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Edmonton Catholic Schools is a large urban school division whose mission is to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another. The Division is comprised of over 44,000 students and 5,000 employees in 95 schools plus other sites.

Communication Specialist

The Communication Specialist is responsible for developing and executing internal and external communication, marketing, digital, and creative strategies that support the Edmonton Catholic School Division.
The role is focused on creating impactful messaging to enhance the visibility of the Division’s operations, services, programs, and events. The specialist is also key in driving student recruitment efforts by developing targeted marketing campaigns that align with the Division’s brand and priorities. Working within a collaborative framework, the Communication Specialist works closely with schools, departments, and the communications team—including graphic designers, multimedia professionals, and a web content coordinator—to ensure cohesive communication efforts. The role also involves organizing and managing Division events, providing strategic communication support during crises, and assisting with media and community relations to maintain positive public representation.
Through these efforts, the Communication Specialist contributes significantly to promoting the Division’s mission, supporting schools in their communication objectives, and fostering engagement with families, staff, and the broader community.
This position may qualify for a hybrid work schedule.
Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement effective internal and external communication and marketing strategies to increase awareness of the Division’s operations, services, programs, and events.
  • Serve as project manager for communication initiatives, overseeing timelines, logistics, schedules, and strategy execution.
  • Collaborate with departments to understand their needs and create communication plans that align with the Division's goals.
  • Produce and tailor content for multiple platforms, including social media, websites, newsletters, media releases, and digital ads.
  • Monitor the performance of communication efforts and adjust strategies to enhance impact and reach.

• Provide strategic support to schools and departments to fulfill their recruitment objectives, which include creating, managing, and executing marketing and recruitment campaigns.
  • Collaborate with schools and departments to develop marketing plans that highlight programs and offerings, ensuring alignment with the Division’s overall brand and priorities.
  • Lead the planning and execution of marketing and recruitment campaigns to meet evolving needs and ensuring campaigns are on track and on budget.
  • Work closely with the graphic designer to develop and create the tactical elements of marketing campaigns, including visuals, digital and social media ads, print materials, and other promotional assets, ensuring cohesive and impactful execution.
  • Proactively manage marketing content and campaigns by continuously monitoring performance and enrolment trends. Adjust strategies in response to recruitment developments, such as full school capacity or lower enrolment, ensuring effective communication and campaign success.

• Develop and deliver clear, engaging communication materials across multiple platforms, ensuring consistent messaging and responsive interaction with the community.
  
  • Create and refine communication materials tailored to specific audiences, adapting tone and language for media releases, website content, social media posts, newsletters, and more.
  • Ensure all communication materials are high-quality, error-free, and consistently align with the Division’s Style Guide across all platforms.
  • Assist with monitoring social media platforms and responding to questions or comments.
  • Assist with responding to community inquiries from families and the general public through phone, email, and letters, when required.

• Plan, manage, and execute large-scale, high-quality events for the Division, ensuring seamless operations and impactful experiences from concept to completion.
  • Lead the end-to-end production of events such as awards ceremonies, Celebration of the Arts, site blessings, family engagement evenings, and school openings. This includes creating event concepts, building timelines, assigning tasks, and ensuring alignment with Division goals and values.
  • Oversee all event logistics, managing everything from budget to post-event follow-up. Work closely with external vendors, event staff, and volunteers, and coordinate with internal teams to manage invitations, set up, décor, audiovisual needs, and catering.
  • Manage the execution of communication efforts tied to each event, including developing creative materials, coordinating press releases, handling media relations, social media, tracking RSVPs, coordinating dignitary protocols as outlined in Administrative Procedure 155. Work with staff to prepare speeches, presentations, and scripts for high-level participants.
  • Ensure real-time troubleshooting and operations management during events, maintaining oversight of technical aspects (e.g., sound, lighting), on-site management, and problem-solving. Provide recommendations for improving future events.

