Job Description

Staff - Non UnionJob Category M&P - AAPSJob Profile AAPS Salaried - Information Services, Level BJob Title Communications OfficerDepartment HDRN Communications | Population Data BC | Faculty of MedicineCompensation Range $6,747.50 - $9,701.42 CAD MonthlyThe Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.Posting End Date March 30, 2025Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.Job End Date Mar 31, 2026Job Summary
Population Data BC is a multi-university, data and education resource facilitating interdisciplinary research on the determinants of human health, well-being and development.Population Data BC is the coordinating centre for the Health Data Research Network Canada (HDRN Canada) and the SPOR Canadian Data Platform (CDP). HDRN Canada is a research-enabling, distributed network that supports multi-regional, person-focused research. The work of HDRN Canada is supported by a seven-year, $39M grant awarded by the CIHR under its Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), and has in-kind contributions from network member organizations across Canada. HDRN Canada is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization with many complex and strategic relationships with Ministries of Health and other government entities (which are often funders of network members), with federal agencies and with other groups, networks and data providers. The network comprises every national, provincial, and territorial centre that holds population-wide health data. As HDRN Canada, our 14 centres work together and share resources to support researchers in using the 543 health and social datasets that our centres hold.Population Data BC is based at the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH), which is in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. We are a key member of the International Population Data Linkage Network, through which we have promoted international research collaborations and fostered working groups on privacy and access to data.The Communications Officer is responsible for the development and execution of internal (within HDRN partner organizations) and external (public-facing) communications, in alignment with HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s mission and vision of bringing together people and organizations across Canada for transformative and world-leading health data use that address health and health equity. The incumbent will provide central communications development and design across the 14-member network, ensuring consistency and accuracy, supporting and safeguarding the reputation of HDRN Canada and its constituent centres.Organizational Status
The Communications Officer reports to HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s Director of Operations and will have accountability as well to the Strategic Communications and Funder Relations Manager. As a key contributor to a nationally-distributed network, the incumbent will liaise with communications staff across the network, a broad range of external researchers, members of partner institutions, project leads, stakeholders, UBC departments, and cross-institutional committees.Work PerformedImplements and participates in the development of HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s overarching strategic communications plans, in alignment with the organizationxe2x80x99s strategic goals.Writes and designs communications materials for dissemination both internally and externally, including blog posts, social media posts, op-eds, media releases, reports, promotional material, academic content, and presentations.Develops communications plans and processes for new products, announcements, launches, and eventsPlans the design, content, production, and promotion of print, digital, and in-person communications products/formatsDevelops, plans and provides event-day support for in-person events and receptions for the research community, attending, participating and providing support as neededResponsible for brand consistency and professionalism of HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s communications assets , taking a proactive approach to ensure that the organizationxe2x80x99s style guide is regularly updated (accessibility guidelines, templates, etc.); that HDRN Canada communications products (website, brochures, print/web documents, e-newsletter, social media, etc.) adhere to the organizationxe2x80x99s style guide and industry best practices; that communications products adhere to principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA); and that network members are aware of and adhere to communications standards in HDRN-related publications and eventsCultivates a common look and feel for all communications materials, prioritizing clarity, accuracy, professionalism, and brand consistencyAssesses internal communications needs and consults with the Strategic Communications and Funder Relations Manager to develop strategies to encourage collaboration and maintain brand consistency within HDRN CanadaDesigns and creates content for all of HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s digital outlets, including websites and social mediaLiaises with technical staff, media and public relations personnel as needed or requested by the Strategic Communications and Funder Relations ManagerSupports media-related functions, including press conferences, by keeping informed of current news issues and/or trends in topics related to HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s objectivesProvides communications advising knowledge translation to subject matter experts in HDRN Canada Working Groups (WGs) (e.g. Public Engagement, Indigenous Data Sovereignty, IDEA etc.), enabling WGs to publish and disseminate research outputs to the appropriate audiencesFacilitates knowledge exchange between the academic community, various levels of government, and SPOR SUPPORT Units across CanadaEstablishes and maintains ongoing working relationships with Communications staff at HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s member organizations, partner organizations, and other relevant organizations (e.g. SPOR entities)Selects and directs the work of external service providers as needed or requested by the Strategic Communications and Funder Relations ManagerMaintains up-to-date knowledge of relevant communications standards, products, platforms and toolsDevelops a broad understanding of researcher access to data in BC, Canada and around the world in order to support efforts to streamline data access at the provincial and national levelsPerforms other duties as requiredConsequence of Error/JudgementAs a visible representative of HDRN Canada with extensive contact with researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders, the Communications Officer must exercise outstanding tact, discretion, initiative and judgment at all times. Actions carried out by the incumbent directly affect the ability of HDRN Canada to carry out its objectives.This role will work under strict confidentiality because of the nature of data held by Population Data BC and its partners. Any breach in data security would place the reputation and future of HDRN Canada, Population Data BC, and its partner organizations at risk.Accuracy is extremely important because any errors in communication will have a significant effect on the reliability of information released by HDRN Canada. The release of erroneous or misleading information may have implications that affect the network, the research community, partners, stakeholders and public bodies.Work must often meet tight deadlines and requires the incumbent to perform effectively under pressure. The incumbent will be expected to respond well to unexpected circumstances and exercise independent judgement. The incumbent must demonstrate exceptional public relations and interpersonal skills in dealing with researchers, academics, and senior members of the university community.Supervision Received
The position reports to HDRN Canadaxe2x80x99s Director of Operations and is accountable to the Strategic Communications and Funder Relations Manager, working independently within established guidelines and standards. Work is reviewed in terms of achievement of defined goals. The incumbent will work with and occasionally receive direction from other senior members of the HDRN Canada Leadership team as well as senior staff members of Population Data BC.Supervision Given
The incumbent may direct the work of external service providers, including contractors, and may provide direction on specific tasks to other team members, trainees, or student staff.Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.Preferred QualificationsExperience working with a data-focused organization or health-related institution is an asset. Experience in working within a statutorily-regulated or a privacy-sensitive environment is highly desirable.Skills:Strong oral and written communication skills, exceptional English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and technical terminologyProficiency in reading, writing and speaking FrenchProficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and other industry standard design softwareDemonstrated knowledge of and experience in social media, including best practices and tools.Intermediate level experience with WordPressComprehensive computer literacy including demonstrated intermediate level experience with Microsoft Office programs.Strong interpersonal skills and ability to liaise with individuals at varying levels of expertise, including programming staff, senior government staff, researchers, and community leaders.Demonstrated ability to write in a variety of styles for a range of audiences, and to translate scientific concepts into lay languageStrong ability to exercise tact, discretion, and judgementStrong understanding of how to function as a team player in a multi-stakeholder environmentExceptional attention to detailDemonstrated time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multi-tasking and competing prioritiesExceptional initiative and willingness to learn new concepts and detailed proceduresExperience in conference/event planning an asset.Ability to work effectively both independently and within a team environmentPositive in attitude and a team player

University of British Columbia