responsiveness when necessary
• Seek out and remain aware of all major campus issues, recommending messaging and approach and supporting University leaders in appropriate and timely responses
• Write and proof numerous communications pieces intended for a wide range of internal and external audiences
• Collaborate with leaders across campus to solve communications challenges and to take advantage of communications opportunities