Senior Communications Advisor - Strategic Communications - Temporary Full-time 2024-9772

Job Description:

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a nationally-leading and internationally-recognized academic health care centre based at several sites in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our team delivers expert, compassionate care to patients from across Ontario; wide ranging and sometimes unique education to thousands of learners each year; and research and implementation of innovations that invent the future of health care. Since our first patient in 1946, Sunnybrook has evolved and expanded to become a network of integrated sites and campuses representing the full continuum of care including pre-hospital, acute, and post-acute and key specialty services for Ontario.

Sunnybrook is embarking on a multi-year digital, clinical transformation project to implement a new health information system (HIS) across all campuses and satellite sites. The HIS project is a pillar of enabling exemplary patient experience and quality of care and therefore this is not solely an information technology initiative, but one founded in clinical transformation and care redesign.

Position profile:

We are looking for an experienced, creative and highly-motivated Senior Communications Advisor to join Team Sunnybrook on a 2-year contract basis for the duration of the HIS project. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic communication plans for the HIS project, a highly visible and impactful change for the organization. The Senior Communications Advisor for HIS is responsible for the promotion and communications of the HIS project across the organization and externally in cooperation with Project Leadership and the Strategic Communications team, reporting to the Manager, Corporate Communications.

Primary responsibilities:

Build and maintain close working relationships with executive sponsors and HIS leadership team and provide ongoing communications counsel and support.

Remain highly visible to senior leaders/physicians, clinical teams, and provide periodic updates to Board of Directors HIS sub-committee members

Develop, coordinate and implement detailed and multi-layered communications plans for the communication and promotion of the HIS project in cooperation with the Project Leadership and Strategic Communications team.

Provide a full range of communications support for a complex project as required including, but not limited to, change management communications and planning, identifying and helping to coordinate media relations and social media opportunities, event planning, issues management communications and producing internal and external communications including stories and articles for publication.

Accountable for the implementation of communications components of the HIS communications and change management strategy. Work directly with executive sponsors and senior management to implement strategy.

Provide recommendations on the future evolution of communication strategy, structure, function and activity for the HIS project

Write and design communications, promotional materials, and dissemination tools for diverse project stakeholders

Liaise with internal contacts, external partners, community organizations and other stakeholders

Work with members of the Strategic Communications team to execute on communications (e.g. corporate internal and external channels, photograph and record various events, develop and maintain a graphics and video inventory, update internal and external sites)

Conduct database, literature, and web searches to locate documents and articles that can be used for reference in promotional materials/tools

Remain current with frequent developments in social media platforms and trends in the communication field

Proofread and edit various publications authored by other staff members

Plan the production and graphic design layouts of project publications and communications tools

In conjunction with the Strategic Communications’ Public Affairs team, coordinate media inquiries and connect media with relevant persons in the project

Identify opportunities for communication and leverage and optimize these opportunities using existing tools

Develop measurement tools to evaluate impact of corporate communications strategies for project.

Serve as point-of-contact with the Strategic Communications team for executive sponsors, and Director Clinical Informatics.

Special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Skills:

Undergraduate degree/diploma in communications, journalism, public relations or related field.

Minimum 5 to 7 years’ experience required.

Experience with large-scale, complex change management projects considered a significant asset

Demonstrated experience in successfully developing and implementing highly matrixed communication strategies, public awareness campaigns, corporate communications, media relations and issues management support.

Extensive knowledge of communications trends and ability to foresee newsworthy stories.

Exceptional writer and editor; must have ability to ensure error free materials

Excellent verbal communication skills

Familiarity with communication tools and technologies, including email platforms, content management systems, and basic graphic design tools (e.g. Canva).

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including executives, board members, senior health media and business media

Results oriented, self-directed, and independent, with the ability to balance multifaceted projects and competing priorities.

Ability to work effectively under pressure; mature judgment for assessing difficult situations

A strategic and creative thinker who can get things done under pressure despite multiple competing demands

Demonstrated ability to work both as a team member and on your own with minimal supervision

Experience with events planning and coordination an asset.

High energy, flexibility and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Flexibility to work weekends and evenings if necessary