Communication Specialist, BORN - Permanent Full-Time (1.0)

Compensation Pay Range:

Job Description:

Funded by the Government of Ontario and administered by CHEO, the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario is Ontario’s prescribed perinatal, newborn, and child registry. BORN collects, interprets, shares, and rigorously protects high-quality data to support better outcomes for pregnant individuals, newborns, children, youth and families across the province. BORN provides trusted information and scientific leadership to support monitoring, evaluation, planning, quality improvement, research, and evidence-informed decision-making across Ontario’s maternal, child and youth health system.  

Are you passionate about better outcomes for pregnant individuals and their babies? Do you enjoy building strong relationships, and ensuring that important advances in health service delivery are widely shared and well understood? Do you enjoy working with an incredible team of subject matter experts who value clear and effective communications as much as you? BORN Ontario is seeking an effective and enthusiastic communications professional to strengthen awareness, understanding and engagement with BORN, its work, data products, initiatives and impact across the province.  

Effective communication is critical to achieving our mission. Our audiences include health-care providers, hospitals, public health units, researchers, government, provincial partners, families and other stakeholders. Clear, accessible, timely and audience-focused communications help ensure that BORN’s information, resources and initiatives are understood and can be used to support better care and better outcomes across Ontario. The Communications Specialist will work closely with subject matter experts, program teams and partners to plan, develop, edit and disseminate communications for BORN Ontario’s current and emerging priorities. The Specialist will develop and execute communications plans with measurable objectives; identify strategic communications opportunities; and use a range of internal and external channels, including the BORN website, social media, newsletters, webinars, events and other digital platforms, to reach priority audiences with clear and compelling content. The ideal candidate leads by example; draws on their experience to create and influence communications plans; is an effective storyteller; manages deadlines across multiple projects; builds lasting relationships; and works well as part of a team. 

• Support the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the communication strategy for BORN Ontario 

• Work closely with the Manager and other team members to develop, implement, evaluate and adjust communication strategies for various audiences and partners 

• Assist the Manager with continuous quality improvement of the communication plan, including the identification and review of key performance indicators for the plan 

• Provide communications support to BORN Ontario programs, projects, initiatives and organizational priorities 

• Identify strategic communication and marketing opportunities that arise to increase the awareness, understanding and visibility of BORN Ontario and its impact 

• Represent communications needs at team and working group meetings to ensure they are being considered and discussed as a part of work plans (e.g. timelines for editing, using style guide for consistency, using branding guidelines, translation requirements) 

• Review, edit or write public facing documents and platform content to ensure consistent language and style (e.g. one-page summaries, annual reports, etc.) 

• Attend and support working group meetings to gain knowledge and as needed, represent the communications work of BORN Ontario 

• Lead the planning and development of all platform and social media content 

• Work closely with clinical leads to identify and write relevant content such as member or organizational feature stories, blogs, posts to share through the website platform 

• Review key performance indicators about the platform and support its continuous improvement 

• Play a lead role in developing and implementing the BORN Ontario social media policy and strategy 

• Plan and coordinate communications for BORN Ontario events, conferences, webinars and engagement activities, including promotion, participant communications, content development and post-event follow-up public  

• Support website platform and website administrator 

• Support team with planning and communication of events and or meetings 

• Assist the Manager with media relations when required 

• Ensure that team members perform work in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and all CHEO Corporate/Departmental policies and procedures. Ensure that appropriate action is recommended for those team members who do not work in compliance with the Act 

• Perform other related duties as assigned by supervisor 

• Bachelor's degree in Communications or related field (Essential) 

• Five (5) years experience in the field of communications (Essential) 

• Experience in the health-care sector work specifically health promotion, health quality improvement and care (Essential)            

• Experience in government relations (Preferred) 

• Demonstrated interest in maternal and child health (Preferred) 

• Experience writing and executing communications plans (Essential) 

• Experience in developing communications products across a variety of channels and formats, including website management and social media platforms (Essential) 

• Familiarity with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) (Preferred) 

• Experience engaging with external partners and including their voice in communications’ products (Essential)                                                                                                                                

• Superior oral and written communication skills (Essential) 

• Superior organizational skills (Essential) 

• Ability to work independently and in a team environment (Essential) 

• Criminal Record Check (Level 1) (Essential) 

• Bilingualism (French/English) (Preferred) 

Effective March 29, 2021, CHEO will conduct a more comprehensive pre-screening and evaluation process.  This process may include more varied and multidimensional testing such as a written test, practical exam, or other assessment. All candidates who meet the essential and preferred qualifications may be tested.

Bilingualism (French/English) will be validated by a language proficiency assessment conducted by a third party provider. Candidates will be required to meet the minimum linguistic profile prior to the date of hire.