Communications Officer, Advance Care Planning

Communications Officer, Advance Care Planning

The Advance Care Planning Canada initiative, spearheaded by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) since 2008, aims to raise awareness of and access to Advance Care Planning information and resources. We do so by working in collaboration with various sectors, professional groups, and Advance Care Planning (ACP) leaders across Canada. We provide a repository of resources and tools developed for professionals and individuals to assist them in making the appropriate decision regarding their future health and personal care. Looking ahead, we are focused on increasing ACP awareness and capacity among the disability community – Canadians with disabilities, their caregivers and the organizations that support them.

Reporting to the Director, Advance Care Planning Canada, the Communications Officer is responsible for leading communications for the ACP Canada Project. This includes developing the strategy and content for communications campaigns and knowledge translation projects for ACP Canada that engage, inform and inspire CHPCA members, partners and the public. The Communications Officer is also responsible for coordinating media outreach and media relations activities and managing production of ACP tools and resources.

The Communications Officer works collaboratively with the CHPCA Communications and ACP project teams.

Position Type: Full Time Term Position, August 2023 to March 2025

Key Responsibilities

Campaign Development and Evaluation

• Leads ACP Day campaign development and execution, including campaign theme creation, in consultation with stakeholders (internal and external)
• Develops communications and knowledge translation strategies for the release of new and existing ACP resources
• Creates reports for all major communication campaigns and events, which may include but are not limited to such things as articles, presentations, summaries and reports
• Stays informed of ACP campaign approaches and tactics across Canada and internationally
• Develops the strategy and content for awareness campaigns and knowledge translation materials that inform and engage target audiences

Communications

• Assist with content creation and monitoring of ACP’s social media channels, including gathering metrics
• Coordinates production of deliverables with external vendors and contractors (e.g., designers, printers)
• Develops and supports the implementation of the brand and styles guides complimentary to our communications strategies
• Evaluates effectiveness of communication strategies and tactics, and implements learnings to future activities
• Attends meetings and events as required
• Leads webinar planning and promotion for ACP Canada
• Writes, proofreads and edits internal and external publications, such as newsletters, press releases, briefing notes, letters to various levels of government, emails, and long-form content on specific topics

Stakeholder Engagement and Media Relations

• Advises and consults with appropriate partners, health care organizations, and educators to gather and share ACP information
• Solicits information/eblast content from partner groups and ACP stakeholders
• Develops interview briefing documents and talking points as required
• Acts as media relations liaison for ACP Canada
• Develops and distributes monthly ACP e-blasts and manages related emailing marketing list
• Maintains media contact databases and profile of key media outlets and reporters, in consultation with CHPCA Communications Team
• Prepares media advisories, letters to the editor and other media materials

Website Management

• Manages ACP Canada website
• Responds to information requests from the Contact Us page
• Develops, proofreads, edits and coordinates translation of website content as required
• Tracks and reports on key website metrics regularly
• Identifies and implements opportunities to improve website usability and search engine optimization
• Provide assistance in navigating the website and locating resources to assist individuals and organizations with advance care planning
• Ensures broken links are addressed on a regular basis
• Creates new web pages and archives old web pages/content

From time to time, the Communications Officer may be required to fulfill other duties to support the CHPCA team (e.g., CHPCA Annual Conference planning and implementation).

Education

• Diploma or Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English, or Marketing

Experience

• Experience developing campaign themes and concept descriptions
• Experience working with the disability community is an asset
• Experience in the not-for-profit, or voluntary sector is an asset
• Demonstrated experience in developing and writing briefing materials, press releases, web content and other communications tactics
• 3-5 years’ relevant work experience in a communications capacity
• Experience developing, executing and reporting on communication plans

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Knowledge

• Professional communication with audience-minded approach
• Ability to translate analytics and statistics to adjust to change needs (short term tactics) and guide longer term strategy.
• Knowledge of best-practices related to media relations, knowledge translation and communications campaigns
• Knowledge of policies and regulations for the shared use of information and accessibility standards on various platforms

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to work within short timelines, respond to urgent requests, and meet deadlines
• Excellent writer, ability to copy edit and write for diverse audiences
• Strong planning and organization skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, (particularly MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint), Adobe InDesign, website content management systems, social media networks, webinar platforms, and online html marketing e-mail programs
• Excellent communication skills, flexibility, initiative, and creativity
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills are essential, and French oral and comprehension are a strong asset
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders

Team Fit

• Creative thinker, resourceful
• Flexible, collaborative and open minded
• People-centered approach
• Ability to work in a team environment but also work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong organizational skills

Deadline for applications: August 7, 2023, 5:00 PM (Eastern)

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and therefore early submission is encouraged. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

We are committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment, selection process and work environment in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We are happy to work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.

THE CANADIAN HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE ASSOCIATION (CHPCA)

How We Deliver our Services

The CHPCA is the national voice for Hospice Palliative Care in Canada. Advancing and advocating for quality hospice palliative care in Canada, our work includes public policy, public education, knowledge translation and awareness. Established in 1991, our volunteer Board of Directors is composed of hospice palliative care workers and volunteers from Canadian provinces and territories as well as members-at-large.

Our Team

The staff is a high-performance team of cross-disciplinary professionals working in a dynamic and welcoming work environment. There is a great deal of comradery in our day-to-day dealings with each other, our members and stakeholders. We juggle a variety of work activities that allow us to take on new challenges and develop new skills, and make use of the multi-disciplinary team we have on staff. We value a positive and collaborative work environment above all, striving for continuous improvement, and at all times treat each other with respect.

• We enjoy collaborating on new ways of approaching a task or challenge.
• We work both autonomously and together in teams, knowing that we each bring our own expert contribution to the organization.
• We are not shy about asking for help and we celebrate each other’s strengths.