Communications Specialist (Full Time)

Competition:

014-25

Department / Unit:

Communications

Position Type:

Full Time

Bargaining Unit:

Non-Union

Posting Date:

2025-01-14 12:00

Headwaters Health Care Centre. One Community, Caring Together.

We are a dedicated team of professionals focused on providing the best care possible for our patients, families, and caregivers. We work together to care for the whole person from hospital to home.
We are looking for a Communications Specialist to help us continue in our mission to serve our community with Kindness, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork.Reporting to the Director of Communications and Public Affairs, the Communications Specialist will be on the front line of developing and executing internal and external strategic communications strategies to help advance Headwaters Health Care Centre’s Strategic Plan. Headwaters serves a rapidly growing community, and the Specialist must be comfortable working on a small team in a fast-paced environment with constantly competing deadlines. Using their outstanding organizational, writing, design, and customer service skills, the incumbent will have the opportunity to use their expertise to tell the stories of Headwaters and help us achieve our vision of one community, caring together.

Duties include:

• Develop and implement a social media and digital strategy, using exceptional storytelling skills to engage audiences and cultivate a sense of community.
• Help develop and drive the implementation of a proactive media relations and public affairs plan.
• Research, write, and distribute original content for websites, intranet, e-newsletters, and other mediums, as needed.
• Serve as the lead on the ongoing maintenance and development of the website and intranet, including working with internal clients, community partners, and contracted vendors.
• Use skills in photography, videography, and graphic design to help bring Headwaters stories to life.
• Manage digital signage programs, designing and uploading graphics for both internal and external displays.
• Design and create templates for various communication tools, including patient education materials, presentations, handouts, posters, and signage.
• Review internal messaging, documents, and other communications materials to ensure consistency with brand standards.
• Act as project manager for key projects, including the design and development of the annual report and other major communications and public affairs projects.
• Assist with media relations, including writing media releases, responding to media inquiries, and planning media events.
• Support the Director by identifying and monitoring emerging issues, drafting key messages, speaking notes, and briefing notes.
• Work with internal partners such as the Headwaters Health Care Centre’s Foundation and Hospital Auxiliary to collaborate on joint initiatives.
• Regularly attend project and team meetings to provide communications support for ongoing and new programs, initiatives, services, and policies.
• Coordinate special events both internally and externally, including handling advertising, marketing, logistics, and media relations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline such as journalism, communications, marketing, or public relations.
• 3 – 5 years of recent, related experience.
• Previous experience working in health care or a public sector environment, and/or agency experience
• working with public sector clients, is desirable.
• Experience managing websites, intranets, and social media platforms.
• Familiarity with Content Management Systems, SharePoint, Hootsuite, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and MS Office applications.
• Knowledge of Canadian Press Style and the ability to write creative and engaging content for the website, intranet, social media, media releases, newsletters, annual reports, flyers/handouts, speeches, key messages, and memos.
• Exemplary editing and proofreading skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to design eye-catching digital and print materials in a manner consistent with brand standards and AODA standards.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and coordinate internal and external events, campaigns, and media activities, including press conferences, community engagement events, employee engagement activities, awards events, and facility openings.
• Solid understanding of government relations, public policy, and the public sector/health care environment in the province.
• Strong research and critical thinking skills with the ability to independently research, anticipate, prioritize, and assemble details for all aspects of a project or initiative.
• A solid understanding of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and experience ensuring those values are reflected in all communications and public affairs efforts.
• The ability to build positive and productive relationships with diverse groups, while always taking a customer service approach to all stakeholder interactions.

Hiring Salary Range: Compensation is commensurate with experience. Other benefits:

• Entitled to HOOPP Pension
• 100% Employer Cost Benefits
• Flexible Work Arrangements

Why Headwaters?
Our values are more than words, they are what define and connect us. They determine how we work, how we behave, and how we relate to our patients, their families, and caregivers as well as to everyone who is part of the Headwaters community.

We offer a wide range of employee perks, for information on our comprehensive benefits package, please visit