Senior Communications Officer

Job Description

Senior Communications Officer

Reporting Relationships: This position reports into the Senior Director, Communications.

Position Mandate: Our client is seeking a Senior Communications Officer with deep experience across a broad range of strategic and hands-on communications functions, including storytelling, media relations, publications, digital communications, and stakeholder engagement.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Communications, this role is a senior individual contributor and key member of a small, high-performing communications team. The Senior Communications Officer helps execute Our client’s communications strategy across channels and initiatives to drive awareness and engagement among priority audiences.

Our client is an NFP based in Canada, and supports one of the world’s top-ranked research institutions based in Israel.

Key Responsibilities will include:

• Write, edit, and proofread clean, accurate copy for print and digital platforms, including stories, news articles, media materials, web copy, platform-appropriate social media content, newsletters, ad copy, donor- facing materials, and event communications
• Translate complex scientific material into clear, compelling copy for diverse audiences
• Develop, contribute to, and help execute cross-channel communications plans
• Develop targeted media pitches, backgrounders, key messages, and briefing materials; serve as a point of contact for media inquiries and help secure earned media coverage
• Conduct interviews with scientists, partners, and stakeholders to support storytelling and content development
• Support the production of print and digital publications and marketing materials, including liaising with designers, printers, and vendors as needed
• Help update and maintain website content using a content management system and provide recommendations to improve performance and user experience
• Develop and manage communications content calendars
• Track, analyze, and report on communications performance across channels using tools like Google Analytics and platform insights to inform continual improvement
• Support integrated marketing and communications campaigns across web, social, email, and print channels
• Ensure all materials adhere to brand standards and organizational style guidelines
• Contribute to other communications projects and initiatives as needed

Competencies:

Leadership

• Sound judgment and decision-making skills
• Demonstrates effective organizational leadership and an ability to assess situations realistically
• Encourages team members toward team goals, supports team processes and promotes harmony among team members
• Communicates leads and / or supports change initiatives to move the organization forward, demonstrating flexibility toward new approaches and taking informed risks
• Creates and maintains a productive environment
• Communicates or seeks out clear expectations
• Models positive examples and openly acknowledges the achievements of others

Donor Service

• Provides prompt and positive service to donors and volunteers
• Demonstrates commitment to increasing donor and volunteer satisfaction
• Has strong interpersonal skills

Initiative

• Looks for opportunities to improve the workplace and recommends needed change in a timely manner
• Takes action and responsibility to complete what is necessary in the absence of being given specific direction

Excellence

• Consistently accurate
• Consistently thorough
• Effectively juggles multiple tasks, work demands and shifting priorities in a
• positive manner, ensuring deadlines are met

Critical/Analytical Thinking

• Critically reviews, analyzes, compares and interprets information
• Draws conclusions from relevant or missing information
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Communicates problems and resolutions to the Vice President in a timely manner

Effective Communication

• Adapts communication for the audience to optimize understanding
• Clearly and appropriately expresses information and his/her desires or needs

Integrity

• Demonstrates professionalism, confidentiality and commitment to the institution
• Makes and lives up to commitments, and follows up with team members to ensure satisfaction of commitments made to others

Collaboration / Teamwork

• Keeps colleagues in the loop on projects
• Seeks interaction with members of the team
• Demonstrates knowledge of or interest in knowing what other team members do
• Values the opinions of others and is open to divergent points of view
• Volunteers help when appropriate
• Responds well to requests from team members
• Demonstrates knowledge about the interconnectivity of his/her own procedures with those of other team members

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field; a master’s degree is an asset
• Minimum five to seven years of recent, progressive experience in communications, preferably within a research, academic, or nonprofit environment
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with a record of producing engaging copy for print and digital channels with minimal revision (Canadian Press style)
• Highly skilled at translating complex material into clear content for diverse audiences
• Experience planning and executing multi-channel communications initiatives, including content development, media relations, and digital communications
• Hands-on experience managing media relations, including creating media plans, writing pitches and briefing materials, and responding to media inquiries
• Strong digital communications experience, including website content management (WordPress), social media platforms, and performance measurement using analytics
• Excellent and efficient research, interviewing, and fact-checking skills, with a high level of attention to accuracy and detail
• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities
• Excellent judgment, professionalism, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders
• Experience using digital analytics tools, including Google Analytics, to track performance, produce reports, make recommendations, and inform decisions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Working knowledge of emerging tools and technologies, including artificial intelligence applications relevant to communications

Assets:

• Experience in a nonprofit or fundraising environment
• Experience with fundraising platforms (e.g., Raiser’s Edge)
• Experience using media monitoring and management tools (e.g., Meltwater)
• Experience using Adobe Creative Suite or similar design tools
• Experience using Asana or similar project management tools