Within the context of a client and family centred model of care and, in accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Providence Health Care, the person promotes a safe, respectful, and civil working environment for patients, residents, families, visitors and staff. Reporting to the Director for the BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU), the Director, Communications & Engagement is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic communications and engagement plan for the BCCSU. The Director, Communications & Engagement provides leadership and consultation in all aspects of communications, as well as community and stakeholder engagement, to advance strategic priorities while maintaining and strengthening the reputation of the BCCSU at the local, provincial, national and international level. The Director, Communications & Engagement is responsible for developing effective relationships with various community and stakeholder groups, both internal and external to BCCSU, to develop opportunities for integrated and collaborative projects.

The Director, Communications & Engagement is responsible for developing and implementing province-wide communications, media relations, and engagement plans to enhance the profile of the BCCSU while maintaining BCCSU’s image as a major source of information within the diverse provincial network of substance use researchers, educators, clinicians, and affected communities, ensuring that stakeholders are meaningfully engaged in the BCCSU and substance use-related initiatives across BC.

Qualifications:

Master’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Public Relations or a degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. A minimum of ten (10) years’ recent, related communications experience, including experience developing and implementing communications strategies including experience working with academic institutions or other organizations focussed on research, training, and/or policymaking is an asset.

Skills and Abilities:

• Experience engaging and collaborating with stakeholders and affected communities Skills and Abilities Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams, promotes teamwork, and build consensus with diverse groups. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects.
• Exceptional communication sills (both written and verbal), inter-personal and public relations skills. Knowledge of substance use and/or poverty in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) or a comparable community setting. Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel); Intra-web; Access database management; database and graphics capability. Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and WordPress and/or HTML.
• Ability to deal with a diverse population in a calm, courteous, and effective manner with a commitment to social inclusion and trauma-informed practice. Knowledge of the principals of communication and marketing. Knowledge of legislative policy development and processes of various levels of government.
• Strong skills in media relations and issues management. Demonstrated ability to create and execute strategic communication plans.
• Demonstrated understanding of the essence and subtleties of communication in order that exchanges are understood at all levels within a complex internal and external network.
• Ability to collaborate and respond to the needs of stakeholders supported by an acute awareness of the impact of actions.
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve with a global perspective in order to incorporate the organization’s systems and strategies when developing viable solutions to problems.
• Demonstrated ability to establish courses of action for self and others that are results oriented. Physical ability to perform the duties of the position
  
  

• State-of-the-art facilities:  The new St.Paul’s Hospital and health campus will be the most innovative approach to the delivery of integrated care in B.C. and Canada, designed to appropriately address the future health needs of patients, families and our communities. From hospital care to primary and community health solutions, the new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus will continue to lead innovations in care, research, and teaching. The new St. Paul’s Hospital is expected to open in 2027.
• A competitive salary: $59.56 - $85.62 hourly CAD
• Inclusive culture: We respect the diversity, dignity and interdependence of all persons. We value the cultural richness that our diverse workforce brings to the care of our equally diverse population of patients and residents.

Your Day to Day:

• Develops and implements an integrated, strategic communication plan for the BCCSU which includes knowledge translation and mobilization strategies in collaboration with leadership and staff.
• Leads the communication plan through execution, develops and utilize processes to monitor and evaluate strategies. Develops and oversees implementation of result-driven strategic communication projects and initiatives to support and advance the BCCSU’s research, education, and clinical activities programs.
• Oversees monitoring and evaluation of strategies and reports back to leadership. Oversees community engagement at BCCSU to ensure stakeholders are meaningfully engaged in the BCCSU and substance use-related initiatives across BC Directs the creation of wide range of stories for earned and owned media channels, including articles, reports, and media, highlighting work across BCCSU.
• Develops and implements innovative and effective media relations and communications initiatives and activities that raise the profile of BCCSU work provincially, nationally and internationally to media and various stakeholder audiences in support of the priorities of the BCCSU. Works with BCCSU operations to develop annual budgets.
• Oversees finances for communications and stakeholder engagement activities. Establishes and maintains strong and effective relationships with BCCSU and PHC leadership and partners, including academic partners, health authorities, BC government, and funders.
• Develops and implements strategies for integrated and collaborative communication projects. Provides advice and consultation to leadership and staff on external and internal communication issues, strategies and messaging to ensure completeness, accuracy and consistency of messaging and content. Works with all levels of staff to facilitate engagement across multiple departments, thereby ensuring that the needs of stakeholders are prioritized in BCCSU clinical care, education, research development and strategic planning activities.
• Manages staff, including people with lived and living experience with substance use and affected community members. Identifies opportunities, researching, writing and editing content, including video production and photography, to support digital storytelling, news releases, internal announcements and memos, newsletters, publications and reports, overseeing design and production, for both internal and external audiences that support the BCCSU’s strategic goals, demonstrate return on investment and impact, and enhance the reputation of the organization and its people.
• Oversees the research and writing of speaking notes and presentation materials for a variety of BCCSU spokespersons to deliver to internal and external audiences, as appropriate. Provides access to training (e.g., media, key messaging, communication planning etc.) to staff to support communications initiatives and goals. Develops training content as required.
• Leverages the strategic communication plan to strengthen BCCSU’s brand identity across key stakeholder audience’s including community groups. Builds productive relationships with a wide range of provincial partners, including organizations of people who use drugs and their families, recovery programs, regional health authorities, provincial government officials, academic partners, Indigenous community groups and partners, care providers, and the philanthropic community. Works collaboratively and respectfully with stakeholders to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of a province-wide engagement strategy of the relevant project that addresses the needs and goals of stakeholders affected by substance use in BC.
• Oversees the development of all content intended for public consumption to ensure alignment with the BCCSU strategic communication plan. Makes recommendations, edits and revision to content as required. Manages and executes the development of all print and electronic branded materials for distribution to stakeholder audiences, community groups, participants and the public. Maintains BCCSU’s digital platforms, including website, newsletters and social media channels, developing and curating content that increases audience engagement.
• Collaborates on and leads internal communication and staff engagement to promote organizational climate that attracts, motivates, supports and retains high quality academics, researchers and staff who are committed to the BCCSU’s vision, mission and goals. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Advance Your Career at Providence Health Care!

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.