Communications Manager

Job Advertisement: Communications Manager

Permanent Full-Time Position

Work Location: Applications from candidates living in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Lunenburg County, Pictou County, Colchester County, Central New Brunswick Region, and Prince Edward Island are warmly welcomed.

(Hybrid work environment: required in-office two-three days per week)

Application Deadline: March 1, 2026

United Way Maritimes - with teams located in and serving the regions of Central New Brunswick, Colchester & Cumberland Counties, Halifax, Lunenburg County, Pictou County, Prince Edward Island, and Saint John, Kings & Charlotte - is a for-impact organization that brings donors, volunteers, and partners together to create lasting social change. We believe everyone matters and deserves to belong, be safe, and live a life of their choosing. To help, United Way Maritimes alleviates and reduces local poverty by funding, partnering, convening, and advocating for solutions. United Way Maritimes is part of a federated movement of 50+ United Ways across the country.

The staff at United Way Maritimes takes pride in bringing together people who have a range of experience, talents, and backgrounds. We share a passion for each of the places we call home and bring many different skills and strengths to the work we do. Our community and social change priorities include poverty, social isolation, affordable housing, people experiencing marginalization and vulnerability, and recovery and resilience to environmental, mass casualty and public health emergencies. We provide a supportive and flexible work environment filled with opportunity, balance, and laughter.

Reporting to the Vice-President, Marketing, Communications and Public Policy, the Communications Manager is responsible for designing and executing strategic communications plans that amplify the United Way Maritimes brand, mission, and community impact. You will serve as the lead advisor on issues management while managing media presence and ensuring messaging consistency across all platforms. You are a leader who can navigate complexity and build meaningful awareness with internal and external stakeholders.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

• Strategic Communications & Brand Voice: Lead the development of communication strategies for all our community impact work and ensure consistency in tone and messaging across platforms.
• Media Relations & Spokesperson Preparation: Act as the primary media contact and advisor; develop proactive news strategies to promote strategic objectives, facilitate interviews, and provide media training and preparation for key staff.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Stewardship: Oversee specialized communications for funded agencies and government contacts; lead first-person storytelling initiatives and manage the ethical stewardship of community storytellers.
• Issues Management & Crisis Communications: Monitor regional media for emerging risks and provide expert advice on issues management.
• Internal Communications & Change Management: Design and execute internal communication strategies for major organizational initiatives, programs, and change management processes.
• Impact Reporting & Resource Development: Spearhead the strategy, content curation, and storytelling for annual reporting; develop internal conversation guides to support impact initiatives and key organizational programs.

Our ideal candidate is an experienced strategic communicator with an ability to lead and set direction for staff and colleagues. The ideal candidate can take complex issues and translate them to a compelling narrative that resonates with donors, partners, media, and the public, and respects the communities we serve. In addition, they are highly organized and can manage multiple priorities and requests in the run of the day while being a friendly and accessible resource to the full team.

Additional Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree or diploma in communications, public relations, marketing, or a similar field (or equivalent life experience, self-guided learning, and transferable skills).
• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive experience moving ideas from concept to execution and effectively strengthening the brand, visibility and story of an organization.
• Experience supervising and coaching other team members to meet organizational objectives.
• Familiarity with both traditional and social media and a proven ability to communicate effectively with reporters/journalists and guide the public profile of an organization.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations (in a personal, volunteer, or professional capacity).
• Language: English proficiency required. French considered an asset.

United Way Maritimes is committed to a comprehensive compensation package including salary, group retirement savings plan contribution, health and dental benefits, generous vacation time, additional time-off during the December holiday period, and professional development and training. The salary range for this position starts at $63,165 per year and total compensation will consider experience and education. Interested candidates are encouraged to reach out to our Administrative & HR Assistant, Danielle Tobin, for a conversation about the role, salary range, and total compensation package. To contact Danielle, please email: [email protected] or 902-759-7707.

If this sounds like you, let us know by sharing your resume and cover letter outlining why you could be the right fit for United Way Maritimes and this role. Submit your application to [email protected] by March 1, 2026, at 11:59pm (AST).

United Way Maritimes deeply values equity and is committed to ensuring our staff community reflects the diversity of the wider community. We welcome applications from African Nova Scotian people, people of African descent, Indigenous peoples, racialized people, women, people with disabilities, people of varied sexual and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. United Way Maritimes seeks to maintain its commitment to inclusion and equity and recognizes that increasing the diversity of our staff supports this objective.

During the recruitment process, applicants have the right to request an accommodation. Applicants invited to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) and who require accommodation should discuss their needs in advance of the assessment.