Senior Communications Officer

Date Posted:03/01/2023
Req ID: 29957
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00053247

About us:

The University of Toronto Robotics Institute is a cross-campus strategic initiative for the university, supported by the Faculty of Engineering, the University of Toronto Mississauga, and the Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (OVPRI). We are home to the largest and most diversified portfolio of robotics research expertise in Canada, and rival many of the top global robotics centres in size, breadth, and training capacity. We are collaborating with our partners to lead the development of Canada’s robotics ecosystem, and elevate Canada and the GTA as a globally competitive hub for robotics research, technology transfer, and education.

Your opportunity:

Robots are extending our reach into previously inaccessible places, and allowing us to complete tasks at unprecedented speed, scale, and precision. As an enabling technology, robotics can and should play a critical role in addressing many of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to workplace safety to healthcare accessibility. To be successful in this vision requires a commitment to building trust with partners and the public alike. Our mission-driven team offers the successful candidate an opportunity to develop their strategic communication skills within a supportive yet highly self-directed growth environment.

Reporting to the Robotics Institute Directorship, the Senior Communications Officer will play a critical role in showcasing the Institute’s research, training capabilities and thought-leadership to key partners in the GTA, across Canada, and around the world.

As the communications lead for one of UofT’s leading Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI), the Senior Communications Officer will liaise with Robotics Institute faculty and staff, external partners, as well as with the university’s various Advancement, Communications, and Government Relations teams to implement consistent, high-impact messaging across all channels. Such messaging will include technical, educational, economic development, and science diplomacy perspectives on the opportunities and limitations for robotics.

The Officer will lead the development and execution of multi-channel communication strategies that support the Institute in its development mandate. This includes all stages, from planning, to producing high quality content, to determining benchmarks and metrics to assess impact and success.

Your responsibilities will include:

• 
  Developing and implementing digital communication campaigns and programs that support strategic objectives
• Planning and developing an integrated multi-channel communications strategy independently
• Building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners of strategic importance
• Developing and maintaining a network of external contacts to build awareness of initiatives
• Drafting and editing content for print and/or online communications channels
• Assessing needs and determining if consultants/contractors are required for project work
• Producing promotional and outreach materials
• Determining key performance indicators to measure success

Essential Qualifications:

• 
  Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, communications, journalism, or related field, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum five years of relevant communications, media or marketing-related experience
• Proven experience planning, developing and executing an integrated multi-channel communication strategy
• Demonstrated experience writing content, developing themes and maintaining consistent brand identity for multiple audiences and platforms, including presentations, print, online, and digital websites, and social media platforms
• Experience advising on the effectiveness of digital marketing, social media strategies, and web strategies through reporting on key performance indicators
• Experience promoting events and programs to target audiences
• Experience managing relationships with external contractors
• Experience working for or providing services to a large organization
• Exceptional communication skills, including the proven ability to produce and combine written, oral, and graphic communications for maximum impact
• Proven ability to assimilate, interpret, translate, and distill research from primary sources into compelling, engaging, and enlightening communications for a variety of audiences
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotions of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with a wide variety of contacts both internal and external to the University
• Strong time management skills to achieve results and to meet critical timelines in collaboration with stakeholders
• Superior fact-checking, and proofreading skills with a strong portfolio of writing that is clear, accurate, and compelling
• Flexibility to experiment with and work seamlessly across a wide variety of digital design, production & communication tools, e.g. Wordpress, Wix, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Mailchimp, Canva, MS Office, Google docs, Slack, Airtable, etc.

Assets (Nonessential):

• 
  Demonstrated subject matter expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence or a related high-tech sector

To be successful in this role you will be:

• 
  Accountable
• Adaptable
• Articulate
• Motivated self-learner
• Patient
• Persuasive

Closing Date: 03/09/2023, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Grant - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 14 - $81,000 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $103,588. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Communication/Media/Public Relations

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.