MANAGER COMMUNICATIONS, Issues Management

City of Toronto • Union, NJ

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Communications Division plays a vital role in connecting the City of Toronto with residents, staff, and key stakeholders by delivering clear, impactful messaging about City programs, services, and priorities. Operating with an agency-like model, the division develops and executes integrated marketing and communications campaigns that drive measurable results. Through a centralized, centres-of-excellence approach, the Communications team fosters a culture of growth, collaboration, and innovation, empowering staff to tell proactive, compelling stories that place the city and its divisions at the heart of public engagement. The Communications Division also supports issues management, media relations and crisis communications, helping the City anticipate emerging issues and coordinate timely, accurate responses across divisions. All communications efforts are strategically aligned with the City's broader organizational goals, ensuring consistency, relevance, and meaningful impact across all channels.

Reporting to the Director, Media Relations and Issues Management, the Manager Communications, Issues Management role plays a critical part in shaping how the City anticipates, responds to, and communicates about sensitive, high-profile, cross-divisional and intergovernmental matters. You’ll provide senior-level strategic advice and operational support to the City Manager, Deputy City Managers, division heads, and senior leadership teams, working closely with the Chief Communications Officer, the Communications Management Team, and the Mayor’s Office. This is a unique opportunity to build and lead a team focused on proactive issues management, developing strategies and action plans that reflect the City’s values and priorities while helping protect its reputation and foster public trust. You’ll be responsible for setting the direction for this new unit in the Media Relations & Issues Management Centre of Excellence, guiding coordinated responses to complex and politically sensitive issues, and ensuring communications are timely, accurate, and aligned with broader organizational goals.

Requirements

• Post-secondary education in Communications, Public Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive experience leading the full issues management process, including developing and implementing issues management strategies and action plans that align with organizational priorities and values, with coordinated responses to cross-divisional and intergovernmental matters.
• Extensive experience providing strategic communications advice and operational support to senior leaders in a complex, high-profile organization, with a strong background in issues management, media relations, and strategic communications.
• Extensive experience monitoring, identifying, and assessing sensitive, emerging, and high-profile issues to develop timely and effective communications strategies that protect organizational reputation and support balanced media coverage.
• Considerable experience in budget planning and administration, including resource allocation to support strategic priorities.
• Strong understanding of municipal governance, Council procedures, and decision-making processes, with awareness of the political, social, and economic factors influencing all levels of government.
• Proven ability to leverage data, trends, and feedback to improve forecasting processes and strengthen organizational preparedness, including the development of crisis communication plans and integration of social listening tools.
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work across divisions and in partnership with teams such as Social Media and Media Relations to ensure consistent and responsive issues management and public engagement.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing high-performing teams, championing strategic best practices, and fostering innovation within a collaborative, inclusive, and results-driven work environment.
• Knowledge of outreach strategies for diverse and multilingual audiences, applying an inclusive and culturally responsive communications lens.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies, including MFIPPA, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and AODA.

Nice To Haves

• Experience serving as a media spokesperson and/or building relationships with journalists is considered an asset.
• Agency experience.
• Experience working with global companies.
• Experience managing communications related to civil unrest, cybersecurity, employee relations and litigation scenarios.
• Involvement in large-scale crisis communications and issues management situations.
• Involvement in leading or participating in tabletop facilitation exercises.
• Previous collaboration with internal and external general counsel.

Responsibilities

• Managing cross-divisional and large-scale reputational risks to enhance and protect the City’s public image
• Preparing Communications senior leadership for Council and Committee meetings through detailed briefings on emerging issues and ongoing campaigns
• Providing insight and analysis on politically sensitive items to inform issues management and communications strategies and leadership briefings
• Ensuring timely and strategic decision-making through accurate tracking, documentation, and reporting on issues, reports, and policy matters
• Championing continuous improvement of the forecasting process by leveraging data, trends, and feedback
• Developing a proactive strategy that includes social listening, crisis response planning, and collaboration with the Manager, Social Media, to engage with the public and address concerns in real time
• Supporting the Division’s Agenda Forecasting System to anticipate and plan for Council and Committee items with corresponding issues management and communications strategies.

Benefits

• competitive compensation and benefits
• opportunities for learning and professional development
• a culture that values collaboration and employee well-being
• Opportunities to join and take an active role with the City’s Communities of Inclusion
• Hybrid work in accordance with the City of Toronto’s Hybrid Work Policy

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree