Jobline: Senior Communications Manager, Media Relations and Issues Management

Position Title	Senior Communications Manager, Media Relations and Issues Management
Department/Unit	Communications, Marketing & Creative Services
Location	Halifax
Posting Number	S131-22
Employee Group	DPMG
Position Type	Term
Duration of Contract (if applicable)	Three Years
Employment Type	Full Time
Full-time Equivalency (FTE)	1.0
Salary	$69,657 - $94,244 per annum
Classification	ADM-07
Provisional Statement	This is a provisional classification. Formal classification procedures will be initiated by the Job Design Unit in approximately six months.
About Dalhousie University	Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region’s intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our more than 20,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.
Job Summary	The Communications, Marketing, and Creative Services (CMC) team are responsible for stewarding and enhancing the reputation and awareness of Dalhousie University through brand leadership, communications, marketing, public relations, community and stakeholder relations, creative services, media relations, issues management, and crisis communications. Reporting to the Associate Director, Media Relations & Issues Management, the Senior Communications Manager, Media Relations & Issues Management is responsible for enhancing and protecting Dalhousie’s reputation and profile, through anticipating potential contentious issues, analyzing risks, and responding quickly with strategies, messaging, and recommendations on how best to respond.
Key Responsibilities	Exercise a high degree of judgment and sensitivity in dealing with real and potential issues and handle highly confidential matters with the utmost discretion. Anticipate and proactively prepare for issues by ensuring the University’s position is clearly defined and shared with key stakeholders in advance. Prepare and share communications plans, summary documents, briefing notes, key messages and supporting documents. Maintain the university’s principal relationship with the news media and foster strategic relationships with local, regional, national and international media. Develop accurate, strategic responses to media inquiries that protect and enhance Dalhousie’s reputation. Act as university spokesperson when required. Arrange interviews, identify subject matter experts, prepare background information and coach and debrief with subject matter experts. Carefully monitor social media and traditional media to identify emerging and/or likely stories, issues, and trends which could impact the university in a positive or negative manner and advise action to mitigate risk. Serve as an integral member of the CMC team and participate fully in developing plans and in achieving the university’s and the unit’s strategic plan goals, while developing key relationships and credibility across campus. Note This job can entail time commitments outside of regular university work hours. The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.
Note	Dalhousie has a vaccine mandate that is currently in place until April 30, 2022. Should the vaccine mandate be in place at the time that the successful applicant begins employment, or should the vaccine mandate be re-implemented at a later date, the successful applicant will be required to provide proof of full vaccination through Campus Check, or may seek an accommodation from Dalhousie’s vaccine requirements on grounds protected under provincial human rights legislation. Please visit the Campus Check website for more information.
Qualifications	University degree, preferably in public relations, journalism or communications, planning, or business, plus at least seven years’ experience in communications, or public relations, with demonstrated skills in issues management and media relations in progressively more senior roles, preferably in a post-secondary educational or large, complex organization setting. An equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered. Candidates should have extensive experience in successfully developing and executing reputation management, issues management, strategic communications plans, programs and initiatives. Extensive experience in media relations with established relationships with national, regional and local media is required with demonstrated experience in managing issues in high stress, crisis or critical situations. Experience as a spokesperson would be a strong asset. A broad knowledge of new/emerging technology options for media relations is required. A strong background in analyzing and managing issues around social media platforms is preferred.
Job Competencies	The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s core and leadership competencies (https://www.dal.ca/dept/leaders.html), in particular: - Respect & Inclusion - Adaptability - Thinking and Acting Strategically - Relationship Building
Additional Information	Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a defined benefit pension plan, health and dental plans, a health spending account, an employee and family assistance program and a tuition assistance program.
Application Consideration	Applications from current university employees and external candidates are assessed concurrently. Current university employees will be given special consideration. We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or Human Resources.
Diversity Statement	Dalhousie University is committed to fostering a collegial culture grounded in diversity and inclusiveness. The university encourages applications from Indigenous persons (especially Mi’kmaq), persons with a disability, racialized persons, including persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), women, persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. For more information, please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity.

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies	1
Open Date	03/29/2022
Close Date	04/29/2022
Open Until Filled	No
Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting	https://dal.peopleadmin.ca/postings/9503

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

Résumé / Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Optional Documents

Cover Letter