Chief Communications and External Relations Officer

Company description

One of Canada's Best Diversity Employers and Greater Toronto's Top Employers for many consecutive years, William Osler Health System (Osler) provides a safe and supportive health care network to grow your career. Osler is nationally recognized for its commitment to patient safety and is Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest rating a Canadian hospital can receive. As a major Ontario hospital system, and home to some of the biggest specialty and emergency departments in the country, Osler serves the 1.3 million residents of Brampton, Etobicoke and surrounding communities. We are proud to offer you incredible exposure to best-in-class health care delivery and challenging hands-on opportunities to stay at the top of your game.

A hospital system built for and by the community, we continue to expand our services to meet the needs of a growing population, creating opportunities for increased hands-on skills development, cross-department training and promotional opportunities. Guided by our accomplished senior leadership team, together we are driving our vision of world-class health care inspired by our people and communities.

At Osler, we invest in careers that go beyond where health care professionals like you can achieve their goals and find deep personal and professional fulfillment. Join our team today!

Job description

The Chief Communications and External Relations Officer (Chief) is a newly created executive leadership role responsible for providing strategic leadership across communications, government relations, stakeholder engagement, media relations, marketing, and external affairs. As a member of the Executive Team, the Chief will play an important role in strengthening organizational profile, advancing strategic priorities, and positioning Osler as a leading community teaching hospital and influential health system partner within Ontario’s evolving healthcare landscape.

The role requires a highly strategic leader who can operate effectively within a complex, high-profile, and fast-paced environment, while providing sound counsel on issues management, external positioning, advocacy, organizational reputation, and stakeholder engagement. The Chief will support key organizational priorities related to growth, redevelopment, academic expansion, system integration, and broader healthcare transformation, while fostering a coordinated and forward-looking approach to communications and external relations across the organization.

As a visible and engaged executive leader, the Chief will work closely with internal and external partners including government, healthcare system leaders, academic institutions, community organizations, and the Osler Foundation. The successful candidate will bring strong political acuity, sound judgment, and the ability to build credibility and alignment across a broad range of stakeholders and partners.

Accountabilities:

• Lead an integrated communications and external relations strategy aligned with organizational priorities.
• Strengthen organizational profile and influence across government, healthcare, academic, and community partners.
• Advance a clear and compelling organizational narrative that reflects Osler’s growth, academic evolution, and commitment to world-class care.
• Advance modern communications, marketing, and engagement practices through digital innovation and emerging technologies.
• Partner with the Osler Foundation to support a coordinated “one voice” approach to communications, brand, and community engagement.
• Lead, mentor, and support a high-performing team while fostering a culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, responsiveness, innovation, and service excellence.
  

Job qualifications

• 7-10 years of progressive leadership and management experience in communications with experience across multiple mediums and proven ability to engage, lead, mentor, motivate and effectively manage staff
• Progressive senior leadership experience across communications, government relations, stakeholder engagement, and external affairs within healthcare or similarly complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Demonstrated success strengthening organizational profile, leading integrated communications strategies, and navigating complex and high-profile issues with sound judgment and political acuity.
• Strategic and collaborative leader with strong relationship management skills and the ability to build credibility across government, healthcare, academic, community, and executive stakeholder groups.
• Exceptional communicator and relationship builder, effective at promoting collaboration and managing change
• Proven ability to work with diverse stakeholders, manage competing agenda and priorities, and translate complex information across functions
• Demonstrated ability to manage large projects, keep stakeholders effectively involved in the process, and meet key milestones and deadlines
• Understands the political nature of health care and its impact on the community that it serves
• Strong ability to conceptually understand the linkages between all components of the organization to support the delivery of services and achieve strategic goals and objectives
• Ability to impact and influence key decision-makers, working across organizational and cross-functional boundaries
• Demonstrated ability to establish strong, effective working relationships with other senior leaders, physicians, community partners and other service providers through consensus-building, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Continuous quality improvement orientation with an ability to inspire staff at all levels to continually evaluate and search for new and innovative ways to meet goals and objectives
• Must demonstrate Osler's Values of Respect, Excellence, Service, Compassion, Innovation and Collaboration

Additional information

Hours: Currently days in an onsite first role (subject to change in accordance with operational requirements)

Application deadline: June 5, 2026

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