Communications Specialist - 1 year contract

Take a Hike Foundation is seeking a Communications Specialist to become part of our Development Team. As we continue to grow across BC, we are looking for a skilled communicator and writer to join a Development Team that describes themselves as ?passionate, hard-working, collaborative, respectful, and flexible?. We encourage you to send over your application!

THE ORGANIZATION:

Take a Hike empowers youth who experience vulnerability to change the trajectory of their lives with a full-time mental health and emotional well-being program embedded in an alternate education classroom. Take a Hike engages youth with intentional, continuous clinical counselling, land-based learning, and community. Our public school district partners provide high quality education, and together, we empower youth with the skills and resilience they need to graduate high school, build healthy relationships, and achieve success - however they define it.

For more information on the program, please visit?www.takeahikefoundation.org.?

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications, the Communications Specialist will be responsible for introducing communications storytelling to advance Take a Hike Foundation's mission.

The Communications Specialist is responsible for collaborating across teams to elevate the internal and external reputation of take a hike through strategic communications. This person will engage and inform Take a Hike's community with compelling content that supports stakeholders in becoming Take a Hike ambassadors. The role collaborates with multiple departments to execute communication initiatives to ensure that the foundation's mission, values, and key messages are effectively communicated both internally and externally.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Communications:

• Implements and executes an internal communications strategy that aligns with Take a Hike's goals.
• Identifies, researches, prepares, reviews, edits, and activates communications that inform and engage employees and other Take a Hike stakeholders, including creating messages, written communications, newsletters, emails, e-newsletters, videos, presentations, and other communication content.
• Creates communications that are inclusive and considerate of diverse perspective while promoting diversity, inclusion, equity, and access within Take a Hike.
• Collaborates with marketing to align copy with strategy and ensure content coordination.
• Maintains brand consistency across all materials.
• Monitors and evaluates communication initiatives for improvement.

Systems & Training:

• Develops guides and training materials for internal communication channels, including tone, language and formatting.
• Recommends new processes and practices that will elevate internal communications engagement within Take a Hike.

Thought Leadership:

• Works collaboratively with key Take a Hike staff members to plan, develop, and publish thought leadership blog posts, videos, articles, and any other content.
• Identifies speaking engagements and brand awareness opportunities.
• Creates content showcasing Take a Hikes expertise.
• Stays up to date on industry trends and shares insights
• Executes thought leadership campaigns and collaborates with experts.

Media & Government Relations:

• Promote, protect, and enhance Take a Hike's reputation and brand through media and government relations.
• Support Government Relations with presentations and key messaging.
• Collaborate with PR firm with communications needs.
• Manage media monitoring while identifying opportunities for response and thought leadership
• Draft media materials and supports communication plans.

May be asked to perform other tasks which are related but not necessarily regular duties.

CORE COMPETENCIES & SKILLS:

• Solid project management, organizational, planning, and logistical skills with the ability to meet tight deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to inspire confidence from staff, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to collaborate with individuals and teams at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Proofreads and meticulously edits copy to ensure accuracy, grammar, spelling, and overall quality.
• Independently researches and evaluates new communications channels and keeps abreast of best practices in order to stay current in the field.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a high-volume and results-oriented environment.
• Ability to work with confidential information, data, and materials.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, or relevant experience and 2-3 years of experience in a communications role or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of media relations and experience working with press outlets
• Strong computer skills: comfort with Microsoft Office suite and basic knowledge of CRM databases (Salesforce is an asset)
• Experience with publishing including journals, magazines, and other publications is an asset

TERMS AND COMPENSATION:

We offer a salary of $56,000 - $67,000 annually, commensurate with experience, based on a 37.5-hour work week. Take a Hike is proud to offer generous benefits that enable Take a Hike employees to thrive personally and professionally which include:

• Professional Wellbeing: internal and external learning opportunities, professional development budget and training opportunities

• Life Balance: 4 weeks' starting vacation and generous paid time off

• Physical and Mental Wellbeing: Health Spending Account, Employee Assistance Program, employer paid Extended health and Dental, and travel health coverage

• Financial Wellbeing: 4.5% RRSP matching program, short term and long-term disability coverage, and life insurance

• Community Wellbeing: Shared values (Wellbeing, Relationships, Exploration, Gratitude, Growth), Open communication and yearly departmental retreat.

This is a one-year full-time contract position based in our Vancouver, BC office with a minimum of two days a week in the office required and an expectation to be available for some evenings and weekends dependent on the needs of the department.

HOW TO APPLY:

If this position is of interest to you, please submit your cover letter and resume to our online portal, Collage. Applications will be evaluated, and interviews conducted, on a rolling basis and you are encouraged to apply early.

Take a Hike values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Diversity at Take a Hike means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, respected, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person's talents and strengths. Individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, people of color, people living with disabilities and candidates with lived experience in mental health are encouraged to consider this opportunity. In accordance with provincial Accessibility Acts, reasonable accommodation will be provided upon request throughout the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Reconciliation can be found on our website here