Director, Strategic Communications

Job Purpose

This role leads and operationalizes World Vision Canada’s strategic communications approach, serving as the primary editorial steward of its public voice and personally shaping clear, compelling messaging that establishes us as a bold and hopeful Christian voice for children.

Operating within Public Affairs & Voice, the role works in close partnership with Brand & Marketing, Programs & Partnerships, and the President’s Office to align messaging, shape public engagement and strengthen World Vision Canada’s visibility and credibility in public conversations.

This is a highly hands-on role requiring exceptional writing, editing and editorial judgement.

The role combines strategic leadership and hands-on editorial ownership, co-developing and stewarding narrative guardrails to guide World Vision Canada’s public voice across the organization, and shaping how that voice is expressed across campaigns, earned media, and leadership communications. This complements Brand & Marketing’s leadership of campaign execution, content, and creative.

Responsibilities

Strategic Communications & Editorial Leadership

• Act as the primary editorial steward of World Vision Canada’s public voice, ensuring clarity, consistency, and quality in high-profile communications
• Partner with advocacy, policy, and program teams to shape clear, compelling public positioning
• Personally develop core messaging that guides communications across the organization
• Lead the direct writing and editing of key external communications, including executive voice, thought leadership, op-eds, speeches, narrative frameworks, and rapid response messaging
• Work upstream of campaigns to shape top-line messaging and positioning, in close partnership with Brand & Marketing, who lead creative development and execution
• Refine and operationalize an integrated communications approach across the organization

Earned Media & Thought Leadership

• Set an earned media strategy for thought leadership, public positioning and issue engagement
• Define core narrative and messaging that underpin media engagement
• Shape thought leadership, including op-eds, commentary and media positioning
• Partner closely with Media Relations to translate strategy into media outreach, pitching and coverage

Leadership Positioning

• Co-develop and shape execution of CEO and senior leadership visibility in public conversations aligned with World Vision Canada’s priorities
• Advise on messaging for external leadership communications and public engagement
• Ensure consistency and clarity of voice across external leadership communications

Rapid Response & Issues Engagement

• Define and guide prioritization of public engagement, identifying where World Vision Canada should lead, respond, or remain silent
• Set direction for rapid response to emerging issues and media opportunities, with execution led by Media Relations within established frameworks and guardrails
• Provide senior-level judgment on positioning in complex or high-risk public moments, in coordination with senior leadership
• Develop clear, timely messaging under tight deadlines
• Coordinate aligned responses across teams

Systems & Performance

• Build and strengthen communications systems, including messaging frameworks and rapid-response protocols
• Co-develop and track performance indicators related to share of voice, message pull-through in public discourse and understanding of World Vision Canada

Qualifications

• University degree in communications, public affairs, journalism, public policy, or related field
• 8–10+ years of experience in strategic communications, public relations, media, or related roles
• Strong experience in earned media, thought leadership, and public positioning
• Experience working in complex organizations with multiple stakeholders
• Familiarity with international development, humanitarian issues, or public policy environments preferred

Critical Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking with ability to translate priorities into actionable communications plans
• Excellent judgment on messaging, positioning, and public engagement
• Exceptional writing and editorial ability, with demonstrated experience producing clear, compelling content for public audiences under tight timelines
• Ability to simplify complex issues into clear, credible, and actionable messaging for public audiences
• Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a fast-paced environment
• Strong collaboration and influencing skills across teams
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond quickly to emerging issues
• Strong understanding of media dynamics and public discourse

Working Conditions:

• Occasional domestic travel may be required

Application Instructions:

Please submit:

• Resume
• Cover letter. In your cover letter, please include a short response to the following prompt, in 250 words or less:

 - You are at a dinner party. Someone says, “World Vision. I think my grandparents sponsored a child once. What does World Vision actually do now?”

- How would you answer in a way that feels clear, credible, and compelling for a Canadian audience?

- Bonus: How would your answer shift if the person asking was someone whose worldview is shaped by Christian faith?

We are looking for clear thinking, strong writing, audience judgment, and an ability to explain why World Vision Canada matters today.

Please ensure this response reflects your own thinking, judgment, and writing. We are interested in how you communicate, not in a polished generic answer. You may use tools, including AI, for light support such as proofreading or brainstorming. Please do not use AI to generate the substance of your response. If you use AI or other tools, please briefly note how you used them.

Why Consider Us? 

Our competitive compensation & benefits include:

• Health Spending Account
• Up to 6% matched pension contributions
• Parental leave top-up
• Generous paid vacation, sick days, wellness and personal days
• Office closed extra days before long weekends (6x/year)

• World Vision Canada has consistently been awarded Canada and GTA top employer awards.
• We are Canada’s largest development, relief, and advocacy non-profit organization.

This is a current vacancy that we are actively recruiting for. The salary range represents the expected compensation for this role and is provided in accordance with Ontario’s pay transparency requirements under the Employment Standards Act.

Placement within the range will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. The final offer will reflect the successful candidate’s background and demonstrated capabilities.

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