Corporate Communications & Media Relations Manager

Job ID: 8103 Working Business Language :English. This role is considered a head-office role and will be required to communicate with internal and external stakeholders across Canada where the primary business language for this role is English. As such, the successful candidate must be fully proficient in English. Salary: At Wawanesa, salary is only one component of a holistic, comprehensive and competitive offering that we provide to our employees. In addition to salary, full-time and part-time permanent employees are eligible for an annual bonus plan, leave of absence top-up programs and provided with generous vacation time, personal days, premium free benefits and pension plan. The salary offered for this role is determined with consideration to various factors, including but not limited to: your work location, local labour market conditions, external market salary data, internal pay equity and the knowledge, skills, experience and anticipated proficiency in the role. The salary offered is estimated to be within the following range: $110,000 - $130,000. Candidates with salary expectations outside of the range are still encouraged to apply. About Us At Wawanesa, we're proud to offer a hybrid work environment that offers flexibility to our employees in balancing in-office (2 days per week OR 15 hours per week in a Wawanesa office) and remote work. You may work from any of the following locations: Winnipeg, MB; Wawanesa, MB; Vancouver, BC; Calgary, AB; Edmonton, AB; Lethbridge, AB; Toronto, ON; Kitchener, ON; Thunder Bay, ON; Ottawa, ON; Montreal, QC; Moncton, NB; Dartmouth; NS The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company ("Wawanesa Mutual"), founded in 1896, is one of Canada's largest mutual insurers, with over $3.5 billion in annual revenue and assets of $10 billion (CAD). Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.7 million members in Canada, and we are home to more than 3,600 employees distributed across the Canadian regions and communities where we operate. We give back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. To learn more visit wawanesa.com. We are currently looking for dedicated, driven, and enthusiastic individuals who thrive in an environment that welcomes change and are looking for an opportunity for diverse experience and advancement on a growing team. Job Overview The Corporate Communications & Media Relations Manager is responsible for leading the development and execution of corporate communications, media relations, crisis communications, and issues management strategies that effectively position Wawanesa and protect the company's positive reputation. The Manager will strategically recommend and create messaging in various mediums to support the understanding of Wawanesa's story, business, and strategic initiatives. This role leads Wawanesa's media relations function and supports senior executives with their external speaking engagements. ???????Job Responsibilities Lead development, refinement and delivery of comprehensive corporate and external communications strategies that meet the evolving needs of the business and engage the public. Drive earned media stories across all markets. Act as a spokesperson for the company and prepare all senior executives who also represent in the company in the media to succeed. Provide timely responses to media requests, with all reasonable requests acknowledged the same day and responded to by the reporter's deadline. Draft and edit a wide variety of written communications including speeches, Q&A documents, news releases, and media pitches. Strategize and create annual report content and support the project management of the report. Provide executive support for external events and conferences, media interviews and speaking engagements, including the development of speaking points. Develop relevant key corporate messages and strategically use them whenever possible in corporate storytelling and narrative opportunities to effectively engage key stakeholders. Find opportunities to share external stories internally with employees. Demonstrate editorial leadership by providing writing support to all teams within the Marketing function. Provide issues management and crisis communications expertise, including after-hours media relations support. Support external communication efforts during all catastrophic weather events. Stay on top of industry issues and report on issues to senior executives. Promote a culture of teamwork and open communication within the Marketing department and across other functional teams. Qualifications Minimum of eight years of communications experience in a corporate environment with deep experience in corporate communications. Bachelor's degree or college diploma in Communications, Journalism, English, Marketing, or related discipline. Expert in media relations with proven abilities in strategically reviewing media opportunities, preparing responses, and responding in a timely manner. Demonstrable experience managing, developing, executing, and evaluating communications strategies. Experience managing media and crisis communications situations. Superior ability to: influence others; deal with people at all levels of the organization diplomatically; build relationships and effectively work with senior management; and handle sensitive information while maintaining confidentiality. Availability on a 24/7 basis as needed for emergency communication. Exceptional writing and editing skills for various communication tactics and mediums (press releases, backgrounders, media responses, internal and external communications). Superior organizational skills and able to manage concurrent deadlines under tight timelines. Exceptional attention to detail including well-developed analytical skills and strategic thinking. Highly self-motivated, reliable, and responsible individual. Bilingualism (French/English) an asset. Interest or experience in the insurance industry. #LI-JB3 Wawanesa is proud to be one of Manitoba's Top Employers, a Kincentric Best Employer in Canada and a Forbes Best Employer in Canada recognizing an exceptional place to work! Diversity, Equity & Inclusion