Executive Director, Strategic Storytelling & Communications

About this position

Job Description

Position Title: Executive Director, Strategic Storytelling & Communications
Department: Brand Storytelling & Communications
Reports To: SVP, Brand Storytelling & Communications
Salary: $125,000 - $160,000
Job Type: Full Time, Permanent, Hybrid, 2-3 Days in Office
Location: Toronto
Job Posting Close Date: July 12, 2024

Hi there,
We’re so glad you found us.
It is an exciting time at Kids Help Phone. We are on a transformational journey, one that will reshape the landscape of youth mental health in Canada.
In March of 2023, we launched Feel Out Loud, a historic, national movement in support of youth mental health – the largest in Canada’s history - anchored by a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $300 million to reach young people in every corner of Canada by expanding access to e-mental health services.
The Feel Out Loud movement has been fueled by Artists (watch The Anthem, here) and now Athletes (watch the launch film for Athletes for Feel Out Loud, here). This is a movement that has galvanized adults and young people alike…and we’re not done yet!
We’re adding to our innovative team who will help fuel the KHP mission. If the thought of making a positive impact on the mental health of young people in Canada inspires you, this could be for you.
First, here’s a bit about our story:
Kids Help Phone began in 1989 as a unique telephone counselling service, and for 35 years, we’ve evolved our response and innovated our offerings and technology to stay relevant to youth, recognizing the complexity of issues they face.
Kids Help Phone is Canada's only free, 24/7 multilingual and confidential service offering professional counselling, information, referrals, and texting support for young people.. We provide life-changing support to youth millions of times each year (with over 19 million interactions since the start of the pandemic).

Unlock your potential. Carve out a career as unique as yourself. Grow with us.

The Opportunity:
The Executive Director, Strategic Storytelling & Communications holds a crucial role in galvanizing Kids Help Phone as the leader in e-mental health for all youth across Canada.

A key member of the Operations Leadership Team and the Executive Team, this role includes accountability to cultivate talent within the Brand, Storytelling & Communications team (BSC), steeped in KHP values and anchored in IDEA principles

The Executive Director is accountable for four key functions:
 

• Enterprise Thought Leadership activity 
• CEO Communications
• Public relations & Crisis communications
• Influencer relations

These functions will work harmoniously to deliver the Strategic Directions & Performance Goals with particular attention to:
 

• Fortifying the ‘Feel Out Loud’ comprehensive fundraising campaign and youth-facing platform across PR, thought leadership and influencer relations
• Activating the organizational thought leadership strategy which includes a current affairs desk, events, round tables and data insights
• Operationalizing CEO communications across internal and external audiences
• Active monitoring of enterprise risk and proactive planning for crisis communications

 

• What You’ll Contribute:
• Lead and support the execution of an overarching Comprehensive Campaign Communications Plan to support Kids Help Phone’s ‘Feel Out Loud’ Comprehensive Fundraising Campaign
• Plan, prioritize, oversee and continually optimize the CEO’s communications activities, through speech and presentation writing, panels, Board meetings, media engagements, awards, events etc. to strengthen relationships with our donors and partners while continuing to fortify brand reputation.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders including our HR, IDEA, the office of the President & CEO and The Story Studio teams to activate the role of the CEO within internal communications including Town Halls, Board meetings and commemorative dates in the annual calendar to positively contribute to KHP’s values-based culture.
• Attend CEO appearances as needed, ensuring proper briefing notes and engagement materials
• Define and implement the PR elements of the Thought Leadership strategy weaving together service awareness, brand building and donor recognition goals; ensuring a wide variety of channels and tactics are used to build profile across defined industries and categories.
• Define and oversee the implementation of a volunteer-based influencer strategy to establish a solid roster of credible and relatable personalities.
• Fully operationalize a ‘current affairs desk’ to connect headlines with content, influencers, and spokespeople, with cross-channel publication to deepen relevance and build thought leadership.
• Ensure a diverse pool of trained spokespeople are properly prepared for all engagements.
• Prepare and oversee the creation of press releases, speaking engagements and communications.
• Supports the creation, publication and editing of department reporting including Board documents, share of voice summaries, scorecard updates, speaking notes and briefing notes
• Positively contributes to team-led action plans, skill-building agendas, and wellness activities

 

• What You’ll Need:
• 10 or more years’ proven successful experience in communication and/or public relations
• Experience navigating complex situations
• Ability to uphold confidences and demonstrate sound judgement
• Lead by example in budgeting, goal-setting, and project managing programs and initiatives
• Possess strong organizational skills that aid in triaging situations and escalating pressing issues.
• A persuasive and compelling storyteller who can also:
• See and seize opportunities
• Prioritize immediate requirements with building long term relationships
• Balance competing timelines and priorities
• Lead, mentor and coach a team
• Remain calm under pressure and have a keen eye for details

 

• Must have skills:
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Self-starter, able to manage projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong sense of professionalism, confidentiality and excellent judgement skills.
• Critical thinker and problem-solving skills
• Positive attitude, details and customer oriented 
• Excellent multitasking skills
• Good time-management skills
• Team player

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you may be asked to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role and the overall business objectives of Kids Help Phone.

Don’t meet every single qualification and requirement? Studies have shown that women and racialized people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At KHP we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles that our organization is recruiting for.
 

• Why Kids Help Phone?
• Meaningful opportunities to make an impact
• Modern, collaborative space and an environment where you are valued and appreciated
• Employee Wellness programs
• Extensive medical, dental and optical coverage
• Work/life balance and flexibility
• We take great pride in our first-class team and culture. Open-door approach at all levels
• Rapidly growing organization with a focus on continuous innovation
• Real-time coaching and feedback, growth opportunities, and a supportive and collaborative team

Join us! Visit our careers page and apply now!
For more information about Kids Help Phone, please visit our website: https://kidshelpphone.ca/ 
Accredited member, Imagine Canada Standards Program.



Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model                           Health care
• Life insurance                                   Vision care
• Wellness Program                            Dental care
• Flex Time                                          Pension
• Life Insurance                                   Emergency Travel Assistance
• Accidental Death Insurance

The Small Print:

Applications will close at 11:59 pm, on the job posting close date listed above. Submissions received after this time may not be considered

Accommodation Statement:
Kids Help Phone welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities, as such reasonable accommodations are available upon request from a candidate with a disability, thus ensuring you can take part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process. If, as a qualified job applicant, you make an accommodation request, we will consult with you and provide reasonable accommodation according to your accessibility needs. If you wish to make a request, please provide a cover letter when applying for this position. 

The successful candidate to this role may be asked to complete a background screen, which may include criminal, credit, employment, educational checks and/or COVID 19 vaccination checks. All offers of employment are conditional on the receipt of satisfactory results of any applicable check.

Kids Help Phone is an equal opportunity employer, values diversity of people and communities, and is committed to excellence and inclusion in our organization. We welcome applications from visible minority group members, women, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, and others who respect and reflect the diversity of service users.
Kids Help Phone is committed to providing barrier-free environment and accommodation in accordance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources person if your require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process.
Kids Help Phone does not accept unsolicited telephone calls, referrals or resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. Kids Help Phone will not consider unsolicited telephone calls, referrals and/or resumes from vendors including and without limitation, search firms, staffing agencies, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies. The submission of referrals or resumes by anyone other than a candidate directly to Kids Help Phone is not welcome. Unsolicited referrals and resumes sent to Kids Help Phone will be deemed gratuitous, and Kids Help Phone will not be obligated or bound in any way to pay a referral or any other fee if a person referred to us from a source other than a direct candidate is subsequently hired.