Senior Director,Strategic Communications Job Ottawa area,Ontario Canada,Marketing / Advertising / PR

Follow us on

Posting Reason:

New Position

Job Type:

Employee

Job Family:

Communications and Advisory Services

Faculty/Service - Department:

Office of Communications and Public Affairs

Campus:

Main Campus

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/07/22

Applications must be received
BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):

2026/08/10

Salary Grade:

Non-Union Grade NM5

Salary Range:

$ - $

Position

Purpose:

Provides strategic leadership on communications governance and integrated communications planning at the University, namely in areas of strategy, corporate and executive communications, internal communications and messaging alignment across the central administration, working under the chief communications and marketing officer. Ensures consistency in communications so that all University messaging, whether strategic, operational, reputational or executive, conveys a unified narrative to advance the University’s long-term priorities.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

Develops, implements and assesses communications strategies throughout the University in support of its strategic priorities, working closely with the chief communications and marketing officer and with senior University leadership.

Establishes governance for University communications through shared processes, workflows and standards for teams on campus to ensure that internal and external communications are consistent and effective.

Leads the development and implementation of integrated communications plans that set out objectives, audiences, channels, indicators and timelines, balancing University priorities and operational needs of decentralized administrative units.

Offers expert advice to senior leadership on University communications, and supervises executive communications, major University announcements and governance-related messaging to bolster the University’s storytelling and priorities while adhering to policy and regulatory requirements.

Leads the development and implementation of overall internal communications strategies, partnering with the administrative sectors on this development work, to strengthen staff engagement, transparency and support for institutional change initiatives. Establishes governance, standards and planning frameworks related to these strategies to ensure timely, accessible, unified communications.

Works closely with the public affairs, media relations and issues management team to provide input on communications strategies for sensitive, high-risk or crisis situations and build partnerships with the faculties and services, ensuring a unified, consistent, well-prepared response to emerging issues.

Plans, organizes, directs and monitors the human, financial and material resources under own responsibility (guidance, employee development and engagement, budgeting, service providers) to ensure effective service delivery and accountability to the chief communications and marketing officer.

Establishes performance indicators for communications, evaluates their effectiveness and identifies opportunities to improve impact, efficiency and integration, thereby supporting strategic decision-making and proving the value of this function.

Monitors emerging trends and best practices in communications, maintains strong relationships with communications leads throughout the University and makes recommendations to the chief communications and marketing officer to ensure University communications are high quality, relevant and scalable.

What you will bring:

Bachelor’s degree in communication, public relations, journalism or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience

Ten (10) years’ experience in strategic communications within complex organizations

Seven (7) years’ experience in managing teams of professionals, including supporting managers in handling operating budgets and optimizing costs

High standard of strategic and policy judgment, and ability to advise senior leadership on sensitive issues within a vast, complex, fast-moving environment

Proven experience in communications governance, integrated planning and executive communications

Significant experience in collaboration on issues management and communications in…

Senior Director, Strategic Communications