Community Relations Manager

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Community Relations Manager Department: Community Relations

Posting Date: July 24, 2025 - August 7, 2025

Term: Fixed-term contract until August 31, 2027

Hiring Range: $75,000 - $85,000 annual salary

Benefits: Extensive benefit package inclusive of health, dental, RRSP matching, and paid personal days. Hybrid working options available for team members.

Vacancy: New Position

Background The Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is a charitable non-profit organization that partners with the University of Waterloo, Conestoga College, and Schlegel Villages to enhance care and quality of life for older adults. Through engagement with key partners and collaborators, RIA supports practice- relevant research and knowledge mobilization. Research evidence is used to inform programs, education and training, and influence practice and policy.

The RIA’s Community Relations department is passionate about building strong connections and sharing the RIA’s impact on the lives of older adults. The department is responsible for communications, public relations, community and partner engagement, and fundraising. They collaborate across the RIA to deliver consistent branding and effective marketing. In partnership with local, national, and international networks, the department helps to amplify the RIA’s mission and help to change the way we age.

Primary Purpose The Community Relations Manager is a self-motivated individual who is able to lead the engagement of community organizations and members in RIA initiatives, with a strong emphasis on engaging older adults and care partners from diverse ethno-racial communities. This role will develop, implement, and manage a volunteer program, including student engagement. The Community Relations Manager will also support the RIA in ensuring that opportunities to engage in RIA initiatives are meaningful and rewarding for all community members participating.

The role will support RIA’s vision, mission, and values as well as have an interest and passion for enhancing the quality of life and care for older adults and those who care for them.

https://the-ria.ca/

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Key Accountabilities 1. Community Engagement: Lead, implement, and manage initiatives to foster meaningful

engagement with community organizations and members, with a particular focus on reaching and building trusted relationships with older adults and care partners from diverse ethno- racial communities. Collaborate and coordinate with relevant RIA teams to develop opportunities for meaningful engagement. Monitor and analyze engagement metrics, and recommend strategic adjustments to optimize efforts to effectively reach underserved populations and enhance service to the community.

2. Volunteer and Student Engagement: Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a robust and sustainable volunteer program that aligns with the RIA’s mission and provides opportunities for meaningful engagement to community members and students. Coordinate the creation of clear volunteer roles, training materials, and effective onboarding processes to ensure volunteers are well-prepared and supported.

3. Partnership Management: Build and maintain a comprehensive network of relationships with key community partners and local organizations to facilitate the RIA’s understanding of community needs and opportunities for the RIA to meaningfully engage with community partners. Serve as a key point of contact, coordinating communication and collaboration between the RIA and diverse community groups, ensuring the organization’s commitment to co- design and inclusivity.

4. Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills to convey information to diverse audiences, including older adults, care partners, community organizations, volunteers, students, and internal project teams. Ability to tailor communication, including reports and presentations to resonate with specific target audiences and ensure clarity and accessibility for all.

5. Teamwork: Proactively and regularly communicate with project teams, community members and partners, and/or researchers to achieve project outcomes. Provide leadership and mentorship to support staff and/or casual staff as part of our pooled-resource staffing model. Actively participate in team and organization-wide meetings virtually and in-person.

6. Other: Take on a variety of RIA projects and activities as they arise.

Position Requirements

Education: University degree in social sciences, public health, or health services research or equivalent experience. Training or equivalent experience in project management, evaluation and/or knowledge mobilization is an asset.

Skills and Experience:

● A minimum of 5 years of experience in project management, including project planning, implementation management, budgeting, and evaluation.

● Experience engaging and building partnerships with community organizations and members, including older adults and care partners and the organizations that support them.

● Experience engaging with and collaborating with ethno-racial communities is an asset. ● Experience engaging with researchers and the research community to facilitate participation in

research projects is an asset.

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● Experience with report writing and communicating/presenting project findings that are tailored to the intended audience.

● Experience using various systems/technologies (CRMs [e.g., HubSpot], project management software, customized databases, Google Forms/Gravity Forms, and other platforms) to optimize project outcomes.

● Ability to understand performance and evaluation metrics, including the ability to interpret and take action based on data.

● Ability to work in a collaborative team environment. ● Ability to adapt to change and manage competing priorities. ● Self-starter with a proactive attitude who can anticipate needs with strong organizational skills. ● Experience and fluency using Microsoft and Google Workspace products.

Additional Requirements:

● Fluency in English. Fluency in French is an asset but not required. ● Must have a valid driver’s licence and be available for occasional travel. ● Eligible to obtain a clear police background and record check. ● Eligible to work in Canada.

Scope of Work:

● Interpersonal Skills: Communicates effectively with internal team members and external partners; professionally represents the RIA in all communications and at events.

● Level of Responsibility: Responsible for leading and ensuring the effective and efficient implementation of projects in alignment with the goals and objectives.

● Decision-Making Authority: Responsible for the day-to-day operations of a variety of projects with the support from a supervisor for strategic decisions.

● Physical and Sensory Demands: Minimal demands, typical of a position operating within an office environment; periods of extensive sitting at a desk and in meetings and concentrated use of visual senses; substantial repetitive keyboard/mouse movement; high sensory demands because of required concentration and attentiveness to detail and regular distractions and interruptions.

● Working Environment: Much of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with frequent opportunities to move about. Office is located in a comfortable indoor area, and options for hybrid work are available for this position. The work is varied and assignments may change frequently. Work will involve regular interaction with RIA team members and external partners and collaborators. There are deadline pressures, while at the same time there is a demand for thoroughness and accuracy. Occasional to frequent travel is required.

Vaccination Statement All researchers, employees and students of the RIA who will work with long-term care homes, colleges, universities and other partners are required to comply with the vaccination policies of those external organizations to complete their work. Of note, vaccination policies are subject to change. The requirement to comply with those evolving policies does not change.

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Equity Statement The RIA is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion within its community and organization. We strongly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, racialized groups, women, 2SLGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities and people from other equity-deserving groups.

The RIA is pleased to accommodate individual needs in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) within our recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any time throughout the recruitment process, please let us know.

Funding Statement Please note that all positions at the RIA and the continuation of these positions are conditional upon funding.

How to Apply RIA invites applications (cover letter and resume) to be submitted by email to applications@the-ria.ca. Please include the job title in the subject line of the email.

mailto:applications@the-ria.ca

• Community Relations Manager
• Background
• Key Accountabilities
• Position Requirements
• Education:
• Skills and Experience:
• Scope of Work:
• Vaccination Statement
• Equity Statement
• Funding Statement
• How to Apply