Position: Senior Officer - Communications - Corporate
Salary Range: $ 72,542– $ 86,509 – Band 6
Location: Communications & Engagement Services, J.W. Singleton Centre
Work Schedule: 35 hours/week, 12 months/year
Effective Date: October 9, 2023
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Manager, Communication & Engagement Services, the Senior Communications Officer will assist in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of communications and engagement strategies to strengthen relationships between the Board, its employees, students, parents/guardians and community stakeholders.
An excellent relationship builder with superior organizational skills, the Senior Communications Officer will provide communications, media and social media expertise to senior administration, school administrators, Board department managers to build and support their programs, projects, Board public consultations, community meetings and Board committee reviews.
The Senior Communications Officer implements communications strategies that reflect well on the Board and enhance its public image.
The HDSB recently introduced a Work from Home Administrative Procedure. In accordance with this Administrative Procedure and with the approval of the immediate supervisor, employees who work at HDSB administrative sites may work from home for up to 50% of their regularly scheduled hours. Work from Home arrangements may change based on the future needs of the Board. The HDSB offers funding for professional development in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of Employment for management and administration support staff.
Key Responsibilities:
Plans, develops and implements internal and external communications plans and programs to promote Board initiatives and successes.
Provides communications advice and social media expertise to Board department staff and school administrators.
Proofreads/edits all Board publications including Director’s Annual Report, Multi-Year Strategic Plan, website content and digital communications, etc. and provides writing expertise and editing skills to assist in the rewriting of content.
Provides support to schools, administrators, Board staff and departments with the goal of improving communication efforts between the Board, schools, employees, parents/guardians and educational stakeholders.
Researches, interviews and writes articles/stories and takes photographs/video content for inclusion in various board publications and website.
Provides media relations expertise: Responds to media inquiries to provide timely and accurate information, gathers information for media requests, determines spokesperson for media inquiries, assists in preparing remarks concerning media requests, responds to concerns from members of the public concerning media reports.
Develops professional collegial relationships with reporters in various media outlets.
Monitors local and national education stories in the media (daily).
Prepares and writes news releases concerning Board issues and events, distributes news releases to external and internal audiences via email, website and social media.
Proactively shares positive Halton education stories with members of the media to enhance the public image of the Board and public education.
Assists in developing messages for Board spokesperson or for staff members regarding sensitive education issues.
Assists in providing media training for administrators and the senior team.
Maintains contact list of media (newspaper, television, radio and web) for Halton Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
Cover board events (Special Olympics Track Meet, art exhibits, etc.) and creates photo reels of the day’s activities and posts online.
Assists administrators in preparing communication to parents/guardians regarding a safety issue or incident at their school.
Implements communication plans for the promotion of public meetings/events.
Promotes staff achievements and recognition.
Monitors and maintains the content on the Board’s website to ensure accuracy andInitiates contact with departments and schools concerning out-of-date content.
Qualifications:
University degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism. A related degree with a postgraduate program in Corporate Communications/Public Relations also considered.
Five (5) years of relevant work experience including media relations, issues management, social media (advertising, campaigns, etc.).
Savvy political acumen.
Outstanding writing and strategic communication planning skills, including writing content for the web and social media, and strong oral communications skills.
Video and photography skills an asset.
Outstanding interpersonal skills including discretion, tact and diplomacy skills.
Understanding of all major software and online applications (e.g,. Google Workspace; MS Office).
Highly effective time management skills with the ability to prioritize workload.
Valid G Driver’s License and access to a vehicle.
Applications, along with your resume and other supporting documents must be submitted through Apply to Education – https://hdsb.simplication.com/WLSBLogin.aspx by
4:00 p.m. on Wednesday September 27, 2023
Job Category: MASS (Management & Professionals) - Job Code # 3600165
We thank all applicants for their interest in opportunities with the Halton District School Board. Contact will be made with applicants whose experience and qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position. Communication with short-listed applicants will be made through the email address provided on the applicants’ Apply To Education profile page.
First consideration for posted vacancies will be given to qualified applicants from the employee group in which the vacancy occurs.
Equity:
The Halton District School Board recognizes that, consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, employment practices and procedures at all levels should reflect, demonstrate understanding of and respond to a diverse population. The Board is committed to providing a workplace environment that is fair and equitable to all.
In our efforts to ensure an inclusive, diverse and representative workforce, we will:
value, promote and encourage the hiring of staff from under-represented communities;
grant first consideration, where the skills, ability, and qualifications of the applicants are relatively equal, to applicants who self-identify as members of historically under-represented communities. Where a collective agreement or terms and conditions govern the hiring or promotional process, this will be done in a manner that is consistent with the School Board’s obligations.
Applicant Self Identification Questions:
As part of the recruitment and selection function, the HDSB will collect voluntary self identification data from applicants in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, HDSB’s Teacher Hiring Practices Administrative Procedure, HDSB’s Employment Equity Policy and Ontario’s Anti Racism Data Standards:
Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Anti-Racism Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 15, in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56. In accordance with HDSB’s Employment Equity Policy, personal information collected on this form will aim to achieve an inclusive, diverse and representative workforce. It works to intentionally identify and remove barriers for equity-deserving communities at each stage of the hiring process. Encouraging diversity of the workforce in the school board is vital because the workforce should be reflective and representative of the community.
Although hiring policies must adhere to the qualification requirements set out in applicable Regulations (eg. Regulation 298, “Operation of Schools – General”) and any applicable collective agreement provisions, the Board recognizes the importance of the following when developing its selection and evaluation criteria:
valuing applicants’ additional experience, lived experience, skills, backgrounds and perspectives; and
granting first consideration, where the skills, ability, and qualifications of the applicants are relatively equal, to applicants who self-identify as members of historically under-represented communities.
We encourage you to respond to our voluntary applicant self-identification questions. This data will inform our understanding of the diversity of our applicant pool as well as the progress of applicants throughout the hiring process. This data will inform our goals, strategies and actions and our progress towards creating and sustaining an inclusive and equitable workforce. Any information that you provide in response to these questions will be referred to during the hiring process for this position, and will be shared with the hiring manager and/or committee members responsible for the hiring process.
The section includes questions from Ontario’s Anti-Racism Data Standards (Standards, 2017). The Standards were established to help identify and monitor systemic racism and racial disparities within the public sector. The Standards establish consistent, effective practices for producing reliable information to support evidence-based decision-making and public accountability to help eliminate systemic racism and promote racial equity (adapted from Ontario’s Anti-Racism Data Standards, 2017).
Questions about this collection may be directed to Marsha Sulewski, Supervisor of Staffing and Recruiting at
[email protected].
Accommodation:
Upon request, we will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates who have temporary or permanent disability, or who otherwise require accommodations based on the protected grounds highlighted in the Ontario Human Rights Code in respect to the recruitment and selection process.
Wellness:
The HDSB is committed to providing a respectful and healthy work environment.
