Job Description

Works collaboratively with business/group and stakeholders to assess communications needs, recommend communications plans and solutions, secure necessary approvals, and create/deliver communication solutions that effectively support and address communications needs. Sources content and feedback, assesses information and translates thoughts into effective communications solutions. Delivers high quality communications solutions that target audiences can easily access, understand and action, and are aligned with company standards.

• Acts as a trusted advisor to business/group.
• Influences and negotiates to achieve business objectives
• Recommends and implements solutions based on analysis of issues and implications for the business.
• Assists in the development of strategic plans.
• Identifies emerging issues and trends to inform decision-making.
• Makes recommendations and solves problems to ensure communication solutions are implemented.
• Leads the communications strategy planning process bringing strategic, professional communications counsel, planning and direction to leaders.
• Develops strategies and tools to measure, analyze and report on the effectiveness of communications initiatives.
• Monitors and tracks performance, and addresses any issues.
• Makes recommendations for improvements based on insights.
• Leads the execution of communication solutions; assesses and adapts as needed to ensure quality of execution.
• Leads business/group change management activities from a communications perspective.
• Assesses communications requests to determine relevancy, appropriateness, pacing and sequencing, and alignment to business priorities.
• Gathers content from multiple sources and develops communications for various vehicles including leadership messages, intranets, town halls, newsletters, video, presentations and new social media.
• Identifies and liaises with the stakeholders about opportunities for communications to other groups (e.g., customers, media, etc.) to increase communication effectiveness and alignment.
• Assists and/or leads planning, development and execution of events and conferences.
• Acts as lead communications role in coded/confidential projects.
• Reviews progress to plans and escalates complaints, issues and concerns.
• Recommends, develops and executes communication plans and solutions based on an understanding of the business strategy and stakeholder needs, and in alignment with an overarching communication strategy.
• Provides communications advice and guidance to assigned business/group, on communication principles/programs/approaches, on effective ways to communicate (e.g., message development, vehicle selection, etc.), and on implementation of solutions.
• Proactively collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to provide business context in the design, development and implementation of communication solutions.
• Leads or participates in defining communication plans designed to positively influence or change behaviour; develops tailored messaging; identifies appropriate distribution channels.
• Reviews material to ensure it complies with relevant quality standards, including translation requirements.
• Coordinates, distributes and publishes communication solutions.
• Measures and sustains communications solutions impacting the target employee audience. Gathers feedback and continually evaluates the effectiveness of communication content and the vehicles/platforms/tools/technology (e.g., Intranet, Portal, conference calls, e-mail, shared drives and SharePoint sites, social networking platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs, etc.).
• Recommends improvements, changes, additions or deletions of communication content and the vehicles/platforms/tools/technology as necessary, and coordinates with partners to ensure content is up-to-date and relevant.
• Remains alert to new trends, tools and methods of communication, and makes recommendations on their application.
• Stays up to date on company and industry trends by forming and fostering relationships with employees across the company, so as to identify newsworthy items for communication and dissemination.
• Builds effective relationships with internal/external stakeholders and ensures alignment between stakeholders.
• Actively looks for opportunities for continuous improvement of communications processes and procedures, and participates/leads communications continuous improvement initiatives.
• Focus is primarily on business/group within BMO; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus.
• Provides specialized consulting, analytical and technical support.
• Exercises judgment to identify, diagnose, and solve problems within given rules.
• Ability to take technical and complex information and distill it to key messages that make sense for the audience.
• Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.
• Business Acumen.
• Verbal and written communication skills - In-depth.
• Collaboration and team skills - In-depth.
• Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth.
• Influence skills - In-depth.
• Data driven decision making - In-depth.
• French an asset.

Qualifications

• Typically, between 5 - 7 years of relevant experience and post-secondary degree in in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or a related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Writing and editing skills - In-depth.
• Uses a straight-talk and story-telling approach for communications.
• Ability to take technical and complex information and distill it to key messages that make sense for the audience.
• Deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.
• Business Acumen.
• Verbal and written communication skills - In-depth.
• Collaboration and team skills - In-depth.
• Analytical and problem solving skills - In-depth.
• Influence skills - In-depth.
• Data driven decision making - In-depth.
• French an asset.