Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is our country’s leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth involved in the child welfare system. We raise and grant funds and deliver a wide range of high-impact programs and services in partnership with 74 child- and youth-serving agencies across the country that support more than 19,300 vulnerable young people and 4,200 families annually.

Stand Up for Kids is our national public movement uniting caring Canadians in changing the futures of our nation’s most vulnerable kids – those who have experienced abuse and neglect. We know that by helping these young people to overcome their trauma and break the cycle for future generations, they gain the strength and resilience to create a lifetime of their own unstoppable successes.

The Foundation is a dynamic and growing organization committed to the long term growth and stability of funding for child welfare programs across the country. Our staff members are a highly committed team of professionals who are dedicated to delivering excellence and maximizing the social value of donations and volunteer contributions to child welfare in Canada.

Purpose of the Position

The Vice President Communications, Brand and Marketing plays a pivotal role developing and executing strategies that create greater awareness, elevate the work of the Foundation and its reputation as a national leader in child welfare that ultimately drives donations critical to the Foundation’s work. The VP is a member of the Executive leadership team reporting to the CEO and working in partnership with the Chief Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer and the Senior Director of Finance and Admin.

The VP is responsible for the Foundation’s overall marketing communications portfolio and digital experience and will play a strategic role in developing and executing key marketing communications, thought leadership/reputation building, and public engagement at the Foundation with the following areas of focus: 1) leading the Foundation’s brand strategy, corporate communications, and thought leadership; 2) amplifying the overall philanthropic and fundraising goals of the Foundation through cross-team collaboration on key public facing campaigns (owned, earned, paid); 3) leading a cross-functional team to articulate and elevate the Foundation’s government relations and advocacy activities and 4) leading public engagement via production and execution of high quality, high impact signature awareness raising, revenue generating and mission delivery events.

The VP will be an experienced senior communications leader who understands that a strong brand and impact-centric narrative is critical to creating awareness and inspiring action with key stakeholders: prospective and existing donors and supporters, government (all levels), journalists, influencers and the general public. Understands the power of the digital universe including the importance of building and growing a community of supporters committed to advancing the messages the Foundation in a way that grows the influence of the organization as a national leader in child welfare.

The candidate is a proven strategic thinker and change manager with the ability to participate in discussions and decisions impacting the organization as a whole. Comfortable setting priorities and leading a team, managing budgets and executing against associated Key Performance Indicators inside a growth-minded organization.

The role has a team of five with two direct reports.

This is a fast paced, cross-team collaborative environment with multiple priorities and competing deadlines.

Responsibilities

Brand Strategy, Corporate Communications and Thought Leadership – 40%

• Responsible for the Foundation’s overall brand strategy and stewardship, reputation and thought leadership including: corporate communications materials such as brand playbook, brand training and style guidelines, corporate publications (Strategic Plan, Annual Reports, Impact reports etc), key messages, standard responses etc.
• Leads the Foundation’s editorial strategy and digital experience/presence, including website, blog, social media, email communications and newsletter
• Develop and execute high impact media, public relations and thought leadership strategies and plans, elevating the impact and visibility of the Foundation’s programs and profile of the CEO across the country
• Provide expertise on issues management and key message/standard responses as required
• Lead and execute marketing materials for fundraising campaigns and paid (or pro bono) advertising programs
• Develop and track meaningful Foundation level performance indicators as well as Marketing and Public Engagement team’s annual objectives tied to the overall priorities of the organization
• Negotiate and manage external vendor and supplier contracts and agency relationships
• Work with a cross-functional team on annual reputational surveys with key stakeholders
• Support Brand Advisory Council meetings, alongside the CEO and Board member Chair

Government Relations and Advocacy – 20%

• Responsible for leading a cross-functional task force to develop and execute strategic GR and advocacy programs activities
• Collaborate with external partners to support Foundation’s overall GR and advocacy plan and short and long term advocacy/policy change goals
• Responsible for executing tactical aspects of the plan alongside CEO, external partners and other team members as required

Supporting Revenue Generation – 20%

• Support the Development team in achieving annual fundraising revenue goals through the development and execution of fundraising campaigns, tactics and materials (offline and online, owned, earned and paid)
• Collaborate on high impact/high value marketing communications stewardship strategies
• Support fundraising proposal and impact report writing, editing and publishing
• Working with the CEO, CDO and key volunteer leaders, identify and cultivate relationships and develop strategies to assist in securing funding from new and/or expanded government sources
• Support the development team with direct marketing, advertising and e-communications strategies to increase the prospect base of potential donors across all fundraising channels

Public Engagement/Signature Events – 15%

• Provide strategic oversight of the logistics and planning for all aspects of Foundation signature fundraising, awareness and mission delivery events ensuring highest quality donor/guest experience and a cause-centric approach
• Responsible for partner and vendor relationships, expense budgets

Team leadership, capacity building – 5%

• Lead a cross functional team of 5 (2021-2022) staff including active coaching and mentoring, professional development plans, determining of individual and team metrics, and conducting annual performance reviews
• Provide annual and ad-hoc brand training and consultation to staff team, ensuring a high degree of brand understanding and consistent application

Core Competencies

• 10+ years of experience in brand building integrated marketing communications with experience in areas such as: corporate communications, public affairs, government relations, digital marketing communications and community cultivation/engagement online, advertising
• University or college degree in communications, public relations, public affairs, marketing or equivalent experience
• Proven creative and strategic thinker with the ability to bring the organization’s key strategic priorities to market in a high quality, impactful manner
• Proven success developing and executing thought leadership, corporate communications and media/public relations campaigns
• Established professional network of media, public relations, public affairs, government stakeholders and influencers (provincial, federal)
• Experience in developing and executing high impact awareness building and fundraising multi-channel campaigns
• Experience in acquisition and conversion campaigns, with preference to marketing/revenue generating campaigns (offline/online)

Personal Attributes

• Superior interpersonal and relationship management skills, able to communicate at all levels with confidence, sound judgement and tact
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Excellent organization, planning and administrative skills
• Natural leader – creative, positive and solutions oriented, comfortable setting/negotiating priorities within a matrixed organization
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance results to meet deadlines in a fast paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to work closely with various stakeholders including Board and Committee members

How To Apply:

CAFC provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We offer a family-friendly environment that allows for flexible work arrangements in order to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy work-life balance.

CAFC provides a comprehensive benefits package including extended health, four weeks’ vacation and membership in a defined benefit pension plan.

Note that currently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CAFC staff are working remotely. Ultimately, when it is safe to do so, our goal is to work out of the CAFC offices, located in downtown Toronto.

If you are Black, Indigenous, a person of colour, a member of the LGBTQ2S+ community or a member of the disability community, we actively seek your interest and warmly welcome your application.

If you would like to apply for this role, please send a cover letter including your salary expectations and a current resume listing your qualifications and experience to no later than August 13, 2021. Applications will be reviewed as submitted, so you are encouraged to apply early. Please quote “VPMktg-2021” in the subject line of your e-mail.

We thank all candidates for their interest in the work of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone inquiries please.

Note the salary range for this position is $125,000 to $150,000

Expected salary: $125000 – 150000 per year

Location: Toronto, ON

Job date: Wed, 21 Jul 2021 04:26:56 GMT

Apply for the job now!