(Contract up to 15 months)

Metrolinx is connecting communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Metrolinx operates GO Transit and UP Express, as well as the PRESTO fare payment system. We are also building new and improved rapid transit, including GO Expansion, Light Rail Transit routes, and major expansions to Toronto’s subway system, to get people where they need to go, better, faster and easier. Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

At Metrolinx, equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to living our values of serving with passion, thinking forward and playing as a team.

The Senior Manager, Strategic Communications leads a multi-functional team to provide overarching communications strategic planning that support’s Metrolinx’s objective to Build, Plan and Operate an integrated transit network across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

What will I be doing?

• Leads the development and implementation of Metrolinx’s Annual Strategic Communications Plan, supporting all units within the Communications division, including over $75B in Capital projects as well as GO Transit, UP Express, PRESTO and Planning & Development Services – finding efficiencies and opportunities for collaboration across all work streams
• Guides and informs decision-making related to communications priorities, themes and timing. Influences corporate direction and public narrative, and sequencing of public communications.
• Leads the central planning team and function within the Communications division, including long-range forecasting as well as focused communications strategies to support program implementation across entire Metrolinx portfolio
• Leads production of a 6-12-month Narrative Framework to support Metrolinx communication themes and areas of focus, pulling inputs from Capital, Operations, and other areas of the organization as identified
• Provides strategic counsel to the Executive Leadership program and oversees all speaking events at Metrolinx
• Provide communications counsel and recommendations to senior business partners
• Provides leadership with input from others to develop and deploy a strategic vision and aligns others to connect projects with strategic corporate goals

What skills & qualifications do I need?

• Completion of a degree in Communications, Community Engagement, Business Administration, or a related discipline – or a combination of education, training and experience deemed equivalent
• Minimum 10 (ten) years’ progressively senior experience in developing, planning and executing, strategic communications plans, including issues management; minimum of three (3) years’ experience managing a team
• To provide vision and continual enhancements to long-term communications planning function at Metrolinx; excellent communication skills, ability to work in a dynamic fast-paced environment and have a broad range of technical, business, and interpersonal skills
• Highly innovative with demonstrated experience in identifying target audiences and analyzing diverse inputs from significant programs, including multi-billion dollar capital delivery and transit operations to help shape public-facing narrative at Metrolinx
• Demonstrable in-depth industry knowledge and current best practices related to strategic communications and planning
• Excellent leadership, organizational, leadership, presentation, and analytical skills a necessity.
• Project management principles and practices, including budget and schedule controls
• Knowledge of Microsoft Planning would be considered an asset, or related project management software
• Experience managing a team and proven ability to clearly articulate ideas and direction
• Strong presentation and communication skills to clearly articulate strategic vision
• Excellent tact, diplomacy, political acuity/sensitivity, and understanding of the public pulse
• Issues analysis and issues management methodologies to identify critical issues and trends and develop comprehensive contingency and positioning plans
• Ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with internal stakeholders, including experience working with stakeholders with competing interests
• Interpersonal and networking skills along with tact and diplomacy to work collaboratively and convey a leadership position among internal stakeholders

Don’t Meet Every Requirement?

If you’re excited about working with Metrolinx but your past experience doesn’t quite align with every qualification of this posting, we encourage you to apply. You just might be the right candidate for this or other roles. We are always looking for great talent to join our team.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from members of equity-deserving communities, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, women, people with disabilities, and people with diverse gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations.

Accommodation:

We value the unique skills and experiences each person brings to Metrolinx and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment. We are committed to the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act so if you require accommodation during the hiring process, please let our Recruitment team know by contacting us at: 416-202-5601 or email hr.recruitment@metrolinx.com.

Application Process:

All applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Metrolinx will be using email to communicate with you for all job competitions. It is your responsibility to include an updated email address that is checked daily and accepts emails from unknown users. As we send time-sensitive correspondence, we recommend that you check your email regularly. If no response is received, we will assume you are no longer interested in pursuing the opportunity. Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any background information provided is misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, Metrolinx reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of your application.

Metrolinx employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in accordance with Metrolinx’s Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Standard, made under the Metrolinx Communicable Diseases in the Workplace Policy, as a condition of being eligible for the recruitment process. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required. If you are not able to obtain COVID-19 vaccination for a reason related to a protected ground of discrimination under applicable human rights legislation, you can request accommodation from Metrolinx.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

WE ARE AN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER

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