Director of Communications & Government Relations

Employee Type:

Become a changemaker with Islamic Relief Canada! Join our team and work towards our mission to mobilize Canadians to transform more lives around the world in the most trusted manner.

About the Department:

The Communications and Government Relations team is at the forefront of shaping and sharing the impact of our humanitarian work and advocacy. We foster strong connections with government officials and policymakers to advocate for meaningful change. With an innovative approach to media relations and public engagement, we work to amplify community stories that highlight our humanitarian efforts around the world.

Job Purpose:

The Director of Comms & GR  serves as an essential member of Islamic Relief Canada's senior leadership team (SLT).  The successful candidate will be an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting IRC.  In partnership with the SLT, this position is responsible for managing Islamic Relief’s external communications. This role leads the strategic delivery of the organization’s communications and government relations portfolios. This involves overseeing all Media Relations, Public Relations, Advocacy, Government Relations, Brand Management, Institutional Funding, Crisis Communications, Issues & Risk Management and Policy & Research

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Media and Government Relations

  • Build relationships with national and local media institutions in order to achieve media coverage for IRC’s initiatives 

  • Work with teams across the IR family to build and develop content for media and government 

  • Build relationships with key government officials in order to increase the profile of IRC 

  • Respond to all relevant media enquiries 

  • Manage media campaigns 

  • Work with teams across IRC to coordinate media coverage 

  • Develop and strengthen the messages, profile and recognition of IRC and information on its activities through proactive communications and engagement

  • Work with communication, marketing and programs teams to develop content and materials for PR related activities

  • Act as spokesperson for IRC and answer written and oral inquiries

  • Coordinate special publicity events and promotions for external audiences

  • Responsible for coordinating writing and publishing op-ed articles and blogs 

• Institutional Funding/Research/Advocacy

  • Lead on coordinating IRC’s high level engagements, external relations and advocacy work

  • Securing funding from corporate institutions, governments, UN agencies and community-based organizations

  • Build relationships with media institutions (journalists, producers, editors) in order to build the profile of Islamic Relief and achieve media coverage through media interviews, blogs, articles and press coverage. 

  • Collaborate with other leading NGOs on projects and programs. 

• Strategy

  • Lead on the development and utilization of a consistent, coherent, meaningful and positive IRC image and set of core policy and advocacy messages 

  • Speak at and learn from conferences and other public forums 

  • Engage and form partnerships with other NGOs and CBOs

  • Represent IRC and engage meaningfully with institutional donor agencies, umbrella organizations, networks and other key stakeholders

  • Promote IRC’s mission and values and to act as an IR role model at all times.

  • Provide strategic organizational leadership, inspiration and guidance. 

  • Develop IRC’s media and government relations strategy 

  • Develop and deploy IRC crisis communications strategy to combat any negative narratives of IRC presented to the public

• Staff Management

  • Identify, develop, and mentor the development team

  • Line management of department staff, including: 

  • Setting objectives and work plans

  • Managing workload and performance through regular one-to-one line management discussions

  • Plan and implement personal development program for team members in all relevant skills

  • Undertake annual performance reviews

  • Forecast hiring needs for the department

Qualifications & Competencies

• Minimum four years’ experience in journalism, PR and/or government relations. Experience in a newsroom or senior government office an asset 

• Experience in preparing press releases, engaging with media and preparing for and conducting media interviews

• Experience in conducting policy related meetings at all levels

• Superior judgement and risk evaluation skills

• Experience of developing and establishing strategies and work plans which help to deliver the wider organisational objectives 

• Proven ability to give direction to Canadian and international staff at senior levels through delegation and authority of tasks

• Strong financial and resource management 

• Demonstrated skills in networking which lead to positive relationships with external bodies

• Research and writing experience

• Substantial marketing or media, policy and public communications experience work at a senior level

Hybrid Work Policy: 

IRC has a hybrid model where in-office requirements are based on distance from our Burlington headquarters or a regional office (Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa). Depending on where you live, this can range from two days a week to one day a month.  

Commitment to Accessibility 

Islamic Relief Canada is committed to providing inclusive employment opportunities. Accommodation requests are invited at all stages of IRC recruitment, hiring, and employment processes. We make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations in a timely manner. If you have any accommodation requests or questions regarding the hiring process, contact us at careers@islamicreliefcanada.org or 1-855-377-4673.

Starting Salary:

Please note: The posted starting salary is intended to provide potential candidates with a general understanding of the compensation associated with the position. The actual salary offered will start at this figure, with adjustments possible based on individual qualifications and other relevant factors.