Public Relations Lead
Grow with the best. Join a smart, creative, and inspired team that accomplishes operational excellence. Bringing together individuals with diverse backgrounds, talents, and expertise, our 31,000 team members in over 450 locations worldwide are vital to making our Company stronger.
Your Opportunity
Are you looking for an opportunity where you can work with and be inspired by amazing creative colleagues, make an impact on your community, gain valuable experience, and build your career? Meet Stantec. Ranked as one of the most sustainable companies in the world, our Canadian based, global firm touches some of the most exciting and innovative projects in the world - and we want you on our team.
We have an opening for one Public Relations Lead (PRL) on our global PR team, working with our Canadian regional operations. This role requires someone who has serious skills when it comes to PR—a team player who always thinks strategically, can see creative stories and bring them to life, provide counsel to leadership, and respond quickly to shifting priorities.
In this role, you’ll take on media relations, social media strategy, content marketing, issues/crisis management, and reputation management in partnership with Marketing & PR/Communications colleagues and leadership. Combining your business savvy and PR skills, you’ll look for creative ways to tell the most critical stories stemming from our Canadian teams. We’re looking for someone to be based in Toronto, Ottawa, or Halifax however remote opportunities are available for the right candidate.
Reporting to the Senior Public Relations Manager, US, Canada and Corporate Brand Campaigns the PRL is part journalist, part storyteller, part strategic advisor. Some of the activities you’ll focus your energy on include, but are not limited to:
- Partnering with Regional Marketing colleagues to develop and implement an integrated marketing and PR plan that tells the Company’s news and brand story across multiple channels
- Establish a strong reputation as a trustworthy counselor, and steady crisis communications champion with local and regional leadership
- Developing a strong understanding of local projects, the company’s brand, client needs, key differentiators, and market trends
- Working with internal clients, stakeholders and leadership to ensure PR engagements are strategic, and contribute to a holistic story for Stantec’s Canadian operations
- Developing and managing communications initiatives involving news releases, social media outreach, content marketing, research, interviews, media training and spokesperson support, media monitoring and tracking, and other support on special projects and events
- Helping to drive and support our thought leadership program, both through strategic planning and content development
- Communicating with local media, and industry publications to contribute expert articles and blogs, and to seek editorial coverage
- Overseeing media outreach and preparing practice leadership by developing briefing documents; identifying opportunities and issues; and developing relevant remarks, speeches, and talking points for them
- Providing social media and communications training for internal groups
- Diligently monitor, measure, and report on the company’s media presence, offering recommendations on opportunities to advance coverage goals in strategic outlets.
As part of the centralized Public Relations Team, the PRL will embrace a collaborative work environment and meet regularly with the Senior Public Relations Manager to establish weekly priorities, assignments, and progress toward long-term goals.
The PRL will participate in larger Public Relations, Marketing and Communications team meetings, as needed, to discuss specific initiatives and contribute to brainstorm sessions for promotional campaign development and content marketing strategies.
You will manage multiple priorities and ensure projects are moving forward as expected through consistent status updates with relevant cross-functional partners and serve as a trusted strategist during business planning and leadership strategy discussions.
Education and Experience:
- Post-secondary degree in communications, public relations, English, journalism, or marketing
- Minimum 7 years of experience in a marketing communications, public relations, or journalism-driven role
- Experience in the A/E/C industry preferred, but not required
- Experience mentoring and/or managing staff
- Proven experience driving successful campaigns
Other Requirements:
- Strong storytelling and writing skills are essential
- Detail-oriented and organized, with exceptional prioritization skills
- Ability to effectively balance multiple priorities
- Fundamental understanding of the media landscape (traditional, social)
- Excellent interviewing, written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment, as well as to worl autonomously
- Familiarity with photography and video preferred
- Previous experience with digital content scheduling and tracking platforms preferred
- Professional writing samples required