Manager Public Health Communications and Engagement
Niagara Region
Niagara Falls Ontario
Salary: Neg Per Hour
Education
- University
degree in communications, public relations, journalism, health sciences or
related discipline
- Master’s
degree in communications, public relations, journalism, health sciences or
related discipline required.
Knowledge
- Eight (8)
years’ professional experience in issues management, internal
communications, public relations, public affairs/relations, social
marketing, community consultation and media relations; experience in
public health or a health care setting is preferred
- Five (5)
years’ experience in leading people in a large, complex organization is
preferred
- Demonstrated
experience in managing relationships with elected officials at various
levels (municipal, provincial and federal).
- Knowledge
of project management, social marketing, communications marketing, health
communications, issues management and public relations theory, special
events planning and speech writing, crisis communications, risk
communications and change management
- In-depth
knowledge of communications technologies and practices, social media, web
and multi-media approaches.
- Knowledge
of the principles underpinning health behavior change is preferred
- Professional
accreditation in Public Relations or other communications-based
professional organization is preferred
Responsibilities
Provides leadership and management direction to staff
responsible for the external communications and engagement activities of the
department. This includes but is not limited to media relations, social media,
digital engagement, community, primary care and stakeholder engagement, public
health branding, and reputation management. (30% of time)
- Establishes
the vision and strategy for communications and engagement to enable Public
Health & Emergency Services to achieve its goal of impact on health
and health equity
- Leads the
development and implementation of external communication strategies,
conducting research, analysis, environmental scans and testing of new
communication channels and tools to support and manage Public Health &
Emergency Services’ external communications
- Establishes
Public Health & Emergency Services’ brand and monitors resonance and
reputation in the community
- Leads the
development of Public Health & Emergency Services’ digital engagement
and media relations strategies, conducting ongoing media relations
activities for Public Health & Emergency Services, including preparing
media products, organizing media conferences, and identifying and
encouraging opportunities for positive media coverage
- Leads the
development and implementation of Public Health & Emergency Services’
media relations program, which includes proactive and reactive engagement
- Works
closely with municipal, provincial or federal communication counterparts
to deliver joint announcements at media events or special events that
involve or impact the Niagara Region
- Formulates
and implements strategic communications plans to support Public Health
& Emergency Services in building effective relationships with its
external clients and stakeholders
- Monitors
trends, issues and legislation that affect Public Health & Emergency
Services or its stakeholders and recommends approaches or responses to
address issues identified
- Researches,
analyzes, plans, develops and implements communications plans and
strategies designed to assist Public Health & Emergency Services in
building positive relations with the public
- Advises the
Medical Officer of Health, the Public Health Chief of Staff, the Chief of
Emergency Medical Services, and the Senior Leadership Team on political
and reputational risk management
- Contributes
to Public Health & Emergency Services’ government advocacy efforts
through liaising with the Strategic Communications and Public Affairs team
- Leads
alignment of the department’s community outreach activities and provides
department leadership to all health promotion activities
- Leads staff
responsible for outreach and collaborations with primary care and the
health care sector and physician recruitment
Manages people resource planning for the division or operating
unit, determining ideal organizational structures, identifying desirable role
and skill mix requirements and ensuring ongoing work quality and deliverability
of results. (30% of time)
- Enables
results with the organization’s human capital strategy to foster employee
engagement.
- Directs and
provides leadership for the activities and coaching of direct reports,
providing work direction, setting priorities, assigning tasks/projects,
determining methods and procedures to be used, resolving problems,
ensuring results are achieved, and managing staff recruitment,
performance, and skill development activities
- Ensures
alignment and coordination of activity and quality of output between teams
under their direction
- Ensures
focus is service excellence, communication/transparency, innovation, and
data integrity and work flow integration.
- Ensures
staff has the information and resources to make successful plans and
decisions.
- Ensures all
people related issues, including recruitment, grievances and labour
relations issues, are aligned to HR and Corporate standards and practices.
