- Type of Position: Full-Time, 18-month Maternity Leave Contract
- 37.5 hours per week
- Competitive base salary of $100,000 annually
Who We Are
The GVFB provides assistance to approximately 15,000 people monthly across Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and the North Shore. We also provide food support to 150 agencies such as housing agencies, women and children’s shelters, transition homes and after school programs, which in turn provide hot meals and snacks to thousands of people each week, including people who are unhoused.
Our mission is providing healthy food to those in need. Our vision is to create healthy communities through fair and effective food systems. Currently, the GVFB distributes 8.9 M lbs of food each year.
The GVFB is a proud winner of BC’s Top Employers 2023!
The GVFB is a certified Living Wage Employer! This recognizes the GVFB’s commitment to paying fair wages, upholding good work standards for our employees, and contributing to poverty reduction and a higher standard of living in our community.
What We Offer
We believe in providing employees with flexibility, and the resources and tools to excel in their role. Employees will work alongside people who are passionate about food insecurity and community. We provide an inclusive office environment with excellent Skytrain accessibility and free parking on-site.
This is a full-time, 18-month contract position, covering for a maternity leave, with the opportunity to learn and grow. The successful candidate can expect a competitive base salary of $100,000 annually.
Come and enjoy working in an inclusive, award-winning workplace!
Position Overview
The Communications Manager works closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the Development team, and other teams across the GVFB to create professional, innovative, inspiring and brand consistent internal and external communications, including website management. The Communications Manager efficiently leads the Communications department and the Community Engagement department. They oversee media relations, and coordinate appearances and press releases with the Chief Executive Officer.
The Communications Manager will also focus on planning and supporting all GVFB-hosted and third-party events, as well as media relations and necessary communications. An understanding of Vancouver’s food system, food banks and food security is an asset.
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee all aspects of current and upcoming community events, including GVFB-hosted events, third-party events, school initiatives, and Virtual Food Drives. This involves event planning through to post-event follow-up and maintaining strong relationships with event hosts to foster long-term collaboration.
- Lead, develop and implement strategies that promote third-party community engagement, working with the Communications team to ensure consistent messaging across channels.
- Support in the recruitment, training and supervision of event volunteers and staff, including the Community Engagement Coordinator, Community Engagement Officer and Event Team Leads.
- Oversee event staffing requirements and ensure a high-level of coordination and support throughout each event.
- Manage event volunteers and staff, handle all event budgets, and hire and supervise Event staff, including Event Team Leads.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for third-party events and public-facing campaigns. Build and maintain strong relationships with community partners to drive support for GVFB’s mission and initiatives. This includes representing the GVFB at key events, cheque pickups and thank you’s, as required.
- Lead the communications strategy to support the GVFB’s Strategic Plan.
- Work closely with executive leadership to ensure messaging consistency and alignment with organizational priorities.
- Attend bi-weekly management meetings.
- Maintain and enhance the organization’s community profile, media, and social media presence by building and strengthening partnerships and creating timely and professional communications across all channels with a consistent tone and voice.
- Manage and grow the organization’s online presence.
- Create, coordinate, and monitor digital content in the form of web content, copywriting, photos, blog posts, social media posts, and online discussions/conversations.
- Manage the GVFB brand presence across all platforms, from social media to our physical locations.
- Draft, approve and maintain communications collateral as needed to support the organization, our community events, campaigns, and ad hoc projects as necessary.
- Prepare and maintain communications collateral including media releases, fact sheets, Q&As and backgrounders as needed.
- Act as a liaison between the organization and the media, cultivating positive relationships with media outlets, facilitating and managing media interviews and requests, and supporting key spokespeople to ensure they are prepared.
- Lead and manage external supplier relationships as it relates to the communications function.
- Support, manage and coach the Communications team.
- Ensure communications feedback is provided to the organization using analytics and monitoring data.
- Deliver any other such work or projects as requested by the Chief Executive Officer.
Personal Attributes and Core Skills
- Lead by example with empathy and encouragement, supporting growth and empowering decision-making.
- The ability to juggle multiple projects, events, deadlines and priorities with grace, humour, and resilience.
- Ability to adapt to changes in the industry and alter existing or create new messaging.
- Confidence to suggest new ideas and strategies, and to challenge those that do not appear to fit our brand and strategy.
- Polished verbal, written, editorial and organizational skills, as well as excellent communication skills that are consistent across all mediums (online, in print and in person).
- Consistent and outstanding attention to detail, and a passion for creating inspiring messages.
- The ability to quickly adapt to new requests and strategies on short notice.
- Hands on experience of day-to-day strategic engagement with internal and external audiences.
Qualifications and Experience
- Relevant post-secondary degree or diploma and 3-5 years’ experience in a public relations, events or communications coordination.
- Previous experience in a leadership role is an asset.
- Proficiency in social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn; and tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer.
- Demonstrated experience planning and facilitating an event on behalf of an organization.
- An eye for and working knowledge of photography, copy editing, web and graphic design platforms.
- Relevant experience managing local media relationships, coordinating coverage and events, and ensuring accurate and timely representation in the media.
- Experience with Windows and Mac OS based software including MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Drupal, CMS and CRM systems.
- Valid Class 5 Drivers License with 3-years clean driving history.
- Fundraising and/or non-profit experience or exposure is an asset. An understanding of Vancouver’s food system, food banks and food security is an asset.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to work in both indoor and outdoor event environments, in a variety of weather conditions.
- Ability to walk and stand throughout events.
- Exposure to ambient temperatures and noisy conditions.
- Bending and lifting boxes up to 50 lbs. on a regular basis at events.
- Ability to set up and dismantle event equipment as needed.
Working Environment
Generally, 37.5 hours a week, however, due to the nature of the role and our business, this fluctuates as periodic assistance with special events and campaigns on nights and weekends will be a requirement.
Notes
Due to high volume applications, only those applicants under consideration will be contacted.
Please accept our utmost appreciation for your interest. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Applications will be treated in strict confidence.
A criminal record check for working with vulnerable sectors is required upon hiring.
