Agricorp is looking for a Communications Specialist to join the Corporate and Customer Communications department within the Strategic Management and Communications division. Communications specialists work closely with staff throughout the organization to plan and deliver a full range of communications services to internal and external stakeholders.

The Role

Working within a professional communications team, the Communications Specialist will contribute to the development and implementation of customer communications strategies for Agricorp. In this role you will:

• Research, write, and edit in clear, concise language, a variety of information material including reports, speaking notes, web content, news releases, and collateral material targeted to employees and external stakeholders
• Prepare presentations, draft briefing material, and manage timelines and project priorities
• Develop comprehensive communications plans, identify relevant best practices, provide hands-on execution including proposing the strategic approach, develop key messages, plan and implement tactical plans and develop appropriate measurement methods
• Provide internal communications consultation, build strong working relationships with other members of the communications team, anticipate customer needs, identify emerging issues, manage internal customers' expectations, and promote understanding for communications best practices
• Ensure that communications plans are in accordance with directives, guidelines, and protocols and reflect organizational culture

Job status: 12-month contract
Salary range: Open

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as communications, English, journalism or technical writing, or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 3 years' previous experience in corporate communications roles
• Experience with MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat
• Agricorp program knowledge an asset

Key Competencies

• Communication – Provides service excellence to internal and external clients
• Client Focus – Provides service excellence to internal and external clients
• Networking and relationship building – Establishes, sustains and fosters professional contacts to build, enhance and connect networks for work purposes
• Planning and organizing – Develops, implements, evaluates and adjusts plans to reach goals, while ensuring the optimal use of resources
• Initiative – Identifies and deals with situations and issues proactively and persistently, seizing opportunities that arise
• Achieving quality results – Focuses efforts on managing one's self to achieve high-quality results consistent with the organization's standards and measures, while managing risk
• Writing Skills – Communicating ideas and information in writing to ensure that information and messages are understood and have the desired impact

Background

As an agency of the Government of Ontario, Agricorp works with partners to contribute to a vibrant and sustainable agriculture industry. With more than 400 employees serving more than 44,000 producers province-wide, Agricorp delivers programs that help producers manage risk and remain financially secure. The agency was established in 1997 by the provincial government under the authority of the AgriCorp Act, 1996.

Agricorp delivers a variety of programs and payments on behalf of the federal and provincial governments, including AgriStability, Farm Business Registration and Production Insurance.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted directly.