"Executive Director, Communications"

The University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) is a Catholic institution of higher learning federated with the University of Toronto. USMC boasts a large and dynamic undergraduate division where students study across the full breadth of disciplines in the arts and the sciences. It is also home to a growing Social Responsibility and Sustainability program in its Continuing Education Division; the renowned Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology (in partnership with Regis College); and the John M. Kelly Library, which is one of the busiest libraries at the University of Toronto. USMC is looking forward to its 180th anniversary in 2032 and has formulated a strategic plan, St. Mike’s 180, whose three pillars—academics, community, and sustainability—point to its commitment to transformative leadership in service of the common good and of the planet we share.

It is within this context that the University of St. Michael’s College is embarking on a search for its next Executive Director, Communications.

Reporting to the President, Dr. David Sylvester, the Executive Director, Communications (Executive Director) is responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction in the development and implementation of the University’s marketing, communications, brand, and media strategies. The Executive Director will engage with, and be responsive to, the diverse divisional needs and expectations of USMC. The Executive Director will endeavour to create a Communications Office that is an institutional centre of expertise, guiding and enabling communications that advance the strategic and operational goals of the University while fostering trust, ensuring message alignment, and maintaining a cohesive brand strategy that is amplified across all channels and audiences. The Executive Director will also act as the touchpoint of advice for institutional leadership in relation to reputational and media issue management, digital communication trends, data-informed storytelling, and platform integration.

As the ideal candidate, you are a proven communications and marketing executive with an appreciation of the higher education sector. You possess a breadth of experience across strategic and digital communications, content management, social media, brand strategy, CRM systems, and analytics. Your career has included experience working within a mission-informed customer service-orientation organization with a diverse and sometimes complex group of stakeholder groups, audiences, and priorities. As a consummate professional, you navigate tensions from diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives with patience and tact while instilling confidence in your team and partners. You are a coalition-builder, a problem-solver, an innovator, and a strategic thinker who is detail-orientated and timeline-attentive. As a team leader, you have exceptional interpersonal skills and are a transparent communicator. You enjoy mentoring and developing talent through providing honest and insightful feedback, and you have experience in creating and leading a team that is structured to meet and exceed the needs of the organization. As a continuous learner, you keep abreast of new trends and technologies as well as of the issues and policies (current and emergent) governing communications in Ontario and Canada. Candidates must hold an undergraduate degree from a recognized university; a relevant professional accreditation (ARP; SCMP; PCM) is considered an asset, as is a masters level degree in a relevant field (public relations; strategic communications; journalism; marketing), and training in digital communications and UX design.

Salary Range and Compensation Package: $162,000-180,000, commensurate with experience. The total compensation package includes University of St. Michael’s College Defined Benefit Pension Plan; a comprehensive health benefits package; professional development funds; paid vacation, holiday closure and flex days; and educational benefits.

To learn more about this leadership position at the University of St. Michael’s College, please submit a comprehensive C.V. along with a cover letter in confidence to Jane Griffith (jane@griffithgroup.ca) and/or Caroline McLean (caroline@griffithgroup.ca), or visit: https://griffithgroup.ca/usmc-ed-communications/.

The University of St. Michael’s College is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal people of North America, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, people who take a religiously informed view of human experience, and others who may contribute to further diversification of ideas.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, those legally eligible to work in Canada will be given priority.

The University will provide support in its recruitment process to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes an applicant’s accessibility needs into account. If you require accommodations during the interview process, please contact Jane Griffith at jane@griffithgroup.ca and hr.stmikes@utoronto.ca.