Are you looking to use your knowledge, skills and experience to make a real difference in our community? At Workforce WindsorEssex, you can be part of a great team of people who work hard to deliver resources to jobseekers, employers, students, educators, newcomers, key decision makers and the community so that they can save time, money and effort.


We are currently hiring.

Job Description: Communications Lead
Application Deadline: Friday, April 5, 2024 at 4 p.m. (EST)
Contract length: 11 months, ends March 31, 2025
Estimated Start Date: April 24, 2024 (or sooner)
Salary: $28.84-$32.26 per hour, annual salary of $56,238.00 to $62,907

About Workforce WindsorEssex:

Workforce WindsorEssex is a non-profit organization committed to benefiting the communities we serve through strategic and prosperity-focused employment and community planning initiatives that foster a strong and sustainable workforce.

To achieve this, we offer a range of tools, resources, and services to support jobseekers, employers, students, educators, and trainers in making informed decisions about the labor market, careers, and skill development. Additionally, we lead and collaborate with project partners on local needs, stakeholder engagement, strategy development, and program evaluation to support community planning and development.

Our team is comprised of project managers, research analysts, community connectors, and communications professionals whose past experiences include working in government, industry, and other not-for-profit organizations. We have a strong reputation for working collaboratively with partners in employment, education, and training services, while keeping a pulse on employer needs.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Community & Workforce Development, the Communications Lead is responsible for writing, editing, and performing communication duties related to social media, labour market dissemination, project work, and community engagement and outreach. 

The Communications Lead will be assigned communication and project related work by the CEO and Director of Community & Workforce Development. The Communications Lead’s outputs will be guided by both the organization’s strategic priorities, audiences, key messaging, evaluation metrics, and communication channels, alongside project deliverables, and emergent needs for timely event or project materials. The outputs will be guided and informed by strategy and the organization’s Brand Guide.  The Communications Lead will work with all staff members to disseminate project and organizational work and respond to public inquiries through social media. The Communications Lead will also work with partner organizations to ensure consistent and aligned messaging and co-branding, where appropriate based on the project.

This position involves data analysis and presentation of information. With support from your supervisor, you will promote project work, apply thoughtful analysis to data and statistics, interpret a broad range of information on regional social policy issues, and present complex information to a wide variety of audiences. 

The Communications Lead will act in the best interest of the organization, employ reliably good judgement, meet professional standards in communication, be highly organized, engage thoughtfully through social media, write, and edit resources, use communication channels according to the target audience, and be an excellent presenter of complex information.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities:

The Lead will act within the bounds of law and organizational policies and be responsible for: 

  • Working with the Director of Community & Workforce Development to ensure the successful undertaking of all job duties, responsibilities, and work assignments.  
  • Working with the Director of Community & Workforce Development to ensure that a communication plan is updated and actively implemented including: 
    • Setting and achieving communication goals established in strategic documents and agreements with funders.
    • Analyzing and optimizing metrics relating to the website, social media, marketing emails, and other communication channels for the purpose of analysing and critically evaluating communication performance against goals.
    • Continuous improvement.
  • Work with the Director of Community & Workforce Development and Director of Finance & Administration to develop and manage appropriate marketing campaign budgets. 
  • The implementation of the organization and project’s Communications Plan to drive online audiences to our website where they can access labour market tools, research, guides and information about upcoming events, including:
    • Maintain organizational accounts, profiles and records.
    • Professionally attending to and efficiently using social media platforms to schedule content, disseminate labour market information, engage audiences, convey complex information in a straightforward manner and develop a consistent, online voice for the organization.
    • Create and post shareable content, including newsletters, blogs, website posts and videos that supports our project work, while responding online to audience engagement.
    • Develop, plan, authorize and improve paid promotion strategies on social media platforms working within an approved monthly budget allocation.
  • The implementation of the organization and assigned project’s Brand strategy, ensuring a consistent look, feel and voice to public documents and messages by supporting the creation, design, development and editing of reports, guides, website content, videos, newsletters, marketing and advertising collateral, and training resources, as assigned. 
  • Providing leadership and continuous improvement in the areas of communication, marketing, analysis, and publicity.
  • Participating in scheduled project management and all-staff meetings.
  • Supporting project and Workforce WindsorEssex’s assigned deliverables, performance measures and expected outcomes related to the communication and marketing of projects as discussed in project management meetings and outlined in funding agreements.
  • Leading the development and implementation of the Windsor Regional Employment Network Communications Plan and project coordination efforts on assigned tasks, including:
    • Supporting the implementation of project deliverables to ensure project exceeds set targets;  
    • Working collaboratively with the City of Windsor, service providing organizations and Employment Ontario partners across the Windsor-Sarnia economic region;  
  • Leading project coordination on assigned tasks.
  • Support of high level of community partner engagement and community outreach, including:
    • Developing a strong working relationship with others by responding to queries, seeking pertinent information and ensuring the completion of all communication work.
    • Liaising with workers, employers, government officials, service providers, educational institutions, jobseekers, apprentices, students, educators and other community organizations on behalf of the organization. 
    • Attending assigned meetings, presentations and events for the purpose of gathering relevant information, disseminating labour market information, and engaging others in our work.
    • Providing organizational support to events, including focus groups, consultations, off-site meetings, workforce summit events, etc.
    • Conducting interviews and writing blogs to support project work and expand our online reach to wider audiences.
    • Creating vlogs and other video resources to engage the community in our work.
  • Maintaining, using and troubleshooting our marketing email account, including our organizational profile, distribution lists and contacts in accordance with professional and legal standards, such as Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
  • Supporting broader organizational needs and priorities by:  
    • Promoting and maintaining the goals, strategic objectives, vision, mission, and policies of Workforce WindsorEssex;
    • Representing the organization at events, meetings, and presentations; 
    • Developing partnerships within the community to develop and promote opportunities;
    • Leading the discovery, development, submission, and execution of existing and new grants that align with Workforce WindsorEssex’s mission;  
    • Maintaining a high level of commitment to professional growth and development in support of the organization’s priorities; 
    • Adhering to excellent password management practices and being vigilant for suspicious email and other online scams;  
    • Maintaining files and records;
    • Providing limited support in covering time-sensitive or critical duties when team members are absent.
  • Performing other duties as required. 

