Executive Director, Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs

Responsibilities:

Sets and guides the strategy for communications,
marketing, and public affairs initiatives at ECU. Provides
institutional leadership across multiple functional areas
including internal communications, public relations,
issues management, crisis communications, government
relations, brand strategy, reputation management,
enrolment marketing and community engagement.
• Leads the development and execution of the university’s
strategic communications plans, in consultation with the
President + Vice-Chancellor and the senior leadership
team.
• Provides trusted strategic communications counsel and
advice to the President’s Office and senior leadership
team. Sits on the President’s Executive Committee.
• Leads the development and delivery of ECU’s key
messages and supports strategic message development
across the university.
• Takes a collaborative approach to integrate and align
communications across the university, as well as
improving systems, processes, and workflows to increase
institutional communications capacity.
• Leads, develops, and empowers a Communications +
Marketing team of dedicated professionals. Develops and
implements the unit’s strategic and operational plans and
budgets and collaborates with supervisors on work and
project management.

Serves as a spokesperson and the primary point
person between the university and the media. Leads
the development of public announcements, exercises
judgment to prioritize media opportunities, and prepares
senior leaders for interviews.
• Directs crisis communications for the university. Develops
and maintains a crisis communication plan to ensure the
university is well-positioned to respond to an emerging
situation. Partners with internal stakeholders to develop
a comprehensive response strategy for emergency events.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships in the
external community, fostering connections within
media, government, community organizations, creative
industries, and the cultural sector. Represents ECU at
community events, appropriate organizations and on
committees.
• Develops and directs a government relations strategy
for building and strengthening relationships with elected
and appointed officials at the federal, provincial, and local
levels, with a focus on increasing their understanding of
and support for ECU. Serves as a liaison to government
officials and their staff.
• Provides informed advice and resources in support of
the government relations agenda. Directs the research
and development of materials including talking points,
briefing notes, presentations, and reports. Plans and
oversees campus visits, media conferences and other
events hosting government officials.
• Provides strategic, creative and editorial oversight for
the university’s brand identity. Leads the development
of resources and tools, including visual and writing style
guides, photo libraries, and templates. Maintains the
integrity of ECU’s brand and promotes the wide adoption
of brand guidelines and inclusive communication
practices.
• Leads the university’s digital strategy and determines
the vision and action plan for its web presence, in
collaboration with IT Services and other key stakeholders.
Directs the development, design and content strategy for
the university’s website, social media channels, and email
communications.

Conducts market research and analysis to help ensure
ECU’s communications and marketing programs are
based on data-driven decision-making. Sets performance
measures and evaluates activities for results and
effectiveness, refining strategies and redirecting resources
as required.
• Responsible for leading equity, diversity and inclusion
(EDI) initiatives within the portfolio, and ensures
communications programs are aligned with ECU’s
commitment to indigenization and decolonization.
Provides strategic communications support for the
university’s EDI action plan.
• Leads ECU’s enrollment marketing strategy, working
closely with the Vice-Provost, Students to establish
effective marketing plans that strengthen and expand
recruiting pipelines domestically and internationally.
Participates in and contributes to the university’s strategic
enrollment management planning process.
• Works with the Executive Director, Continuing Studies
to develop and direct communications and marketing
strategies to increase registration for ECU’s non-credit
certificates, courses, and programs.
• Works with the University Secretary and other stakeholders
to develop and maintain university policies related to the
portfolio, including university communications practices,
programs, and infrastructure.
• Provides regular updates on communication effectiveness
and implementation of the strategy to the President +
Vice-Chancellor, the senior leadership team, and the
Board of Governors as required.
• Performs other related duties as required