Senior External Communications Advisor

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Hybrid)

At Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Medavie Health Services, they are dedicated to making a difference in people's lives by delivering exceptional pre-hospital care and Telehealth services in Nova Scotia. By joining a team of over 1,400 committed professionals, including paramedics, nurses, medical communication officers, and support staff, you can play a critical role in ensuring their patients receive the highest quality care and contribute to keeping our communities safe

Hawthorne Recruitment is pleased to be seeking, on their behalf, a passionate and strategic Senior External Communications Advisor to drive impactful communication initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs, you will be responsible for leading media relations, developing public relations strategies, and managing EMC’s external communications to support its strategic priorities.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of communications strategies and tactics in support of EMC business objectives.
• Act as the main point of contact for EMC media, working in close consultation with business partners to support timely responses to requests for information from media and interviews.
• Generate and foster relationships with media and healthcare partners, helping to identify emerging opportunities and challenges that require proactive communication, including new opportunities for enhanced media profiles.
• Maintain a big-picture view of the organization, relevant issues, and topics, and leverage knowledge of the media cycle to inform strategic thinking and communications advice; support the generation of an ongoing news cycle and regular earned media coverage.
• Monitor key regional and national news media daily to identify issues that may impact the operations and/or reputation of our group of companies.
• Develop and deliver effective communication strategies to support business initiatives and other operational announcements; create relevant materials and liaise directly with internal and external business partners.
• Develop and deliver monthly reports on media relations activities.
• Oversee writing and editing content for communications channels, including (but not limited to) external communications (key messages, news releases, speaking remarks, Q&As, social media, etc.), and liaise directly with internal and external business partners to obtain relevant details and input.
• Work collaboratively with Medavie and EMC communications colleagues to manage brand and reputation, creating a steady stream of relevant content that is suitable for target audiences.
• Provide advice and support in counseling business partners on strategic communication strategies.
• Ensure external communication messages are consistent with internal messages and that the communications strategies are complementary.
• Support design and translation requirements for communications and partner relations needs, working with creative services and translation teams.
• Provide support for issues and crisis communications, including on-call coverage.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A minimum of 6-10 years of progressive experience in a strategic communications role and a post-secondary education in Communications or Public Relations.
• Proven delivery of communications and media relations strategies in a fast-paced environment with tight timelines.
• Experience as a corporate/organizational spokesperson with extensive reputation and issue management experience.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leaders and create approaches that address business demands and needs.
• Ability to support highly confidential and sensitive subjects or issues in a professional manner.
• A team player with a focus on supporting colleagues, trying new approaches, and delivering results.
• Exceptional written communication skills, including editing, proofreading, and attention to detail.
• A storyteller with the ability to take complex information and distill it into digestible, engaging, and informative pieces for employees; ability to modify writing tone and voice.
• Solid time management skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities and produce materials to meet tight deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal, project management, and relationship-building skills with the ability to work with multi-stakeholder teams in a fast-paced environment, across locations and operating companies; responds to requests quickly and professionally.
• A self-starter and problem-solver who works well independently and as part of a geographically dispersed, virtual team.
• Flexibility to work outside of normal hours and openness to occasional travel.
• Bilingualism (French and English) is considered an asset but is not required for this position.

By joining EMC, you will have the opportunity to shape our external communication strategies, fostering trust and awareness of our services within the communities we serve. If you are a proactive communicator with a passion for media relations and public engagement, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding position.