Communications and Community Engagement Specialist

Loran is a national charity, working in partnership with Canadian universities and hundreds of donors and volunteers across the country to offer Canada’s top undergraduate award recognizing character, service and leadership potential. We challenge Loran Scholars and alumni to be socially responsible, entrepreneurial and community-focused leaders who will positively impact society. Learn more at www.loranscholar.ca.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and enthusiastic early-career communications professional to make a national impact by working with partners across Canada. As part of a two-person team responsible for the overall marketing and communication function of the Loran Scholars Foundation, the Communications and Community Engagement Specialist connects with the Loran community (donors, current scholars, alumni, prospective applicants, and volunteers) and helps tell Loran’s story to the broader world.

The Specialist supports the development and execution of Loran’s communications and engagement efforts by primarily leading social media, newsletters, and graphic design, and supporting the team’s design needs and special materials requests. The Specialist contributes to content creation, monitors community insights and social trends, and helps bring campaigns to life, including concept, implementation, and tracking KPIs. Providing communication expertise to all lines of business at Loran, the Specialist helps ensure communications are timely, consistent, and aligned with the Foundation’s priorities.

Position Type: Full-time permanent

Location: Remote from anywhere in Canada, with travel to Toronto and other destinations within Canada, for up to a week at a time.

Starting Salary: $62,000

Benefits and Retirement Savings Plan: included after three months

Reports To: Senior Manager, Community Engagement and Communications

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Communications Strategy & Brand Stewardship

• Support the delivery of all aspects of Loran’s annual communications plan, under the oversight of the Senior Manager, including the development of high-quality, comprehensive communication materials, and owning elements of website and email content, social posts, impact stories, and outreach materials.
• Ensure consistent brand look, feel and voice across all channels, providing editorial oversight for all external-facing digital and print communications.

Public Relations & External Communications

• Lead Loran’s execution of annual media engagement campaigns, strengthening strategic relationships with journalists, securing media features.

Content Development

• Develop and implement a creative and engaging national social media strategy that promotes award applications and Foundation activities while cultivating and stewarding the Loran online community. Amplifying scholar, alumni, and partner voices by providing timely and relevant content as well as identifying opportunities for strategically aligned storytelling and community-building campaigns, in consultation with the Senior Manager.
• Under the project management of the Senior Manager, provide creative design and copywriting input for the Foundation’s Annual Report.
• Audit and lead all website revisions and some content creation, adhering to an annual edits calendar developed by this role.
• Own the strategy, content development, and execution of monthly community newsletters and other mass-email communications (including supporting the establishment of email journeys), including audience management, supported by the Senior Manager.

Community Engagement, Events & Outreach

• Lead all visual components determined by the Senior Manager for Loran’s large annual stakeholder stewardship event, and ad hoc smaller events as requested.
• Provide direction and oversight for real-time and post-event social media management at events and supporting creative and production for video assets.
• Support with high-touch outreach communications to raise awareness of the Loran Award.

Team Support

• Develop and track success metrics for all social media, newsletter and web-related activities, including researching and providing strategic guidance on best practices.
• Act as a key point of coordination across teams, supporting alignment of priorities and smooth execution of cross-functional initiatives, while helping to identify and respond to organization-wide communications needs.
• Performs other duties as required to meet the operational needs of the Foundation mandate/initiatives.

SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS

• Experience in the communications field, with a focus on creative design, social media and brand voice.
• Post-secondary degree specializing in communications, public relations, marketing, or a comparable discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in a variety of formats, including development writing.
• Experience working with an in-house creative team, agencies, and/or freelancers.
• A keen eye and passion for visual design and impeccable attention to detail.
• Competent with all social media channels, WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and Mailchimp, and the ability to pick up new technology quickly.
• Ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects under tight timelines.
• Strong project management skills.
• A high level of enthusiasm for youth leadership development.
• A passion for tailoring communications to unique stakeholder groups.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to work independently in a remote position, as well as with teams through virtual connectivity.
• Access to a private space to work with a reliable internet connection.

What’s nice to have?

• Experience in the non-profit sector.
• Familiarity with Buffer, Asana, and Salesforce platforms.
• Advanced French language skills.

Key Dates

Closing Date: Tuesday, August 18, 9:00am EST.

Start Date: Immediate

How to apply

Please forward your résumé and cover letter in one PDF file to Lily Manea, Director of Operations, at lily.manea@loranscholar.ca.

The Loran Scholars Foundation is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, including those from historically marginalized communities; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please communicate your requirements if contacted.