The CIHR Centre for REACH in HIV/AIDS (REACH Nexus) is a nation-wide, innovative, virtual laboratory for intervention research, participatory evaluation, and applied program science in HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections. We work as a partnership that includes people living with HIV/AIDS, community based organizations, front-line service providers, health researchers, and federal, provincial, and regional policy makers.
Be part of a major public health movement to help end HIV in Canada in five years by bringing HIV self-tests to market and improving linkage to care and HIV prevention efforts. This progressive role will support major health / policy-relevant research focused on addressing key HIV priority areas and populations, and supporting a national network dedicated to reaching the undiagnosed and the reduction of HIV stigma.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are seeking a senior communications specialist who will apply their skills, experience and capabilities to lead and support communications plans and activities related to this project and its related priorities. This role will focus on stakeholder engagement and messaging, public relations, social media, event communications, as well as coordinating the delivery of relevant communication platforms, aligning processes and reporting on performance. The individual will be responsible for delivering a variety of communications products to support project priorities, serving as a core member of the delivery team, and providing general advice and counsel on promoting the organization’s brand.
The successful candidate will be a strong relationship manager who is adept at developing creative and best practice communications solutions to advance this national project and its key priorities. They will develop and maintain strong stakeholder relationships among health, academic, government and community-based sectors related to the public affairs portfolio. This person will also play a lead role in planning, developing, authoring and editing content for internal and external communications and products.
This is a high-profile position, with both internal and external engagement and reach. It requires an individual who is highly motivated, a proven team player, and a self-motivated professional with sound judgment and extensive and collaborative communication and public affairs capabilities and skills. This person must be highly self-disciplined, able to work in a mix of both team and self-tasking environments, and be exceptionally well-organized and be able to report on the planning and delivery status of key initiatives and events.
REACH Nexus is committed to employment equity and to the greater involvement and meaningful engagement of people living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA/MEPA) in all that we do. We encourage applications from persons living with HIV/AIDS and people with culturally diverse backgrounds to join our team.
Must be flexible to work beyond the job description at times as work demands.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Leading and advising on the “translation” function of knowledge translation in the context of specific projects both within REACH Nexus and across institutions and groups. This part of the role is focused on helping to bridge conversations between experts and people who can apply that knowledge, and in a way that advances REACH Nexus’ overarching priorities of HIV and STBBI stigma, testing, treatment and connections to care. This includes:
- Leading and advising on the “translation” function of knowledge translation in the context of specific projects both within REACH Nexus and across institutions and groups. This part of the role is focused on helping to bridge conversations between experts and people who can apply that knowledge, and in a way that advances REACH Nexus’ overarching priorities of HIV and STBBI stigma, testing, treatment and connections to care. This includes:
- Developing strong relationships with content experts, and developing working knowledge on a wide variety of relevant subject matter including relevant context;
- Identifying individuals, groups and organizations who want to and can put relevant knowledge into practice;
- Designing and executing opportunities for content experts to interact or collaborate with individuals, groups and organizations who want to and can put relevant knowledge into practice which includes but is not limited to:
- Leading or helping to design and execute in-person or virtual events that make information, including technical data, policy background, and historical context, accessible to relevant audiences;
- Organizing, facilitating and/or helping to structure meetings and communications between content experts and relevant groups;
- Fostering ongoing collaboration between content experts and relevant groups. This includes but is not limited to: helping to strengthen and participating in communities of practice; creating new interdisciplinary groups; designing and implementing programs for ongoing connections.
- Developing highly-accessible plain language materials that make relevant knowledge accessible to specific audiences both within centre and across institutions and groups.
- Developing and implementing dissemination plans for all of the above, in conversation with both content experts and relevant organizations and groups.
- Helping to identify and communicate policy and practice gaps with particular relevance to HIV and other STBBI stigma, testing, treatment and connections to care, and situate these gaps in context.
- Create and execute strategic public affairs plans and communications products to advance project activities, build awareness and understanding of related campaigns and priorities, including research findings, across key stakeholders and audiences (i.e., priority populations affected by HIV, community-based HIV/AIDS sector, health care providers, public health, academia, government and health decision-makers).
- Performs all required strategic communication responsibilities as assigned including: event support, photo support, media relations etc.
- Utilizes expertise to provides counsel on multiple/various committees to impart guidance on strategic communication direction, etc.
- Identifying opportunities for multidisciplinary research teams to use applied KT to advance specific issues in theory, policy or clinical practice in keeping with research centre’s over-arching priorities.
- Developing and implementing innovative and applied KT programs that have direct impact on advancing public health and health equity.
- Develops and implements focused communications plans for major programs, initiatives and projects within specific portfolio that complement the project’s overall communications strategy and directions
- Proactively develop compelling stories for placement in all communications channels, including print and digital media
- Provide talking points that reflect the project and priorities, as well as project stakeholders and partners
- Drafting grant applications and helping to lead grant activities within REACH Nexus. This may include managing grant funds.
- Helping to develop applied, ethical health equity KT methods and capacity both with the centre and across institutions and group. This includes:
- Presenting both to MAP and to community and multi-disciplinary academic partners on different aspects of applied and ethical KT.
- Facilitating meetings and visioning sessions with multi-disciplinary teams to advance applied and ethical KT.
- Leading the conceptualization and execution of academic papers focused on advance applied and ethical KT including data collection, analysis and drafting manuscripts.
- Within REACH Nexus, reviewing and providing feedback for grant applications, manuscripts, and plain language materials such as research reports.
- Providing applied KT consultations for REACH Nexus partners.
- Helping to draft plain-language materials with relevance to applied KT such as opinion pieces and open letters.
- Contributing to centre’s reputations as a centre that is trusted by community partners and multi-disciplinary academic partners through helping to assemble and participating in processes such as multi-institution research projects and coalitions, and KT projects that bring university expertise constructively into the community.
- Responds in a professional and timely manner to stakeholder requests and incoming questions from the public that are sensitive by nature that requires a certain amount of savvy and know how to prevent any negative situations;
- Maintains ongoing and update awareness of communication strategies to ensure effective communications of project initiatives
- Develop relationships and seek opportunities to partner with other service organizations on media relations, social media and event/ conference opportunities
- Develop and maintain excellent media relationships with national and targeted media contacts.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS REQUIRED:
- Undergraduate Degree in Communications, Public Relations, or equivalent
- Minimum 5-8 years’ experience in a health, research, public policy, or academic environment
- Extensive knowledge of communications trends required;
- Demonstrated experience in successfully developing and implementing communication strategies, public awareness campaigns, corporate communications, media relations and issues management support required;
- Exceptional writer and editorial skills with the ability to ensure error free materials required;
- Excellent verbal communication skills required;
- Outstanding organization and time management skills required;
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including executives, board members, required;
- Results oriented, self-directed and the ability to work independently and balance multifaceted projects and competing priorities required;
- Ability to work effectively under pressure required;
- Ability to use mature judgment for assessing difficult situations required;
- High energy, flexibility and the ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment required.
- Strategic thinker with ability to influence and inspire team members and decision makers in a complex environment
- Understanding of the integration of public affairs and government relations/advocacy activities as it relates to enhancements to public policy
- Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire stakeholders and audiences, with previous experience with volunteer boards and committees
- Ability to work effectively with all levels of advisory committees, donors and volunteers
- Extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) essential
- Extensive understanding of social media channels, content strategy, community management and social influencers
- Ability to effectively measure and report on all communications activities
- Ability to produce high quality, persuasive written and presentation materials suitable for various stakeholders and audiences
- Ability to write and speak in French would be considered an asset
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Thank you for applying.