Director, Communications
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus—artists, leaders, and thinkers—to unleash their creative potential.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity acknowledges, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain, in the beautiful and special territory of Treaty 7. We recognize the past, present, and future generations of Stoney Nakoda, Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina Nations, and Métis from Region 3, who help us steward this land, as well as honour and celebrate this place.
The Opportunity
The director, communications has the specific responsibility to raise the profile of Banff Centre to local, provincial, national and international audiences as Canada’s leading arts and leadership training institute and one of the largest in the world. The director, communications will have extensive contacts in the media world across Canada, a proven track record in developing major public relations and media relations campaigns, as well as experience managing high profile assignments. The director, communications will understand how conventional, digital and social media campaigns must be coordinated to ensure maximum impact. The director will be familiar with building a content dissemination strategy to include as part of the Banff Centre communication strategy.
Specific Accountabilities
The director, communications reports directly to the managing director, events, production, marketing and communications, and leads specific responsibilities including public and stakeholder relations, media relations, media partnerships, corporate communications, internal communications, crisis communications, and donor/development communications.
As part of the management team, the position advises and assists the chief advancement officer (development office), the vice president, external relations and the vice president arts, leadership, and the director of marketing in defining elements of the annual marketing and communications plan and the long-term operation of marketing, development and communications.
The position carries overall responsibility for the communications and public relations budget and systems development. The incumbent will be required to be agile, flexible and able to simplify information for a wide range of stakeholders and audiences. The incumbent will be able to forecast medium and long-term planning as well as be accountable for the planning, day-to-day management, and delivery of a number of communication initiatives. The incumbent will also have extensive writing experience for institutional/corporate, internal, development, website, marketing, media, and public relations communications pieces.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning
- Works with the managing director, events, production, marketing and communications to understand and implement the strategic goals and business objectives of Banff Centre as they relate to communications.
- Working closely with managing director, events, production, marketing and communications and team members to develop and execute strategies to communicate key messages to multiple stakeholder groups and audiences.
- Lead and develop the media relations strategy and media relationships for the Centre.
- Work closely with the chief advancement officer and the director, development on annual donor communications plan.
- Work collaboratively with programming and other Banff Centre stakeholders to develop and execute the Banff Centre strategic plan for community outreach/community involvement.
Internal & External Communications
- Be responsible for internal and external communications for Banff Centre.
- Extensive corporate writing of strategy documents, annual reports and donor publications.
- Work closely with president and other members of executive team on the preparation of corporate materials including speech writing and institutional presentations.
- Working with the development team to assist with communications strategy for and the alumni relations program.
- Lead and develop the internal communications strategy.
- Develop tools and processes for managing effective internal and out-going communications.
- In cooperation with community partners develop, promote and manage initiatives to strengthen the place of Banff Centre as a vibrant and integral force locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Special Projects
- Take on specific responsibility for certain special projects. This will include some key writing assignments, and/ or producing corporate events, employee events, or assisting development on major fundraising initiatives to attract national or international media attention.
Operational Management
- Works with the managing director, events, production, marketing and communications to understand the goals and business objectives of Banff Centre as they relate to communications.
- Accountable for the planning, day-to-day management, and delivery of a number of communication initiatives.
Financial Management
- Develops annual budget in accordance with budget guidelines and targets; manages and works within annual departmental budget.
Relationship Building
- Contributes to the enhancement and safeguarding of the reputation and image of the Banff Centre with the community and the general public.
- Maintains regular contact with all departmental directors to discuss opportunities and issues affecting stakeholder groups.
Human Resource Management, Team Building & Interdivisional Cooperation
- Enables the staff to function as a high performing team at all times, maintaining open communication, clear objectives and priorities, and a culture of positive behavioral intent that is consistent and in alignment with Banff Centre values and is welcoming and inclusive, supporting a diverse workforce.
- Ensures that employees fully understand their roles, responsibilities, and performance standards and provide ongoing formal and informal feedback, coaching and support as employees strive to achieve expectations.
- Ensures a positive and safe work environment for all Banff employees, aligned with Banff Centre’s policies including but not limited to code of ethics, anti-harassment policies, contractual obligations, and strategic directions.
- Works closely with the human resources team in all aspects of human resource management including hiring, training, payroll, discipline (up to an including termination) to ensure policies, procedures, contractual, legislative and work culture expectations are met. Ensures employee time reporting and overtime is recorded accurately in the time keeping system meeting as per established payroll deadlines is executed as it relates to the collective agreement and Terms of Employment governing management and program, supervisory and professional (PSP) employees.
Stakeholder Relationships
- Contributes to the overall success of Banff Centre by participating in internal committees as required.
- Interprets the impact of decisions and policies on the Centre’s ability to promote and profile Banff Centre.
- Represents Banff Centre externally and convey the case for the Centre at multiple and varied public events.
Qualification & Educational Requirements
- 10+ years of communications, production or journalism experience.
- A minimum of bachelor’s degree in a related area.
- Communications management experience for a large not-for-profit organization.
- Experience in the post-secondary sector, arts, or media and production sector and a strong understanding of the unique mandate and operation of Banff Centre is desirable.
- Extensive writing experience of institutional, development and media communications in an engaging manner.
- Depth of experience working with the media; understands media relationships and enjoys stewarding these relationships.
- Strong network of national contacts.
- Solid experience with public relations, internal and fundraising communications.
- Creatively focused with strategic abilities to navigate a complex offering.
- Agile, flexible and able to simplify information for a wide range of stakeholders and audiences.
- A record of exemplary judgement within a management framework in a complex environment is essential to this position.
- Exemplary leadership skills with strong experience in team-building and staff motivation.
- Strategic planning and budget planning and management experience.
- Ability to analyze, plan and implement at the big picture as well as program level.
- Superior inter-personal skills and exemplary oral and written communication skills.
- Ability and experience in managing multiple projects with appropriate attention to detail.
- Ability to operate with ambiguity.
The candidate must have a deep appreciation for the arts, education and mountain culture, and understand how to tell the Banff Centre story through conventional and digital means.
Special Requirements
This position will be working remotely temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will be required to work from the office in Banff, AB once the restrictions are lifted.
Employment Terms
In accordance with the terms of employment governing management/PSP employees, this is a permanent, full-time position, subject to a six-month probationary period.
The successful candidate will enjoy twenty paid vacation days and four personal days annually, extended medical and dental benefits, and participation in an employer-matched pension plan.
Benefits of working at Banff Centre are:
- Staff housing options (based on availability)
- Professional Development
- Staff cafeteria and restaurant discounts
- Onsite fitness facility at a discounted rate—first month free for new staff!
- Free or reduced admission to Banff Centre performance and events
Application Process
Please apply directly on our Banff Centre careers page located on our website, visit phe.tbe.taleo.net.
Please include a cover letter demonstrating how your experience translates to this position and why you are interested in becoming part of our team.
We will be accepting applications for director, communications until a suitable candidate is located.
Candidates offered a position with Banff Centre will be required to obtain a criminal record check verifying a clear record before a final job offer can be finalized.
