Job Opportunity | Communications Lead

Term: Full time, 35 hours per week
Start date: January 30, 2023 
End date: January 26, 2024
Supervisor: Seth Erais, Program Manager
Salary: $55,000 - $60,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Position location: 312 Main Street, Vancouver B.C. with some remote work
Closing date: January 9, 2023 

Applicants should submit their package (in one PDF file) via email with their name and position they are applying for in the subject line, attention to:

Seth Erais, Program Manager:  public_square@sfu.ca

Include:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Written response to the following question: How does society benefit from university community engagement activities?

We thank all applicants, but only those invited for interviews will be contacted.  

About SFU Public Square 

SFU Public Square holds space for SFU and its communities to learn together and work towards equitable and sustainable solutions to our world's complex challenges.

We work across all of SFU’s campuses, supporting faculty, students, staff, alumni and diverse communities to convene accessible, innovative and inclusive programming that brings people together to find ways to meaningfully contribute to the issues that affect our lives.

Every year, we collaboratively program dozens of workshops, debates, public conversations, discussion panels and other gatherings. These spaces encourage different perspectives and ways of knowing to collide and influence each other. The experience is transformative, inspiring deeper conversations, igniting networks, building capacity and catalyzing curiosity and concern into advocacy and action.

Position description

The Communications Lead works closely with the Program Director and Manager in the development of communications and marketing plans to bolster SFU Public Square’s profile as a leading community engagement and knowledge mobilization program, which supports SFU’s academic mission and strategic vision to be Canada’s Engaged University.

The Lead develops, coordinates and implements communications initiatives to engage the SFU community – including faculty, students, staff and alumni – and the broader public. They are responsible for content and storytelling, event promotion and marketing campaigns and developing materials for partners, sponsors and donors. 

The Lead is the main point of contact for SFU Communications and Marketing and external communications vendors. They provide oversight of SFU Public Square’s brand narrative, consistently implementing key messages across print and digital communication channels, including the SFU Public Square website, social media, newsletters, print materials, and presentations. 

Duties and Responsibilities  

• Develop and implement communication plans and content strategies in support of SFU Public Square’s community engagement and knowledge mobilization 
• Market and promote SFU Public Square events and initiatives to appropriate audiences 
• Write and edit event descriptions, newsletters, blog posts, social media content, reports and other communications materials
• Oversee, update and maintain website content for sfu.ca/publicsquare with the Design Lead
• Implement a social media strategy and look after daily social media activity
• Coordinate with Design Lead in the development of visual elements, including branding assets, social media graphics, data visualizations, reports and digital and print marketing materials
• Research and develop ideas for content creation and storytelling projects including written articles, graphic design and videos
• Monitor, evaluate and report on communications activities across all platforms to confirm alignment with KPIs and strategic objectives
• Contribute to evaluation of SFU Public Square and its activities, reporting out to internal and external audiences
• Collaborate with event partners and key stakeholders to ensure coordination of marketing and communications 
• Supervise temporary communications staff (co-op students)
• Consult with SFU Marketing and Communications staff to support with issues management, media relations, key messaging, and event and program promotion
• Act as ambassador for the program to SFU and community groups
• Contribute to lists of potential collaborators, presenters, and partners within SFU and the community 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Publishing or other relevant discipline and three years of related experience in developing communication strategies for a diverse audience across multiple platforms, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Good knowledge of community engagement 
• Excellent knowledge of communication, promotion and marketing principles, practices and strategies using print, digital and social media 
• Good knowledge of online content management systems, social media applications and analytics 
• Excellent interpersonal, communication (oral, written and presentation) and networking skills
• Excellent research, copy editing and copywriting skills
• Excellent organization, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong leadership and project management skills
• Ability to adapt writing style for various audiences
• Ability to exercise mature judgement, initiative, diplomacy and tact
• Ability to develop relationships and partnerships and to work collaboratively at all levels within the organization
• Ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and competing priorities
• Ability to interact professionally and productively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Ability to work independently in a hybrid in-person and remote environment while collaborating with diverse team members

Strong assets: 

• Previous experience in event planning 
• Graphic design experience
• Video editing experience  

Simon Fraser University is committed to the principle of employment equity, the goal of which is to ensure that no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications, such as gender or race. Consistent with this principle, the University will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the workforce, specifically Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and women; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat equitably all employees.

We respectfully acknowledge the unceded, traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵw ̱xwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səl̓ilw̓ ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, on which our offices are located.