Job Description
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest academic health sciences centre and one of the world’s leading research centres in mental illness. Dedicated to improving the lives of patients today and tomorrow, CAMH is a leader in clinical care, research, education, and system building, nationally and globally.
With a dedicated staff of more than 5,000 physicians, clinicians, researchers, educators and support staff, CAMH offers outstanding clinical care to more than 38,000 patients each year. The organization conducts groundbreaking research, provides expert training to health care professionals and scientists, develops innovative health promotion and prevention strategies, and advocates on public policy issues at all levels of government. Through its Foundation, CAMH is breaking ground in mental health philanthropy globally.
Through its core values of Courage, Respect and Excellence, CAMH is implementing its Strategic Plan: Connected CAMH, to transform lives, ignite innovation and discovery, revolutionize education and drive social change. CAMH is more than a hospital, it is a cause. CAMH is on a mission to change the way society thinks about and responds to mental illness. They aim to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and shape a world where mental illness is central to our healthcare system – a world where Mental Health is Health.
To learn more about CAMH, please visit their website at: www.camh.ca.
In this key leadership role, the Director will help position CAMH as it continues to implement its core mandate and strategic plan. Reporting to the SVP Public Affairs and Partnerships, Chief Strategy Officer, the successful candidate will lead a team of professional staff responsible for all aspects across the continuum of public affairs and communications. The Director will implement plans to strengthen relationships with key partners and funders through a comprehensive integrated public affairs and communications program directed at health professionals, system leaders, and the public. This includes organizational branding, media relations, digital communications and social media, stakeholder partner communications, issues management, and corporate communications. The Director will also play a key role in supporting the implementation of Connected CAMH, the hospital’s recently developed strategic plan and will collaborate with the senior team, in developing and fostering successful strategic partnerships with the Hospital Foundation and across all areas of CAMH.
Key leadership initiatives for the new Director will be to:
Ensure the effective implementation of an integrated public affairs and communications strategy that drives media and employee communications, corporate publications, issue responses, digital communications and special events in line with the CAMH brand.
Work with leaders across CAMH, you and the team advise and manage internal communications
Lead, mentor and support the team in the creation and execution of a variety of initiatives to inform, engage and build pride in the organization.
Direct communications strategy for new initiatives, whether local, provincial or national, including advising on marketing, communication and supporting relationship management as required.
Foster strong partnerships and provide advice and guidance to senior management on internal and external communications, and on public and health issues impacting CAMH and its stakeholders.
Build effective relationships with the Executive Team, Foundation, and key internal and external stakeholders (including government officials, partners and the public) to plan, design, and implement activities aimed at the CAMH mission.
Adapt and strengthen communications processes and activities to meet changing priorities, emerging issues, and trends impacting Ontario’s health care landscape.
Job Requirements
The successful candidate will have at least 8-10 years of progressive leadership experience in communications/public affairs roles. This is a strategic and proactive leadership role that requires someone that excels at team development, multi-faceted communications execution, effective implementation across various mediums (e.g., media, digital, social, etc.), stakeholder engagement, and who is skilled at working with a variety of programs and partners. You will have proven experience in managing public relations campaigns, crisis communication and initiatives, with experience in the healthcare sector preferred. Your leadership experience includes advocacy, government relations and stake holder engagement, with a strong track record of building and maintaining strategic relationships with key stakeholders including government officials, medical representatives and community partners. You will manage a team and have responsibility for budget. The role requires an in-depth understanding of health care policy, public affairs and advocacy strategies within the Canadian health care system. You build rapport and collaborate with ease, executing sound judgment and decision making, especially in managing sensitive issues related to mental health and health care.
