Job Summary:

Service Area: Corporate Services

Department: Strategic Communications and Community Engagement

Work Location: City Hall, 1 Carden Street

Work Mode: In Person

Job Type and Duration: Temporary, Full time Vacancy

Position Availability: 1 existing vacant position(s)

Salary Range: $40.41-$49.66 per hour

Affiliation: CUPE Local 973

Posting Period: May 5, 2026 to May 12, 2026 11:59 p.m.

When you join the City of Guelph, you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together, we are bringing to life Guelph’s vision of an inclusive, connected, and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality, we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph: Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive, connected, prosperous city.

What we offer

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

• Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
• Paid personal days;
• Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
• Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
• Employee and Family Assistance Program;
• Parental leave top up program;
• Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
• Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview:

Resumes are being accepted for the temporary position of Communications Officer within the Strategic Communications and Community Engagement department. The successful candidate will use their well-rounded knowledge and experience in communications to implement multi-faceted, integrated communications programs for the businesses of the organization, deepening communication and engagement between the City and those impacted by our work. Guided by the goals and objectives of the City’s Strategic Plan and five-year communications and engagement plan, and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning, the candidate will support the organization to build an engaged community that listens to and learns from one another to shape Guelph’s future.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Work as part of the corporate communications and community engagement team to provide fully integrated communications services and solutions to the corporation.
• Develop communications strategies to support City projects, programs and services as assigned.
• Implement multi-faceted communications programs in support of organizational objectives.
• Create and curate content, from ideation and development to editing and dissemination, to reach broad and segmented audiences.
• Develop effective content strategies that are driven by goals; audience; citizen experience; metrics; and with thought to paid, earned, shared and owned channels.
• Assist in the creation and editing of written, video, and photo content.
• Make use of analytics to improve programs and campaigns.
• Take part in measuring and analyzing the effectiveness of communication strategies, report on results, and provide recommendations for improving future communications plans.
• Support the corporate media relations program by fostering good relationships with media, and supporting and coaching City employees.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and requirements

• Considerable experience related to the duties listed above, normally acquired through the completion of a post-secondary degree, diploma, or post-degree certificate in Public Relations, Corporate Communications or a related discipline and 4 to 5 years experience in the field of public relations. Candidates with equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• A critical-thinking, creative professional who delivers innovative communications solutions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Solid understanding of strategic public relations best practices with experience developing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive communications programs.
• Ability to work well under pressure, advance multiple projects simultaneously, and function effectively in a future-focused, fast-paced organization.
• Excellent writing, editing, research and project management skills.
• Ability to apply a digital lens to business challenges and opportunities.
• A passion for digital communication and proficiency with major social media platforms and social management tools.
• Proficiency with video and photo editing tools, digital media formats, and HTML.
• Ability to exercise good judgement, make data-informed decisions, think critically, and act with a client- and citizen-first focus.
• Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to establish and maintain co-operative relationships with individuals at all levels of the organization, and representatives of external organizations.
• Business and political acumen.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) and Word Press
• Previous experience and/or knowledge of municipal government is an asset.
• Professional membership and/or accreditation with CPRS and/or IABC is an asset.

Hours of work
35 hours per week; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Evening and weekend hours may be required on occasion. Participation in an on-call rotation may be part of this role.

How to apply
Qualified applicants are invited to apply using our online application system by May 12, 2026. Please note all applicants must complete the online questionnaire specific to this position at the time they submit their resume and cover letter in order to be considered.

Hiring Process Transparency
The City of Guelph is committed to fair and transparent recruitment practices. Candidates who participate in an interview for this position will be notified of the hiring decision within 45 days of their interview. Notifications will be provided in writing, or through technology.

Commitment to Diversity & Accessibility
The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees feel welcome, valued and engaged. Our employment policies strictly prohibit all forms of discrimination on any of the grounds in relevant laws. All employment practices are solely based on individual merit, qualifications, and organization's needs at the time. In keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals in our job application procedures. If you need an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process, you may contact us to make your needs known in advance.

Privacy Notice
Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.