Senior Director, Strategic Communications

University of Ottawa

$161K — $201K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in communication, public relations, journalism, or related field, or equivalent experience
  • 10+ years of experience in strategic communications within complex organizations
  • 7+ years managing teams and operating budgets
  • Expertise in communications governance and integrated planning
  • Proficiency in French and strong English writing skills
  • Understanding of the higher education sector and its governance is a plus
  • Demonstrated leadership in change management

Responsibilities

  • Develop and assess communications strategies aligned with university priorities
  • Establish governance for effective internal and external communication
  • Lead integrated communications plans balancing various university needs
  • Advise senior leadership on executive communications and major announcements
  • Implement internal communication strategies for staff engagement and transparency
  • Collaborate with public affairs to manage communications during high-risk situations
  • Oversee resources to ensure effective delivery of communications services
  • Monitor trends and evaluate communication effectiveness to enhance impact

Benefits

  • Professional development opportunities
  • Collaborative work environment
  • Access to university resources and facilities
  • Comprehensive health benefits
  • Retirement plan options
Full Job Description
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Posting Reason:
New Position

Job Type:
Employee

Job Family:
Communications and Advisory Services

Faculty/Service - Department:
Office of Communications and Public Affairs

Campus:
Main Campus

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):
2026/07/22

Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):
2026/08/10

Salary Grade:
Non-Union Grade NM5

Salary Range:
$161 546,00 - $201 932,00

Position Purpose:

Provides strategic leadership on communications governance and integrated communications planning at the University, namely in areas of strategy, corporate and executive communications, internal communications and messaging alignment across the central administration, working under the chief communications and marketing officer. Ensures consistency in communications so that all University messaging, whether strategic, operational, reputational or executive, conveys a unified narrative to advance the University's long-term priorities.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:
  • Develops, implements and assesses communications strategies throughout the University in support of its strategic priorities, working closely with the chief communications and marketing officer and with senior University leadership.
  • Establishes governance for University communications through shared processes, workflows and standards for teams on campus to ensure that internal and external communications are consistent and effective.
  • Leads the development and implementation of integrated communications plans that set out objectives, audiences, channels, indicators and timelines, balancing University priorities and operational needs of decentralized administrative units.
  • Offers expert advice to senior leadership on University communications, and supervises executive communications, major University announcements and governance-related messaging to bolster the University's storytelling and priorities while adhering to policy and regulatory requirements.
  • Leads the development and implementation of overall internal communications strategies, partnering with the administrative sectors on this development work, to strengthen staff engagement, transparency and support for institutional change initiatives. Establishes governance, standards and planning frameworks related to these strategies to ensure timely, accessible, unified communications.
  • Works closely with the public affairs, media relations and issues management team to provide input on communications strategies for sensitive, high-risk or crisis situations and build partnerships with the faculties and services, ensuring a unified, consistent, well-prepared response to emerging issues.
  • Plans, organizes, directs and monitors the human, financial and material resources under own responsibility (guidance, employee development and engagement, budgeting, service providers) to ensure effective service delivery and accountability to the chief communications and marketing officer.
  • Establishes performance indicators for communications, evaluates their effectiveness and identifies opportunities to improve impact, efficiency and integration, thereby supporting strategic decision-making and proving the value of this function.
  • Monitors emerging trends and best practices in communications, maintains strong relationships with communications leads throughout the University and makes recommendations to the chief communications and marketing officer to ensure University communications are high quality, relevant and scalable.


What you will bring:
  • Bachelor's degree in communication, public relations, journalism or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience
  • Ten (10) years' experience in strategic communications within complex organizations
  • Seven (7) years' experience in managing teams of professionals, including supporting managers in handling operating budgets and optimizing costs
  • High standard of strategic and policy judgment, and ability to advise senior leadership on sensitive issues within a vast, complex, fast-moving environment
  • Proven experience in communications governance, integrated planning and executive communications
  • Significant experience in collaboration on issues management and communications in light of organizational change
  • Excellent writing skills in French and very strong English writing proficiency
  • In-depth understanding of the higher education sector, governance of the sector and relevant stakeholders (an asset)
  • Inspiring leadership and proven experience in change management


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