• Support the Division in planning and coordinating communication strategies for unexpected or critical events, ensuring timely responses and effective management of emerging issues.
  • Assist schools in crafting clear and consistent communications to the community that address concerns and provide accurate information.
  • Support the development of crisis communication plans and templates that facilitate coordinated responses during critical events.
  • Assist in gathering real-time information and deliver timely updates to the public, media, and affected community members.
  • Participate in post-crisis evaluations and debriefs to identify areas for improvement in future responses.

• Manage media inquiries and host media availabilities to effectively showcase the Division, ensuring consistent messaging and positive representation.
  • Respond promptly and professionally to media inquiries when required, providing accurate information and coordinating with schools/departments.
  • Assist in planning and organizing media availabilities that highlight the Division’s achievements, programs, and initiatives, creating opportunities for positive coverage.
  • Evaluate media interactions and coverage to identify areas of improvement, redefining strategies to enhance future media engagement and visibility.

• Maintain and develop relationships with external vendors as needed for public relations materials and marketing activities.
  • Identify and evaluate potential vendors and promotional partners to ensure they meet the Division’s standards.
  • Negotiate contracts and agreements with vendors, ensuring that terms are clear, cost-effective, and adhere to the Division’s procurement and financial processes.
  • Coordinate with external vendors and promotional partners to manage the production of public relations materials and marketing assets, maintaining quality control and consistency.
  • Regularly review external vendor performance and gather feedback from internal teams to make informed decisions on future collaborations and address areas for improvement.

• Support departmental planning, budgeting, and professional growth initiatives to enhance the team’s overall effectiveness and align with Division mission, vision, and priorities.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Degree or diploma in an area related to communications, marketing, or journalism plus five years of directly related experience
• Knowledge of communication strategies, marketing principles, and best practices
• Understanding of Catholic education, the mission of Edmonton Catholic Schools, and the Division Plan for Continuous Growth
• Knowledge of event planning procedures, logistics, and execution, specifically for awards ceremonies, concerts, site blessings, family engagement evenings, and school openings
• Comprehensive understanding of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, Tik Tok, and You Tube, including content strategy, engagement tactics, and analytics
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams) for documentation, presentations, reporting, and meetings
• Experience with digital marketing tools and data analytics platforms for measuring campaign performance
• Knowledge of visual storytelling principles, including graphic design basics, multimedia production, and video content creation
• Understanding of emergency response techniques, crisis communication principles, and issues management to develop rapid response strategies during critical events
• Experience in media relations, including creating media releases, handling media inquiries, and organizing media availabilities
• Knowledge of records management principles, including Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) legislation, as well as Division-specific financial policies and procedures
• Awareness of the Division’s and department’s business operations and programs
• Ongoing training in communication techniques, digital marketing trends, crisis management, and event planning best practices to stay current with industry developments
• Understanding of Canadian Press Style Guide and Canadian Oxford Dictionary
• Familiarity with web design principles, content management systems, and SEO best practices is considered an asset

Competencies:

• Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to adapt messaging for diverse audiences across multiple platforms
• Strong leadership abilities with the capacity to guide, mentor, and advise staff in areas of communication and strategic messaging
• Excellent planning, project management, and time management skills, with proven ability to organize Division events and handle multiple priorities under tight deadlines
• Advanced skills in consultation, needs assessment, facilitation, and presentation, with the ability to support schools and departments in meeting their communication goals
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team, demonstrating initiative and a proactive approach to problem-solving
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Ability to gather technical information on marketing ideas and implement communication/marketing plans
• Ability to cultivate and sustain productive relationships with colleagues, schools, media, vendors, and community partners

Edmonton Catholic Schools is committed to maintaining a respectful and inclusive workplace that welcomes and values candidates from diverse backgrounds. We hire employees of all faiths for non-teacher positions.
As a Catholic School Division receiving public funding, our schools and departments are imbued with our Catholic Faith. Candidates are expected to exhibit respect and sensitivity towards our Catholic beliefs and practices embraced by both students and staff.

Edmonton Catholic Schools offers a comprehensive benefits program based on contract status as part of its total compensation package.
Before employment, successful candidates will be required to submit a Police Information Check and Intervention Record Check dated within six months of hiring.
Due to the high volume of applications received, only qualified candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.