Communications Specialist - Equity and OCSO

Communications Specialist - Equity and OCSO

Requisition ID: 43220

Organization
Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, reconciliation, equity, and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive, and rewarding workplace.

Main Purpose and Function
The Senior Communications Strategist, Equity and OCSO provides communications services for the Equity Office and Office of the Chief Safety Officer (OCSO), supporting change and transformation projects, campaigns, channel delivery, and strategic communications needs for our internal and external audiences. This role will focus on communications needs for both the Equity Office and Office of the Chief Safety Officer, which includes our safety, security, and emergency management divisions.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides strategic communications advice and planning for transformation projects and priority initiatives.
• Develops and implements communications plans that support significant projects.
• Provides communications advice and support for internal campaigns, events, and initiatives.
• Prepares, produces, edits, proofreads, and publishes communications content.
• Works closely with subject matter experts to ensure information is accurate, timely, and supports business objectives.
• Liaises with the City’s design team to ensure the production of quality, engaging content in compliance with the City’s design guidelines.
• Informs and engages staff, providing relevant, timely information through regular channels. Ensures staff receive timely updates on projects, programs, events, and news.
• Supports initiatives and development of tools to better support staff and managers. Provides advice and support for City intranet, as a channel for news and corporate information, using SharePoint as a publishing platform, updates or creates pages, and streamlines content.
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of communication campaigns and activities in terms of meeting corporate objectives.
• Oversees the work of consultants such as graphic designers involved with a variety of programs and projects, as required.
• Monitors project budget spend including design consultants, print, and translation services.
• Develops draft messaging for specific hazards for both internal and external audiences.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications
Education and Experience:

• Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Social Justice, or a related discipline plus considerable experience in a communications position with an emphasis on internal communications or a combination of training and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Extensive literacy and ability to participate comfortably in discussions on justice, equity, decolonization, and inclusion using current discourse (e.g., anti-racism, disability justice, trans rights, reconciliation).
• Ability to understand and communicate issues around safety, security, and emergency response, including crisis communications and public alerting.
• Thorough knowledge of current communications theories and trends.
• Considerable knowledge of change management methodology.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with internal and external partners.
• Ability to develop communication plans and messaging.
• Ability to support business continuity measures through communications strategy and tactics.
• Skill in writing plain language materials, using CP style as well as taking complex and technical information and making it interesting and easy to understand.
• Skill in visual communication, including graphic design, data visualization, and video editing is an asset.
• Ability to publish to SharePoint and manage templates, forms, and approvals processes within the platform.
• Ability to identify potentially sensitive issues and recommend a course of action.
• Ability to meet very tight deadlines and to juggle numerous and competing demands.
• Ability to remain calm, alert, and high functioning in stressful conditions.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive issues with skill, tact, and diplomacy.
• Ability to periodically work independently or unsupervised.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time, this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department: Office of the City Manager (1010)

Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks

Employment Type: Regular Full Time

Position Start Date: April 2025

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-027: $47.62 to $56.27 per hour

Application Close: March 9, 2025

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process.