Department: Solid Waste Services
Employee Group: Teamsters Local 31
Location: 4515 Central Boulevard, Burnaby
Salary Range/ Wage Rate: PG T27 $3,486.53 - $ 4,119.45 bi-weekly

Our Solid Waste Services Department is seeking an Engagement Specialist (Communications & Education Coordinator) who will support public, stakeholder, and First Nations engagement for regional waste reduction and recycling projects including the update to the regional solid waste management plan.

You are: A key member of a small team, serving as a communications and engagement professional who thrives on making meaningful connections between the aspirations and concerns of the community and regional level decisions. You don’t shy away from difficult conversations and can easily find ways to transform them into points of connection. Your ability to translate technical information into easy-to-understand content so that audiences can provide meaningful feedback will be key. You are a trusted advisor, a part of an interdisciplinary team, and adaptable when things change on short notice. Your previous experience working with diverse audiences will serve you well as you navigate the complexities of solid waste projects.

This role:

• Provides communications and public relations advice to senior departmental managers and officers, and through them to their respective committees, on corporate and departmental objectives and issues and in crisis situations related to regional waste reduction and recycling projects.
• Develops and writes departmental communications strategies, and specific communications, social marketing and/or televisions program plans by researching corporate and departmental objectives and issues; analyzing public opinion and research; identifying target audiences and key messages; preparing budget estimates; and developing evaluation criteria.
• Conducts corporate-wide public and external outreach and behaviour change campaigns; reviews, coordinates and advises on outreach initiatives from the concept stage through to final product; liaises with stakeholders in the development of strategies related to corporate priorities and the implementation of management plans; conducts related web and media analyses; acts as project leader for outreach events.
• Develops and prepares materials to complement existing education curricula; writes or adapts print materials and teaching aids, plans and writes lesson plans and teaching activities for use by educators or community groups; prepares budget estimates and develops evaluation criteria for same.
• Plans and coordinates implementation and delivery of communication, social media and behavior change campaigns, television and/or education projects by overseeing the work of the creative services team and external consultants to ensure all materials such as brochures, speeches, videos, television shows and segments thereof, displays, news releases, and/or teaching/education materials are produced on time and within budget.
• Plans and prepares budget estimates and upon approval administers budget expenditures for departmental annual and project communications and/or education or television show budgets; identifies funding opportunities with other levels of government, member municipalities and the private sector and submits appropriate proposals and applications.
• Develops and presents reports to client departments, municipal councils and advisory committees.
• Performs related work as required.

To be successful, you have:

• University graduation, with a degree in communications, or broadcast communications or a teacher’s certificate, or a preference for CAPR or IABC accreditation, plus considerable related experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques relating to communications in all forms of media, and/or education especially as it relates to governmental agencies, organizations and/or the school system.
  Considerable knowledge of writing techniques, graphic arts, photography, print production and of news, advertising and/or broadcasting, and web and social media.
• Sound knowledge of the objectives of the Board, Metro Vancouver and its member municipalities as they relate to the work performed.
• Working knowledge of assigned client departments' policies and operations related to the work performed.
• Ability to plan, develop, coordinate and evaluate communications, behavior change and/or education strategies, programs, campaigns, initiatives, and/or events.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective liaison and working relationships with a variety of senior level internal and external contacts.
• Ability to represent Metro Vancouver’s corporate objectives to internal and external audiences.
• Ability to develop and implement concepts and themes and to coordinate production and delivery of a variety of communications, social marketing and/or education material.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a wide variety of internal and external contacts.
• Ability to prepare budget estimates, administer and control an approved budget; and to prepare and maintain records, reports, correspondence and related material.
• Driver’s Licence for the Province of British Columbia.
• Completion of a Criminal Records Check.