Communications Specialist - Kitchener, Canada - The Food Bank of Waterloo Region

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region

Verified Company

Kitchener, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Communications Specialist

Do you believe everyone should have access to healthy food, and that food can be a powerful tool for connecting people and building better health and a stronger community? Are you looking at making a difference with a well-respected non-profit organization? Are you self-driven and self-disciplined? The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is looking for a hardworking, strategic, and passionate
Communications Specialist to join our team.

Who You Are:

We have an immediate opening for a Communications Specialist who will help The Food Bank develop and execute day-to-day communications and public relations activities.

You will have strong collaboration skills and are driven to create integrated communication plans that align with our strategic plan, goals, and objectives.

The Position:

Reporting to the Manager of Marketing and Communications, the Communications Specialist develops and executes day-to-day communications (internal and external) and public relations activities aligned with The Food Bank of Waterloo Region's strategic plan and departmental goals and objectives.

In this role, you create and drive integrated communications plans—developing compelling content to support them.

As a key member of the marketing and communications team, you are also integral to the management and execution of media relations and social media, both proactive and reactive.

Using your strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, you work closely with internal teams (development, operations, network relations and administration) and external resources (media, donors, community partners, influencers) on a regular basis.

Responsibilities and Duties

Develop and execute integrated communications strategies using the RACE formula (research, analysis, communication and evaluation) for corporate initiatives, programs and fundraising events
Measure and analyze the effectiveness of communications campaigns, report on results, and provide recommendations for continuous improvement; make use of analytics (e.g., participation, food/funds raised, Google Analytics, social media platforms)
Write and edit compelling content and messaging for newsletters, eblasts, web features, blogs, corporate publications (e.g., annual report), speeches, presentations, promotions, social media, video, and other communications materials aimed at diverse audiences
Create a robust story bank to support integrated communications plans
Provide proofreading support for internal and external communications, ensuring accuracy and compliance with brand and corporate standards
Provide media relations support including writing media releases and advisories, organizing media events, writing and pitching editorial content, responding to media requests, preparing speaking points, developing annual editorial calendar, preparing/conducting media training, maintaining media distribution list, and monitoring and reporting on media coverage, and building and maintaining strong media relationships
Identify and encourage opportunities for positive media coverage; position The Food Bank as a thought leader and expert on food insecurity in Waterloo region
Research and compile reports to explain statistics and community impact to further The Food Bank's advocacy efforts
Maintain and evolve corporate messaging, creating a consistent voice for the organization both internally and externally
Represent The Food Bank and its brand, mission and values to all external stakeholders and employees
Develop and maintain a social media strategy for The Food Bank's social media accounts to build and strengthen online engagement
Work collaboratively with the social media coordinator and digital marketing specialist to implement digital and social media tactics
Source advertising opportunities and place adverts in media and industry publications
Work with external creative professionals to design, produce and print; ensure project deliverables are on time, on strategy, and on budget
Provide issues management support (e.g., anticipate, assess, assign, plan, respond, and report on potential issues); develop issues management briefing notes/plans
Provide crisis communication support in the event of an emergency
Perform other duties as needed

Qualifications
Experience

A minimum of three years of experience in a communications role

Education

Required Skills and Attributes

Strategic and proactive thinker with proven tactical execution capabilities
Selfstarter with strong business curiosity and an intrinsic desire to continually learn and grow
Experienced in strategic communications planning, public relations, and media relations with demonstrated success in developing, implementing, and evaluating communications programs
Ability to work independently or as a team member
Superior interpersonal skills and proven ability to develop, foster and maintain positive working relationships with interna