Senior Communications Consultant

About Red Deer 
Red Deer sits at the heart of Central Alberta along the QEII corridor, perfectly positioned between Calgary and Edmonton. With more than 100,000 residents and a regional reach of over 300,000, it’s a growing hub for business, services, and opportunity.

Here, big-city amenities meet small-city ease. Enjoy abundant parks and trails, vibrant arts and culture, excellent recreation and education, and a strong sense of community.

With easy access to lakes, outdoor adventures, and the mountains, plus a thriving economy and high quality of life, Red Deer is an inviting place to live, work, and grow.

About The City of Red Deer Municipal Government
The City of Red Deer is a dynamic municipal organization with a $480M operating budget, a $60M capital program, and a workforce of nearly 1,700 employees. It is focused on growing with purpose by attracting talented, community-minded people who want to make a difference.

Guided by the vision “Our City, One Voice,” Red Deer is building a thriving, inclusive, and connected community, with priorities centered on a vibrant economy, community wellbeing, and strong engagement.

At its core, the City values its people, embracing diverse perspectives and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and shared success.

The Opportunity:
The City of Red Deer is currently recruiting for a Senior Communications Consultant to fill an 18-month part-time term position. This Senior Communications Consultant position provides strategic communications advice on complex and longer-term communications issues, projects and initiatives. Responsible for leading in the development and implementation of strategic communications plans focusing on major corporate initiatives, budgets, strategic areas of emphasis, capital projects, strategic planning, media relations and issues management. Provides leadership to department students as opportunities arise. Provides leadership and mentorship to Communications Consultant staff on a project basis. Actual responsibilities may vary. Senior Communications Consultants may also be hired for specific projects or to focus on specific corporate priorities.

Top Key Responsibilities

• Lead Strategic Communications Planning - Identify organizational communications needs and provide expert advice on communications and public consultation strategies.
• Develop and Execute Communication Plans - Create, implement, and evaluate integrated communications and public engagement plans that support corporate priorities and sensitive initiatives.
• Provide Strategic Communications Counsel - Advise Senior Administration, Council, and departments on communications approaches, risk management, and reputation protection.
• Manage Issues and Reputation Communications - Anticipate and address politically sensitive or high-profile issues to maintain public trust and organizational credibility.
• Develop Corporate Messaging - Lead the creation of clear, consistent messaging on complex topics such as strategic plans, budgets, growth initiatives, and confidential matters.
• Create Communications Content - Write and produce communication materials including news releases, briefing notes, speeches, Q&As, newsletters, website content, advertising, and multimedia materials.
• Manage Media Relations - Build and maintain proactive relationships with media, coordinate media events, and support positive organizational visibility.
• Coach and Support Leaders - Provide media and communications coaching to staff and Council members, helping them communicate effectively and respond to public concerns.
• Provide Leadership and Relationship Management - Mentor and supervise students and communications staff, while building strong relationships with internal stakeholders, community partners, and consultants.
• Ensure Accountability and Resource Management - Manage project budgets, meet client expectations, track progress, and ensure all communications activities align with the organization's strategic plan and objectives.

As our preferred candidate, you will have

• Knowledge gained through completing an undergraduate degree in communications, journalism, or related field, plus five years of progressively more complex communications experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in a municipal environment considered an asset. IABC or CPRS accreditation considered an asset. 
• Record of significant accomplishments in developing and managing effective high impact communications planning and implementation. 
• Applied knowledge of communication principles including public relations, issues management, promotion, branding, media relations, public consultation, publication development and production, special event planning, crisis communications as well as marketing and general public affairs. 
• Ability to assess communications issues/requirements and provide recommendations for resolution.
• Ability to organize, clarify and communicate complex or ambiguous ideas effectively through engaging, easy-to-understand messages.
• Creativity, superior writing and editing ability for all media.
• Demonstrated understanding and application of new media technologies in a corporate communications environment. 
• Ability to effectively facilitate groups to cause understanding and solicit ideas and feedback.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate with honesty, sensitivity and diplomacy, maintain confidentiality and deal tactfully in an open and political environment.
• Ability to foster and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders both within the organization and external to it. Demonstrates appropriate confidence to earn credibility with Senior Administration and Council, while also earning the trust and confidence of staff at all organizational levels.
• Ability to independently prioritize and manage several competing, complex, evolving projects, including associated budgets.
• Ability to deal with confidential issues, including human resource issues, in a professional manner and in accordance with City policy.

Specific Demands of the Job:

• May require RCMP clearance to provide service to Municipal Policing.
• Requires high levels of concentrated effort to complete projects from conceptualization through to completion, final analysis and reporting.
• Requires the management of diverse responsibilities and the need to regularly adjust priorities using sound judgement and informed discretion as project demands change.
• Requires thoroughness and preciseness in carrying out projects to ensure all parties, including Senior Administration and Council, are provided with accurate information upon which to speak publicly (including to the media).
• Requires the ability to approach issues and projects corporately, understanding the need for reputation management throughout all communications.
• Required to work outside of regular office hours, at times, for meetings and to meet deadlines.

Affiliation:   Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 417 
Status:   Term Part-time
Remuneration:   $44.78 to $47.41 per hour 
Hours of Work:  Up to 37.5 hours biweekly as scheduled; Monday to Friday, will also be required to work outside of regular office hours for meetings and to meet deadlines when needed.
Additional Information:   The term of this position is anticipated to be approximately 12-18 months with the possibility of an extension.

The City of Red Deer does not permit the use of unauthorized internet resources or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools  (for example, Copilot, ChatGPT or any other form of AI) during interviews or any supervised or timed assessments.  Any violation may be investigated and result in serious consequences, including the rejection of your application.

We thank you for your application. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.