The Corporation of the City of Windsor, a $1 Billion enterprise with over 3000 employees, is the country’s most southerly city and gateway to Canada through North America’s busiest international border crossing. We offer a superior quality of life with attractive affordability, a spectacular waterfront overlooking our Michigan neighbours, glorious gardens, bike and walking trails, a myriad of festivals and events, enticing attractions, and easily accessible major metropolitan areas. We are a welcoming community boasting of excellent educational institutions, an enviable climate, and a diverse and rapidly expanding economy.

Inspire our Future

As the ideal candidate you are a communications leader with a broad range of skills and experience in all facets of traditional and leading edge corporate communications approaches including strategic communications, employee/community engagement, public relations, and corporate branding. In addition, you are known for your ability to cultivate relationships and be a creative, out of the box thinker with a track record of change leadership while engaging, motivating and developing a talented team and building a culture based on creativity, collaboration and client service orientation.

Reporting to the Senior Executive Director of Corporate Services, the Senior Manager of Communications and Customer Service will be responsible for developing and implementing an enterprise-wide corporate communications strategy for the City with a with a focus on best practices and innovation in communications while building and maintaining a strong reputation.

This will include developing and achieving goals for the Communications and Customer Service Division; setting direction and leading the Division’s creative strategy while effectively managing the Division’s staff together with all internal and external resources.

As the City’s go to person for communications and issues management strategies, this position will provide advice and direction with respect to the delivery of communications strategies for the corporation, which seeks to develop stakeholder consultation and positive community relations. In addition, you will co-ordinate the City’s communication activities including researching, writing, editing a broad range of communications materials including news/media releases, advertisements, publications, articles, brochures, special event literature, etc.

Additional responsibilities include conducting surveys and questionnaires related to city services, programs and initiatives; providing advice and assistance with the planning of special events and announcements; participating on corporate project teams for the purpose of providing communications advice; overseeing any work that supports the corporate communications program and initiatives; Advise City staff on the effective communication of City programs.

In times of emergency or when critical issues arise, you will also act as the Emergency Information Officer for the City of Windsor. This will include providing high-level support to the offices of the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer on all matters relating to internal and external communications and customer service while recognizing the need for discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.

Key Qualifications:

• Education and Experience: Must have a University degree in the Arts, Journalism, Media Arts, Communications or a related field with a minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible professional communications experience OR must have an Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma, combined with a College Diploma in Journalism, Media Arts, Communications or a related field or Ontario Ministry of Education equivalencies and a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible communications experience;
• Communications Leadership: Extensive leadership experience in developing, implementing and evaluating creative, out-of-the box and innovative multi-media communications strategies (web, graphic, print, social media), programs and plans and managing issues in a complex environment;
• Stakeholder/Media Relations: Extensive experience in government/stakeholder engagement and relations; experience as a spokesperson, supporting senior executives, responding to media and working with the press including the ability to build consensus and drive positive outcomes;
• Strategic Advice: Extensive experience in providing strategic advice to the most senior levels in the organization;
• Client Relations: Well-rounded knowledge of social media, media relations, relationship management and client satisfaction;
• People Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and influence staff and external contacts;
• Public Sector Practices: Knowledgeable of government processes, particularly in the development and delivery of stakeholder consultation plans, communications and customer service;
• Interpersonal and Communications: Excellent oral, written, visual communication and presentation skills as well as the ability to maintain effective relations with corporate leadership, staff at all levels, unions, advisory committees, outside boards and commissions, other service areas, and City Council.

Other factors to consider: Must have the ability to work independently, establish priorities, meet deadlines, work after hours as a resource to Council and Management, and at times may be called upon to assume the role as the City’s representative on certain issues.

• Benefits of working for the City of Windsor include:
• Location – convenient and centrally located downtown office in Windsor, Ontario.
• Virtual work policy opportunities - The Corporation offers hybrid work opportunities reflecting the demands of the position and corporate policy.
• Employee Development – leadership training opportunities to further enhance your skills.
• Low cost of housing – Windsor provides opportunities for a robust and affordable lifestyle. The choices range from a more developed urban centre to rural properties, to waterfront living. Housing options are significantly more affordable than regions in and around the Greater Toronto Area.
• Healthcare – Multiple exceptional hospitals are in our community with a state-of-the-art acute care hospital planned to open in 2031.
• Compensation and Benefits – the salary is $122,852.35 to $140,328.45, plus employer paid benefits, a vacation package and a defined benefits pension plan through .

How to Apply

To explore this opportunity, please apply via email with a covering letter and resume by November 25th, 2024 to quoting project WIN-SMC . Should you wish to speak to our Executive Recruiter or to receive an information package please contact Tim Lukasewich at 416-214-9299 x8, or 416-214-9299 x1, .

The City of Windsor and Waterhouse Executive Search hire based on merit and are committed to employment equity and an inclusive, barrier-free selection process. We support a diverse and inclusive professional work environment, and welcome applications from all qualified candidates, specifically those from under-represented communities.

We thank all applicants for their interest and wish to advise that only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.