Director, Communications
Deadline for applications: March 24, 2024
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus — artists, leaders and thinkers — to unleash their creative potential.
We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as Minhrpa (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) — comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations — as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and 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.
Roles and Responsibilities
Reporting to executive director, marketing and communications, below are some key accountabilities:
Strategic Planning
- Works with the executive director, marketing & communications to understand and implement the strategic goals and business objectives of Banff Centre as they relate to communications.
- Working closely with executive director, marketing & 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 executive 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 and 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.
- Develop and manage crisis communications with senior leadership team.
- 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.
- Develop quality control mechanisms for all copy writing by the marketing and communications.
- Department ensuring that appropriate key messages are embedded, copy is fully proofed, edited and meets the requirements of the audience for whom it is being written.
Operational Management: Lead all communications operational decisions of the department along with the director of marketing and special projects in the absence of the managing director, events, production, marketing & communications.
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 and Interdivisional Cooperation:
- Fosters an internal culture that maintains the highest standards for customer service, excellence of staff, participant and guest experience, and fiscal, operational, and organizational integrity.
- 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 and including termination) to ensure policies, procedures, contractual, legislative and work culture expectations are met.
- Collaborates with the executive director, marketing & communications and Human Resources to develop succession planning for key positions as needed.
Qualifications and 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.
- Hands on leader, who can roll-up their sleeves to deliver.
- Sound knowledge of communications practices.
- 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.
Employment Terms and Benefits
In accordance with the terms of employment governing Management/PSP employees, this is a salaried, full-time position, subject to a 6-month probationary period.
The successful candidate will enjoy 20 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:
- Transitional 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!
Application Process
For more information and to apply, visit banffcentre.ca.
We are accepting applications for the director, communication position until 11:59pm MT March 24, 2024
Candidates offered a position with Banff Centre, in this capacity, will be required to obtain a criminal record check verifying a clear record before a final job offer can be finalized.
Visa Requirements: Candidates must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Banff Centre is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.
