We’re Hiring! Join my team as Communications and Digital Operations Advisor

Job Posting: Communications and Digital Operations Advisor

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute your skills in communications, digital media, and public affairs to one of Toronto’s most diverse and engaged constituencies in Beaches-East York.

This is a fast-paced, highly rewarding role with an equal emphasis on providing strong strategic communications support for the Councillor’s office, ensuring quality customer service, and creating community impact and outreach through consistent, frequent, and engaging content for residents and stakeholders.

What can you expect to do?

• Develop and execute communications strategy and content on key policy and action areas across local and city-wide issues.
• Steward a strategic plan of key communications projects and priorities that connect policy, storytelling, and civic engagement to communicate the work and vision of the Councillor.
• Play a key role in supporting Councillor’s communications strategy by helping to research and develop multimedia content, news releases, editorials (op-eds), website posts, and other communications tools.
• Provide briefing materials, strategic advice, and policy recommendations for the Councillor on City Council and Committees files.
• Identify and connect emerging issues and current topics in relation to City Council and Committee deliberations.
• Take a proactive approach to developing and executing digital communication initiatives – crafting content and communications that “open the doors” of municipal politics.
• Record and edit digital and video content that uses visual storytelling to highlight the Councillor’s projects and activities in the Ward.
• Organize and maintain an online archive of digital media assets to be used in a range of formats.
• Support the Councillor’s team by responding to inquiries about Councillor Bradford’s position on topical political issues.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders (City of Toronto) and external stakeholders (such as community groups, residents, and non-profits) to support and grow relevant initiatives.
• Organize communications and interest to highlight the Councillor’s policy work for local and national media.
• Lead on digital initiatives that contribute to increasing the availability and accessibility of information to constituents, including through the Councillor’s website and social media channels.
• Keep Councillor Bradford and his team up to date on current events, emerging trends, and areas for policy and communications engagement.
• Contribute to management of the Councillor’s social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc) including sharing updates on key activities with content tailored to interests of specific constituencies.
• Support the Councillor’s team by triaging resident inquiries through social media, monitoring tags and mentions, and growing online impact.
• Prepare key messages, talking points and speaking notes for media inquiries and events.
• Lead production of the Councillor’s bi-annual household newsletter.
• Other duties as needed to support the team’s work.

What would make you successful in this role?

• 2+ years’ experience in a communications and/or public relations role, ideally in a political, policy, or government setting.
• 2+ years’ experience developing and managing digital media for an organization, ideally in a political or government context.
• Being an exceptional writer and vision crafter, with an ability to adapt your style to the Councillor’s voice and key messages, and to tailor content style for different media and audiences.
• Experience with digital media tools including Adobe Suite, Canva, and social media platforms.
• Being a self-starter, proactively seeking opportunities to communicate and leverage the Councillor’s work locally, and city-wide through narrative and media content.
• Having a desire to translate knowledge to make City Hall more accessible and interesting to the community, particularly on big policy debates and issues of importance to Ward 19, Beaches-East York.
• Bringing a strong customer service orientation, with a desire to connect with communities, develop dialogue, and grow engagement and outreach.
• Offering an ability to thrive in a self-driven, fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders, changing priorities and limited daily direction.
• Existing network of media contacts a bonus.

What are the challenges?

• The work requires some evening and weekend availability, though there are often opportunities to prepare materials in advance.
• The work environment is fast-paced and reflects the frequently reactive or shifting priorities typical within political life.
• We are an agile and creative team, and have high expectations for attention to the small things as well as the big – in a public facing role, each interaction matters.
• No job is too big or small and our whole team gets its hands dirty, whether that’s helping with event set-up or simply jumping in to answer the phones.

What’s in it for you?

• An opportunity to produce compelling content to engage residents in the issues that matter most to them while honing your skills as a communicator and creator.
• Experiencing the ins and outs of municipal government and City Hall politics.
• Exposure to a wide range of issues affecting the City of Toronto, Canada’s largest city and seventh largest government.
• A supportive culture that encourages training and learning opportunities, with a growth-oriented feedback culture.
• Generous salary and benefits package in line with public sector standards.
• Flexible work schedule with advance notice, including ability for occasional work from home.
• Three weeks’ vacation after probation period ends.

How to apply:

Using the subject line “Application – Communications and Digital Operations Advisor”, please email your resume, cover letter and a short portfolio of your work to:

Ashley Millman, Chief of Staff

[email protected]