Job Description

1 Marketing Strategy & Communications Consultant (Public Sector & Higher Ed)

About Watershed

Watershed partners with public-sector and higher-education clients to plan and deliver complex marketing and communications programs. We lead strategy, governance, and performance management, and collaborate with specialist creative and media partners when needed.

Contract type

Independent consultant / project-based (with potential call-ups under master vendor arrangements). Please include your

all-inclusive hourly rate

.

The opportunity

You'll lead market and competitive assessments, positioning, and go-to-market planning. You'll translate insights into clear messaging frameworks, campaign briefs, and roadmaps, and support stakeholder engagement and issues/crisis readiness. You'll collaborate with creative and media specialists while serving as the strategic lead and single point of accountability for the client.

What you'll do

Plan and run discovery (exec/stakeholder interviews, desk research), synthesize insights, and present recommendations and GTM roadmaps. Deliver market/audience assessments, competitor maps, gap/opportunity analyses, and partnership options. Build annual/term marketing plans aligned to institutional objectives; define KPIs, baselines, and measurement cadences. Create positioning and messaging frameworks; brief creative and media partners; review and optimize campaign plans. Facilitate stakeholder engagement (internal/external) and support issues/crisis communications readiness. Produce executive-ready decks, SOWs, and briefs for second-stage or call-up procurements.

What you'll bring

7-10+ years in marketing strategy, research/insights, and integrated planning for public-sector and/or higher-ed clients. Portfolio of market/competitive assessments and brand/positioning work that led to measurable outcomes. Facility with KPI frameworks, performance storytelling, and translating strategy into campaign briefs. Confident facilitator with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Comfortable working in alliance/subcontract models with partner agencies.

Nice to have

Issues/crisis communications experience (playbooks, escalation paths). Familiarity with accessibility standards (e.g., AODA/WCAG) and public-sector procurement etiquette. Eligibility for client security screening (see "Other details" below).

How to apply

Email

career1@watershedemy.com

with:

1) Resume/CV,

2) 2-3 relevant case studies or a portfolio link,

3) Your

all-inclusive hourly rate

,

4) A short note on availability.

Other details

We value inclusive, accessible communications. Some assignments may require security screening; please note your readiness to complete checks if requested. Watershed is an equal-opportunity contractor.

Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 6 months

Pay: $25.26-$70.86 per hour

Expected hours: 20 per week

Ability to commute/relocate:

Toronto, ON M5S 1S3: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Experience:

marketing strategy, research, competitive assessments: 1 year (preferred) Portfolio of market/competitive assessments : 1 year (preferred) brand/positioning work that led to measurable outcomes.: 1 year (preferred) Facility with KPI frameworks, performance storytelling: 1 year (preferred) translating strategy into campaign briefs.: 1 year (preferred) Issues/crisis communications (playbooks, escalation paths): 1 year (preferred) accessibility standards (e.g., AODA/WCAG) : 1 year (preferred) Plan and run discovery (stakeholder interviews, research): 1 year (preferred) synthesize insights, and present recommendations: 1 year (preferred) GTM roadmaps: 1 year (preferred) Deliver market/audience assessments, competitor maps: 1 year (preferred) gap/opportunity analyses, and partnership options.: 1 year (preferred) Build annual/term marketing plans : 1 year (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Toronto, ON M5S 1S3