Director Corporate Communications

Independent Electricity System Operator

22h • Hybrid

About The Position

The IESO is committed to ensuring Ontario’s electricity system meets the province’s needs today and into the future. The Director, Corporate Communications is the strategic leader for the IESO’s Internal and External Communications function. This role is responsible for working with the CEO and senior leadership across the company to create and maintain a proactive corporate narrative that enables the corporate strategy and enhances and protects the IESO’s reputation and brand. This role is also responsible for supporting all other business units across the organization in ensuring effective communication on a wide range of IESO and related business matters. In addition, the role is accountable for managing both public facing issues that impact key relationships with media, governments, stakeholders and indigenous communities as well as any issues that impact the employee experience. This is a vital role supporting IESO in achieving its key corporate priorities and protecting its corporate reputation. This includes enhancing stakeholder, rightsholder, and employee confidence in the IESO, and will create strategies that connect the company’s actions and messages with a diverse and continuously evolving set of audiences. This role is also responsible for development and ongoing enhancement to the Corporate Crisis Communications plan, leading the Crisis Communications Team and supporting the Executive team in all crisis communication planning and delivery. In addition, ensuring that internal and external audiences are provided with timely and accurate information regarding emergency situations. This role reports directly to the Senior Director, Corporate Affairs and will participate in Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors discussions to support the President and represent the functions the Director oversees.

Requirements

• Extensive senior leadership experience managing a broad range of communications, marketing, and public affairs activities that directly impact strategic outcomes, corporate reputation, stakeholder and rightsholder confidence, and public perception.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate strategic industry relationships, provide organizational leadership, and develop high-performing teams.
• Experience required to manage a broader base of activities within somewhat different Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs arenas that impact implementation of IESO strategies, reputation and community perception/awareness; significant time/experience would be required to develop a strong industry network and ensure staff are effectively managed.
• Proven success in managing relationships and corporate reputation through creating and delivering on communications, stakeholder and customer relations strategies, plans and programs.
• Requires broad experience within the organization to acquire sound insight and understanding of all facets of the organization.
• Requires extensive knowledge of the IESO structure and procedures, the Ontario electricity market and regulatory affairs in order to manage communication processes to support corporate objectives.
• Requires leadership experience at a level to address the full managerial responsibilities of the job.
• A period of 10-15 years is considered necessary to gain this experience.
• University degree required; Bachelor's Degree (e.g. BA, BSc)

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of, communications strategies, systems, policies, processes, plans and measures to maintain and enhance IESO’s reputation.
• In collaboration with subject matter experts from across the IESO, develop communications strategies processes and programs designed to achieve the highest level of audience awareness, understanding and satisfaction. Champion and represent the experience of internal and external audiences and their perspectives across the IESO.
• Provide leadership in the development and implementation of a brand communications strategy and tactics to maintain and enhance IESO’s reputation as trusted advisor in order to inform and influence policy.
• Lead the work programs, administration and management of staff in the external facing teams (Corporate Communications, Digital, Creative and Marketing) to ensure that they are in line with business unit and corporate goals. The key activities and deliverables performed by these teams include: speech writing, issue management, media relations, corporate communications, website creation and management, social media strategy, creative services, brand management, marketing and advertising.
• Accountable for managing a $10 million budget for contracts with a number of communications, marketing and design agencies in order to ensure they improve the success of Corporate Communications in a cost-effective way.
• Provide leadership, management and supervision to staff, including full responsibility for hiring, staff development, training, performance management and performance reviews, salary matters, including dismissal, administering work programs and ensuring staff effectively meet their communication deliverables and related business needs and goals; ensuring quality, quantity, timeliness of work production to achieve business objectives.
• As Director, be responsible for presenting management positions at staff grievances. Participate as a management resource to resolve labour relations matters such as job challenges, grievances, and arbitration cases.

Benefits

• Best-in-class benefits and long-term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan.
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development.
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director