Minimum Requirements:

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (or equivalent) with 8 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent postsecondary completion with relevant work experience (ie. 3-year diploma and 5 years of work experience).
  • Experience in developing and monitoring communication strategies across multiple platforms.
  • Excellent written communication skills.
  • Proficiency in delivering presentations virtually and in-person.
  • Intermediate graphic design skills for various media.
  • Website content management experience.
  • Proficiency in computer use as well as office productivity and design software.
  • Strong organizational and time management abilities.
  • Attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Analytical thinking and planning skills.
  • Integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
  • Effective communication and customer service abilities.

Ideal Requirements:

  • 9-15+ years of combined postsecondary completion and work experience (e.g., a 3-year diploma and 12 or more years of work experience).
  • Diploma or Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Graphic Design, or Media Arts preferred.
  • Proficiency in French speaking, writing, and reading skills preferred.
  • Proficient in a variety of software and production platforms such as Adobe Suites, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), Canva, Teams, Zoom, Google Analytics, MailChimp, and open to learning new tools.
  • Experience in production/videography preferred.
  • Experience with media advisory, news releases, and media event coordination preferred.
  • Driver’s License

Job Details:

Position Location: The candidate for this position must reside within the Windsor-Essex area or be willing to relocate at their own expense. Any costs associated with commuting or relocation will not be reimbursed.

Working Conditions: Workforce WindsorEssex has a hybrid work environment that provides some flexibility to work from home depending on project needs and team feedback, and the successful candidate should be adaptable to changes.  The Windsor Regional Employment Network involves working closely with the City of Windsor’s Integrated Employment Services team in the re-design of employment services (change management) and the selected candidate should value the importance of in-person collaboration and be comfortable working from the office as needed. No cost parking available on-site at the office.  The position may occasionally involve work related travel within the Windsor-Sarnia Economic Region, which includes Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton. Any pre-approved travel expenses will be reimbursed such as car rental or mileage, parking, etc.

Our Commitment: At Workforce WindsorEssex, we believe that diversity and inclusion are key to our success as an organization. We are committed to building a team that is representative of the diverse communities we serve and to creating an inclusive and welcoming work environment for all. We are an equal opportunity and living wage employer and welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position. We believe that diversity and inclusion enhance the creativity, innovation, and productivity of our team, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities and fair treatment to all employees and applicants. If you have any accommodation needs during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will do our best to support you. 

Benefits:

  • Extended health care
  • Dental care
  • Vision care
  • Employee assistance program
  • Life insurance
  • On-site parking
  • Paid time off

At Workforce WindsorEssex, we understand that compensation is an important factor in attracting and retaining top talent. That is why we offer a comprehensive package of benefits, including transparent pay bands for six job classifications, paid time off ranging from 12 to 25 vacation days based on seniority, 5 paid sick days, and 5 days paid toward any job-protected leave. In addition to protection programs required by law, we also offer enhanced benefits like life insurance, AD&D insurance, health and drug plan benefits, dental insurance, and vision insurance. We believe in the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and team social events. Our employees also enjoy a $50/month cell phone reimbursement and have access to an Employee Assistance Program. We understand the importance of honoring diverse faiths and cultures, and our employees can switch paid public holidays for alternative days, in most case.

Schedule:

  • 8 hour shift
  • Day shift
  • Monday to Friday

Application deadline: Friday, April 5, 2024, 4 p.m. (EST)


As a living wage employer, we’re committed to paying the highest currently calculated living wage rate in Ontario to all Workforce WindsorEssex employees.

The Ontario Living Wage Network champions a living wage for Ontarians; an issue of particular concern as inflation and the cost of living continue to increase. As proud leader in this space, we believe that fair compensation for our employees translates to improved financial and overall well-being. To learn more visit: http://www.livingwage.ca