- Helps to
break down barriers to employee success, ensuring collaboration and
cooperation with other teams within their division and department
- Ensures
Occupational Health & Safety policies, programs and practices are
implemented, and maintained. This includes workplace inspections,
monitoring, accident reporting and investigations, and ensuring any
observed hazards or lapses in the functioning of OH&S processes, and
other OH&S concerns are responded to promptly.
- Ensures all
individuals under supervision have been informed of hazards and instructed
on the necessary risk control and emergency response measures;
Leads internal communications in Public Health. Enables Public
Health & Emergency Services leadership with building engagement, supporting
culture and disseminating information across all levels of Public Health
through communication strategies, creative services employee engagement expertise.
(20% of time)
- Leads the
development and implementation of communication plans and strategies to
support strategic business and operational activities and ensure
consistency in key messages
- Leads the
Public Health & Emergency Services employee engagement activities
through the development and implementation of the department’s internal
communications strategy, identifying engagement opportunities for staff at
all levels.
- Ensures the
implementation and evaluation of relevant elements of the Public Health
& Emergency Services strategic plan
- Participates
in Senior Leadership Team meetings, advising the Medical Officer of
Health, Associate Medical Officers of Health, the Public Health Chief of
Staff, Chief of Emergency Medical Services, and Directors on strategic business
decisions, and confidential or sensitive issues
- Ensure all
policies and standards related to communications, community outreach, and
employee engagement are successfully incorporated, understood, and
communicated
- Develops
and prepares reports, briefs, and Regional Council committee reports as
required
- Identifies
and implements ongoing and issue-specific internal communications
strategies for Public Health & Emergency Services to ensure that
department and corporate strategic goals are being met.
- Anticipates
potentially contentious issues that could face the Corporation or
department and advises on best methods of proactively and positively
addressing them
- Reviews and
advises on major initiatives and measures undertaken within Public Health
& Emergency Services
- Ensure
ongoing communications and effective relationships with the Strategic
Communications and Public Affairs team
Leads crisis and outbreak communications for Public Health &
Emergency Services, identifying and monitoring potential risks to the
Department and Corporation, and developing contingency plans to respond. (15%
of time)
- Member of
Public Health & Emergency Services Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
- Backup
communications member of the Niagara Region Emergency Operations Centre
(REOC) unless the emergency is a health crisis or outbreak where Public
Health is the lead for communications and information
- Provides
leadership to anticipate and address potential controversial,
politically-sensitive obstacles and/or conflicts that may impact Niagara’s
success and reputation; assessing potential risks; developing strategies
to address issues and remove barriers.
- Leads the
development of the outbreak communications strategy, which includes risk
communications, key message development, media relations, multi-modal
digital engagement, internal communications, stakeholder relations and
evaluation. Provides direction to Communications and Engagement staff, as
well as other Public Health staff in the implementation of the strategy.
- During
health-specific crisis or outbreak, provides counsel to the CAO, REOC, and
Council
- During
health-specific crisis or outbreak, directs local area municipality
communication strategy and works in collaboration with communication
counterparts.
- During
health-specific crisis or outbreak, directs communications strategies for
stakeholders including school boards and post-secondary institutions.
Financial Management (5% of time)
- Develops,
manages, and administers annual and multi-year Capital and Operating
budgets for the operating unit ensuring support of Council’s objectives,
financial transparency and accountability, monitoring budget adherence,
identifying and explaining variances, and financial reporting is
effectively managed in compliance with corporate financial policies
- Ensure
goods and services are acquired in accordance with the procurement policy.
Authorize the acquisition of goods and services for the operating unit and
direct reports in accordance with the procurement policy and procedures
Special Requirements
- An annual
influenza vaccination is recommended.
- Regional staff strive to enable the strategic priorities of council and the organization through the completion of their work. Staff carry out their work by demonstrating the corporate values of service, honesty, choice, partnership and respect.
Job Overview
Posted Date: 11 Dec 2024
Location: Niagara Falls Ontario
Salary: Neg Per Hour
Company Information
Niagara Region
Name: Niagara Region
Web: https://www.niagararegion.ca/