Manager, Communications & Insights

Who are we?

The Ballad team is comprised of business professionals, strengthening the communities in which we live and work. Our diverse team brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and creativity to each project we undertake. We provide services related to training, business planning, government relations, Indigenous engagement, and community development. Ballad ensures that the work we undertake has meaningful impact, ALWAYS.

Today, Ballad employs more than 90 team members across 13 offices throughout Alberta. We operate innovative simulated worksites that include construction, hospitality, warehouse, retail, and industrial training environments, helping thousands of Albertans develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the workforce.

The Manager, Communications & Insights leads Ballad's public relations, thought leadership, strategic communications, and organizational insights function to strengthen Ballad's reputation, visibility, and influence across Alberta and nationally.

A core mandate of this role is to own and drive Ballad's public relations strategy, proactively building relationships with media and sector influencers, creating earned media opportunities, and positioning Ballad and its leaders as trusted voices on workforce development, employment, skills, economic participation, and the future of work.

The role connects insight with influence, monitoring emerging trends and public conversations, identifying where Ballad has a relevant perspective, and translating Ballad's knowledge, expertise, evidence, and impact into compelling stories and thought leadership.

Working closely with executive leadership, marketing, consulting, employment services, and external partners, the Manager ensures Ballad is visible in the conversations that matter, while strengthening the organization's reputation as an innovative and credible leader in employment services.

• Own and drive Ballad's public relations strategy across Alberta and nationally, establishing annual priorities, key narratives, target audiences, campaigns, and measurable objectives.
• Build strong relationships with journalists, editors, producers, industry publications, and sector influencers and proactively pitch stories, expert commentary, organizational announcements, and emerging perspectives.
• Lead media relations, including media inquiries, interview coordination, spokesperson preparation, key messages, news releases, media advisories, backgrounders, Q&A, and briefing materials.
• Monitor news cycles and emerging issues to identify opportunities for Ballad to contribute expertise while providing strategic communications and reputation counsel to leadership on sensitive or high-profile issues.
• Measure and evaluate PR performance, including earned media, reach, executive visibility, message penetration, reputation, and Ballad's growing provincial and national profile.

• Develop and lead Ballad's thought leadership agenda, identifying the issues and conversations where Ballad has the expertise, evidence, and perspective to contribute and lead.
• Position Ballad executives and subject-matter experts as trusted voices through media interviews, opinion pieces, contributed articles, speaking engagements, panels, conferences, podcasts, and other high-value opportunities.
• Develop compelling thought leadership and executive communications, including articles, white papers, speeches, presentations, briefing materials, commentary, case studies, and industry insights.
• Translate complex research, organizational evidence, labour market developments, and sector trends into clear and compelling perspectives for government, employers, funders, partners, media, and the broader public.
• Develop and…