Communications specialist

Title: Communications specialist

Employee Working Location: Partially Virtual / Hybrid (Canada)

Employment Status: Temporary Full-time (6 months)

The Canadian Red Cross (Red Cross) - an inspirational not for profit organization, helps people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and supports them in strengthening their resilience. As a Canada's Best Employers 2026, we are committed to having an accessible, diverse, inclusive, and barrier-free work environment.

The Communications Specialist provides support and guidance on internal and external communications initiatives. This role assists in the development and implementation of communication plans, strategies, and materials that align with organizational priorities and promote effective engagement. The Specialist also contributes to the stewardship of digital content and communication systems, ensuring compliance with privacy, legal, and branding requirements. Through collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, the Communications Specialist helps deliver integrated messaging, strengthen client relationships, and enhance the organization's overall communications effectiveness. This role also provides support and guidance on communications strategies for internal and external stakeholders. They also assist in developing and implementing communication plans, strategies, and materials, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. By collaborating with team members and building strong client relationships, they help enhance engagement and deliver effective messaging.

In this role, you will :

• Support the development, execution, and evaluation of communication strategies, tools, and systems that advance organizational objectives, with a focus on alignment, efficiency, and accessibility.
• Provide day-to-day support and technical advice on communication activities and systems, including content development, asset management, and audience engagement.
• Support communications planning and promotional efforts for events, campaigns, or fundraising initiatives.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to understand communication and information management needs, ensuring messaging, tools, and digital assets meet strategic and operational requirements.
• Conduct research and analysis to identify communication opportunities, system improvements, and audience insights; make recommendations that enhance strategy, workflow, and compliance.
• Draft, edit, and proofread a wide range of communication materials, including media releases, speeches, presentations, reports, digital content, and social media messaging.
• Provide communications support to emergency response operations, including coordinating across teams and developing communications products for a variety of audiences.
• Support digital systems and tools used for content creation, asset management, and publishing-including participating in configuration, tracking, and continuous improvement activities.
• Ensure communications and digital asset use comply with legal, privacy, and rights-related requirements by identifying and managing risk and supporting the development of related policies and workflows.
• Contribute to the administration and optimization of systems supporting digital content and asset management, including vendor coordination, lifecycle workflows, updates, and training for users.
• Assist with media monitoring, metrics tracking, and evaluation of communication and digital asset performance, including analysis of engagement, compliance, and ROI.
• Develop and deliver training materials and sessions to support staff adoption and understanding of communication tools, digital systems, and brand guidelines.
• Participate in enterprise-level initiatives related to digital asset management, knowledge management, digitization, and related strategic projects that advance information stewardship and innovation.
• Stay current with industry best practices, legal considerations, and technological advancements in communications and digital asset management to inform strategy and system use.

What we are looking for :

• Qualifications include a minimum of 4-7 years experience and a 3-year college diploma or university degree communications, public relations, journalism, digital media or related field and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience. May require technical certifications or professional designations.
• Proficiency in using digital tools for content creation, publishing, and monitoring (e.g., content management systems, email platforms, social media tools, analytics platforms) and standard computer applications (Microsoft Office Suite) and SharePoint.
• Familiarity with digital asset management systems, lifecycle workflows, and metadata best practices.
• Knowledge of best practices in communication, public relations, and media relations.
• Strong understanding of communications strategy, content development, and audience engagement across diverse platforms.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to adapt messaging to various audiences and formats.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to identify, investigate and analyze problems, identify root causes and risks, and apply technical, functional and organizational knowledge to develop solutions.
• Communication skills, diplomacy and empathy to interpret information and deliver advice, clarify client or stakeholder needs, offer solutions, and resolve escalations in new or somewhat sensitive situations.
• A cover letter is mandatory to apply for this position.

Working Conditions

• Ability to assume on-call duties on a periodic basis outside of business hours.
• As we work with and support people (managers, colleagues, beneficiaries/customers, volunteers, donors and external partners) and communities in Canada and around the world, applicants whose first language is not English may be required to perform the responsibilities of the role in English.
• Eligibility to work in Canada: At this time , we welcome applications from candidates eligible to work in Canada. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, we encourage you to carefully review your visa to find out whether you are eligible to work in the job you are considering applying for. Refer to our FAQ for more information.
• If you are selected for this role, you will be required to complete a successful pre-employment screening process which includes a satisfactory Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC).