GENERAL MANAGER, OTTAWA

Hill & Knowlton is the global strategic communications leader for transformation. We help brands, businesses, and leaders build reputation, manage risk, and create breakthrough opportunities for growth.

Our global team offers integrated strategic services grounded in deep sector expertise and enabled by creativity and intelligence.

Headquartered in New York, Hill & Knowlton is part of WPP, one of the world’s largest communications services groups.

THE ROLE :

The General Manager will lead H&K Canada’s Ottawa market and its team of industry-leading public affairs, communications & advisory, and public engagement talent.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to serve as a senior leader within an influential global organization. The General Manager will report to the CEO of Canada and will be a member of the Canadian leadership team.

The General Manager will drive growth and success in our business by leading and inspiring a high-performing team of talent, developing new business growth strategies, and executing external marketing plans for Ottawa.

The General Manager is responsible for the operational leadership of the Ottawa market, including revenue and expenses, recruiting, local training, workplace culture, regional marketing, and new business.

This is a crucial leadership role for a professional with agency experience who is self-motivated, politically engaged, and seeking the next exciting step in their career.

The ideal candidate will also have established networks with local government, political, and business communities. We are not only looking for incredible talent, but also great attitude, energy, and passion for H&K and our clients.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES :

Innovative and cultural leadership : Create conditions for an accountable, bold, collaborative, and diverse environment that delivers outstanding work.

Be an ambassador for H&K, its values, and its people. Encourage new thinking. Inspire an energetic culture centered on executional excellence and client success.

Identify innovative ways to work with our clients, their customers, and their business challenges, leveraging teams and capabilities across the agency to provide creative solutions.

• Talent management : The agency will grow by landing and fostering the right talent. One of your key responsibilities will be to help ensure the Ottawa office provides top-tier training, new challenges, and career growth for employees, creating an environment that fosters employee retention with authenticity and transparency.
• Commercial leadership and growth : You will be responsible for actively and aggressively developing new business for the office, properly vetting leads and guiding the pitch process to convert leads into new clients.

You have extensive industry knowledge and a robust network of contacts to help keep H&K on the cutting edge while growing the business.

Client relationships : We pride ourselves on our relentless pursuit of client satisfaction. You will be a trusted strategic business partner to clients and colleagues.

You must have a passion for managing business and be client-obsessed. You will be expected to provide strategic counsel to clients at a C-suite level and help client leaders do the same, lending the necessary time and support to help accounts realize their full potential.

CRITICAL EXPERIENCE :

As the General Manager of our Ottawa market, you will have :

• 15-20 years of experience in public affairs and / or strategic communications leadership roles preferably in both corporate and agency environments.
• Deep service knowledge across multiple verticals including public affairs, government relations, strategic communications, public relations, and public participation.
• Exceptional judgment, agility, and the ability to manage change and complex relationships.
• Strong financial literacy, having led a significant P&L with a track record of success in maintaining growth and profitability.
• A genuine love for the people and the work, serving as a cultural champion with experience leading and being a member of diverse hybrid teams and an awareness of cultural, economic, and political differences and sensitivities.
• Political savvy and experience working with government stakeholders, with an ability to understand the nuances of shifting geopolitical, policy and community landscapes and risks.
• Experience leading business development efforts; growth mindset and the ability to convert new opportunities, present with charisma, and maximize opportunities for organic growth
• A strong network of trusted relationships across government, business, and community stakeholders, able to serve as an industry leader and an ambassador and thought leader for the H&K brand.
• Bilingual capabilities : English and French fluency is highly desirable.

As a General Manager at H&K, you will have :

• Excellent mentoring skills and the ability to manage and develop teams and talent
• Complete integrity and an impeccable moral compass
• Expert relationship management and influencing skills
• High emotional intelligence (EQ)
• A mission-driven approach with consistent modelling of values-based leadership
• Strong analytical skills and ability to lead change management and strategic processes
• Flexibility, with the ability to quickly and effectively respond to stakeholder environments
• An open, honest, and transparent communication and leadership style
• The ability to resolve conflict and deal with difficult issues

About Hill & Knowlton

Hill & Knowlton is more than an agency. It’s a collection of thousands of brilliant, collaborative, and driven employees all united around a single vision of transforming our clients, our company and the world.

And at H&K, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just values; they are strategic imperatives that fuel our future in an industry built on the art of understanding, connecting, and developing relationships.

We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue and cultivating meaningful experiences that drive innovation and creativity.

Starting July 1, H&K Canada will be part of Burson, a merger of WPP’s two largest communications firms, Hill & Knowlton and BCW.

Burson will employ over 6,000 experts in over 40 markets with a client roster that includes more than 50% of the Fortune 100.

This union of agencies will enable Burson to best serve clients in a complex and volatile environment in which strategic stakeholder communications has never been more critical.

The new agency will draw on both organizations’ unrivaled talent base, exceptional global networks, investments in technology, creative capabilities, and public affairs and advisory specialties to drive reputation and value creation through the interdisciplinary solutions that clients demand now.

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