Careers

Director of Communications
Location: Toronto
Employment status: Permanent full-time
Salary range: Commensurate with experience
Language requirements: Bilingual (English/French)
Application deadline: Applications will be accepted and reviewed until a suitable candidate is found.

The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (www.aidslaw.ca) promotes the human rights of people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, in Canada and internationally, through research, legal and policy analysis, education, and community mobilization. The Legal Network is one of the world’s leading advocacy organizations addressing the legal and human rights issues raised by HIV/AIDS.

The Legal Network is seeking an experienced, full-time Director of Communications to lead its media relations and public communications activities; to coordinate advocacy campaigns and government relations initiatives; and to help shape its research and policy agenda.

The Director of Communications reports to the Executive Director, and manages three staff members (a Communications Specialist, an Outreach Coordinator and a Communications and Development Officer).

The Director of Communications will:

• Write media advisories, news releases, backgrounders, letters to the editor and opinion articles, and pitch these materials to targeted media outlets;
• Coordinate responses to media requests and, when appropriate, act as a spokesperson for the Legal Network;
• Update and enhance our database of key national and international media contacts;
• Collaborate with external contractors to maintain and improve the Legal Network’s website;
• Together with in-house staff and external contractors, write and coordinate the production of the Legal Network’s annual report;
• Ensure that the Legal Network’s regular newsletter is drafted and distributed on-line;
• Develop new communications tools to enhance our government relations efforts; and
• Work with members of the Research and Policy Unit and other Communications Unit staff to edit, proofread and publish Legal Network publications, including reports, booklets, info sheets, Q&A documents, and briefing papers.

As a member of the management team (which includes the Executive Director, the Deputy Director, the Program Support Manager and the Finance Manager), the Director of Communications supports the Executive Director in the day-to-day operations of the Legal Network, as well as in achieving organizational goals and objectives.

As a member of the Research and Policy Unit (which includes the Deputy Director, Policy Analysts and the Executive Director), the Director of Communications provides strategic communications advice on research and policy activities undertaken by that Unit.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A master’s degree in communications, journalism, or public relations (or equivalent qualification);
• Five years’ experience working in a senior communications role, preferably for a non-governmental organization, and ideally in the areas of HIV/AIDS, human rights and/or legal issues;
• Experience in building and managing relationships with journalists;
• Excellent oral and written communications skills in both English and French;
• Demonstrated ability to act as a media spokesperson;
• Experience using social media in support of human rights education and campaigning; and
• Good humour, collegiality, and the ability to work under tight deadlines and in an often fast-changing media environment.

Experience in policy-driven advocacy and communications (especially in HIV/AIDS or human rights), as well as in government relations (especially at the federal level), would be an asset.

Please send your resumé, cover letter and one or more unedited writing sample(s) (approximately 2 pages) to hiring@aidslaw.ca. Media clippings demonstrating your previous experience as a spokesperson would also be welcome.

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.