Senior Advisor, Public Affairs

Job summary

Lead the development and implementation of a thought leadership platform to elevate Desjardins' reputation and visibility outside of Quebec. Manage media relations, executive positioning, and integrated communications strategies to engage stakeholders and promote internal experts.

Job details

Are you a strategic storyteller with a passion for building influence, shaping narratives, and driving meaningful engagement? This exciting new national role offers a unique opportunity to work alongside a diverse team of Public Affairs professionals, helping elevate the visibility of Desjardins' leaders and experts on issues that matter to Canadians. Combining public relations, thought leadership, content creation, social media savvy, publication development, and project management, this position is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguity, brings creativity and innovation to the table, and can translate complex ideas into impactful stories and measurable results. As a Senior Public Affairs Advisor, you will play a pivotal role in promoting our internal experts and executives within the industry and media. You will engage with external stakeholders, utilizing key contacts and market knowledge to amplify and promote Desjardins to business, finance and economic journalists. You will develop integrated communications and media relations strategies that elevate Desjardins' reputation, strengthen executive visibility, and position our experts as trusted voices on issues impacting Canadians. You will also lead the development and implementation of a thought leadership platform that transforms internal expertise into compelling content and insights that support media engagement, stakeholder trust, and organizational influence. More specifically, you will be required to: Lead the development, implementation and evolution of Desjardins' thought leadership platform outside of Quebec. This includes identifying strategic themes, establishing governance and processes, partnering with subject matter experts and executives to develop original content, coordinating cross-functional contributors, and measuring performance to strengthen Desjardins' reputation, influence and visibility. Develop and maintain relationships with key media contacts to pitch stories, secure media coverage and position Desjardins executives and subject matter experts as trusted voices on economic, financial and socio-economic issues. Develop and execute communications plans that align with company goals while supporting different divisions within Desjardins. Tailoring your strategy, tactics, messages and audiences to deliver impactful communications strategies. Write and edit press releases, articles and other public relations (PR) related content to engage a diverse stakeholder group on various platforms. Work alongside executives and other communicators to provide expert counsel and sound recommendations that are in the best interest of the organization, including reputation management. This includes pitching and presenting to management and executive councils. Develop proactive, compelling, communications initiatives leveraging earned and paid strategies to promote Desjardins, its experts and expertise to targeted audiences. Evaluate PR activities by collecting data, benchmarking and measure the impact of your communications initiatives. You will report on your findings and provided data-driven recommendations. Provide insights and recommendations based on trends and your knowledge of the Canadian financial market and the economy. What we offer* Competitive salary and annual bonus 4 weeks of flexible vacation starting in the first year Defined benefit pension plan that provides predictable, stable income throughout retirement Group insurance including telemedicine Reimbursement of health and wellness expenses and telework equipment * Benefits apply based on eligibility criteria. #LI-Hybrid #ON10* What you bring to the table Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism or in a related field A minimum of seven years of relevant experience Please note that other combinations of qualifications and relevant experience may be considered Experience developing or leading thought leadership, executive positioning, expert profiling, or corporate narrative initiatives Experience building communications programs, frameworks or processes from concept through implementation Experience collaborating with senior leaders and subject matter experts to translate complex business issues into compelling external content and communications opportunities Experience in media relations Experience as a spokesperson Experience in project management Experience in strategizing, planning, and executing communications initiatives Experience in addressing PR issues to manage public perception Experience in preparing speeches and training spokespeople Experience creating content for multiple platforms (e.g., social media, blogs, newsletters) Expert proficiency in English, both oral and written due to the nature of the duties or work tools or because the position involves interactions with (language)-speaking partners, members and/or clients Advanced knowledge editing and proofreading Advanced intermediate knowledge of the Canadian financial market and a sound understanding of the economy Action oriented, Ambiguity, Complexity, Customer Focus, Differences, Drive results, Nimble learning, Strategic mindset Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility At Desjardins, we believe in equity, diversity and inclusion. We're committed to welcoming, respecting and valuing people for who they are as individuals, learning from their differences, embracing their uniqueness, and providing a positive workplace for all. At Desjardins, we have zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. We believe our teams should reflect the diversity of the members, clients and communities we serve. If there's something we can do to help make the recruitment process or the job you're applying for more accessible, let us know. We can provide accommodations at any stage in the recruitment process. Just ask! Trade Union (If applicable) Job Family Communications (FG) Unposting Date 2026-10-5

What you’ll do

Lead the development and implementation of a thought leadership platform to elevate Desjardins' reputation and visibility outside of Quebec. Manage media relations, executive positioning, and integrated communications strategies to engage stakeholders and promote internal experts.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or journalism with at least seven years of relevant experience. Candidates must possess strong media relations skills, experience in executive positioning, and expert proficiency in English.

Benefits

• Competitive salary • Annual bonus • Flexible vacation • Defined benefit pension plan • Group insurance • Telemedicine • Reimbursement of health and wellness expenses • Telework equipment

Listed skills

• Data analysis · Preferred
• Project management · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Public relations
• Thought leadership
• Media relations
• Strategic communications
• Content creation
• Project management
• Executive positioning
• Reputation management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Writing
• Editing
• Data analysis
• Financial market knowledge
• Public speaking
• Spokesperson training
• Project Management
• Communication
• Planning
• Management
• Governance
• English Language
• Benchmarking
• Influencing Skills
• Influencing Without Authority
• Innovation
• Marketing
• Economics
• Public Affairs
• Customer Service
• Equities
• Creativity
• Thought Leadership
• Newsletters
• Financial Market
• Social Media
• Action Oriented
• Proofreading
• Blogs
• Public Relations
• Data Collection
• Media Relations
• Telehealth
• Corporate Finance
• Press Releases
• Journalism
• Content Creation
• Media Coverage
• Reputation Management
• Performance Measurement
• Public Speaking

Job areas

• Marketing
• Management & Leadership
• Finance & Accounting
• Creative & Media
• Consulting
• Public Affairs Manager
• Communications / Public Relations Specialist
• Public Relations Professionals
• Public Relations Specialists