Communications and Public Relations Senior Manager

Job Title: Communications and Public Relations Senior Manager

Organization : Action Against Hunger Canada / Action contre la Faim Canada

Report To : Fundraising and Communications Director

Location : Toronto, ON (Hybrid)

Job Type : Permanent, Full-Time

Start Date : June 2026

Work Hours : 37.5 hours per week. *(Flexibility is required to work outside regular office hours if needed.)

Salary: CAD 85K – 95K

ABOUT ACTION AGAINST HUNGER

Founded in 1979, Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. Our mission is to save the lives of severely malnourished children while helping communities become self-sufficient. Recognized as a world leader in the fight against malnutrition, Action Against Hunger has pursued its vision of a world without hunger for almost four decades, combating hunger in emergency situations of conflict, natural disasters, and chronic food insecurity. With more than 7,000 staff in nearly 50 countries, our programs in nutrition, food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation, and hygiene reach more than 20 million people each year.

ABOUT ACTION AGAINST HUNGER CANADA

With an annual budget of over $35 million and a staff strength of nearly 35 people, Action Against Hunger Canada (est. in 2006) works tirelessly in the fight against hunger globally through our specialized nutrition technical programs that build the knowledge and skills of nutrition and public health professionals worldwide for the detection, treatment and prevention of malnutrition. We are a leading recipient of funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and advocate for changes to policy and practice in support of better nutrition and increased food security. Our collaborative programmatic model brings together communities, civil society, government, and the international assistance community to work jointly on fundamental public health issues that contribute to hunger in this world.

Our leading-edge programs have been built on the foundations of technical excellence, rigour and innovative practice over many years. We are experts in nutrition information systems, emergency nutrition and gender equality. Action Against Hunger Canada plays a hosting role to two significant global programs (SMART and the Global Nutrition Cluster Operations Team Programme Support) that provide guidance, tools and training in the areas of nutrition data collection and analysis and best practices for emergency nutrition service delivery for hundreds of Governments, civil society organizations and international organizations worldwide. Our programs support the capacity of public health professionals who deliver lifesaving and long-term initiatives in communities globally. We also work towards sustainable, transformative health system strengthening in all our efforts to ensure a long-lasting impact together with our partners, including members of the Humanitarian Coalition. As a member of the Action Against Hunger International Network, we also provide a range of technical support for the mainstreaming of gender equality across our programs and operations worldwide. Our commitments towards a gender transformative approach are integrated into our core health programming and our technical support to our International Network.

To learn more about Action Against Hunger, visit our website at

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Communications and Public Relations Senior Manager is responsible for Action Against Hunger Canada’s external communications, media relations, and public visibility, translating technical and program expertise into trust, an elevated profile among high-net-worth individuals, donors, media, the Government of Canada and the public. The role manages the end-to-end execution of the organization’s communications and supports its advocacy, fundraising, and business development efforts by producing impactful content grounded in strong storytelling, sound strategic thinking, exceptional writing, and the ability to translate technical content into clear, plain-language communications. The role is further responsible for leading digital and social media strategy, supervising the Digital Marketing Officer and ensuring earned, owned, and paid channels work together to drive visibility and donor engagement.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

External Communications, Public Relations and Visibility (40%)

• Work with the Fundraising and Communications Director to shape and implement Action Against Hunger Canada’s communications and brand strategy.
• Develop and execute Action Against Hunger Canada’s external communications and public relations strategy.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Canadian media, editors, and influencers, bringing established relationships with national, sector, and trade journalists into the role.
• Develop and execute a proactive earned media strategy and pitching cadence, as well as identify and act on rapid-response media opportunities.
• Coordinate CEO engagement with policymakers, partners, and media in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Support the CEO’s participation in external events, media opportunities, and sector fora.
• Shape and pitch stories that position Action Against Hunger Canada as a credible, relevant, and donor-worthy organization and a partner.
• Serve as a senior media liaison and support spokesperson development, including briefing leadership and identifying, training, and preparing additional Canada-based subject matter experts to expand the spokesperson bench.
• Serve as the organization's primary media point of contact during crises, ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent messaging in alignment with established crisis management protocols.
• Manage agencies and freelancers as required.

Translating Programmatic Impact and Advocacy into Visibility and Growth (25%)

• Work closely with Action Against Hunger Canada and its International Network Programs, Technical, and Advocacy colleagues to translate priorities into accessible public narratives and identify moments with high visibility or donor engagement potential.
• Lead the development of CEO briefings, speeches, and external messaging by synthesizing policy and technical inputs from relevant colleagues.
• Strengthen alignment between advocacy and communications initiatives to amplify Action Against Hunger Canada’s positioning on hunger, crises, gender, climate, and nutrition.
• Ensure impact and programmatic content is repurposed into media stories, campaign messaging, and other donor, Government of Canada, and general public-relevant content, including cultivation and stewardship assets.
• Support public-facing visibility and advocacy moments, both as a spokesperson and by enabling other knowledge holders to represent the organization.
• Monitor external policy developments and identify communications or visibility opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Align programmatic and advocacy communications with fundraising objectives, brand positioning, and reputational considerations – supporting Action Against Hunger Canada’s objective in becoming one of the go-to Nutrition, Food Security, and Humanitarian organizations.

Fundraising, Communications and Marketing Integration (20%)

• Act as the day-to-day communications lead for fundraising.
• Ensure all external communications support key stakeholder engagement and donor retention, acquisition, and cultivation.
• Designing, executing and overseeing comms campaign performance, including alignment between digital fundraising communications and marketing.
• Provide leadership and work in close collaboration with the Digital Marketing Officer to ensure the successful cross-channel execution of digital fundraising initiatives.
• Translate fundraising strategy into clear messaging frameworks and donor journeys.

Content and Channel Leadership (15%)

• Oversee the development of high-quality external content, including campaign messaging, donor communications, website and social media content, and leadership ghostwriting, applying strong editorial judgment.
• Own social media strategy and the editorial calendar across organic and paid channels, working in close collaboration with the Digital Marketing Officer on execution and performance.
• Support the development and execution of the CEO’s thought leadership and external engagement materials on priority organizational issues.
• Support leadership communications and public engagement activities, including speeches, events, and thought leadership content.
• Draft briefing notes, key messages, and external communications materials for the CEO in coordination with relevant colleagues.
• Support leadership to implement the communications and visibility aspects of the Advocacy Strategy.
• Develop and deliver periodic brand compliance training for staff in accordance with the organization’s Brand Guidelines to ensure consistent, quality messaging across all channels.
• Own communications prioritization and intake, and protect focus on high-impact external work.

Requirements

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Collaboration: Collaboration involves effectively working with others, being a team player, and enhancing the quality of work by contributing effectively to others' efforts. It entails fostering cooperation and partnerships among individuals and groups, both within and outside the organization. Collaboration is the mindset of "What’s in it for the team and the organization?" versus "What’s in it for me?”.
• Communication: Communication is the ability to convey and receive information clearly and effectively with the consideration of the audience and their points of view. It includes active listening and employing tact and diplomacy in all forms of communication, whether verbally or in writing, to transmit ideas and information effectively and ensure comprehension by the intended audience.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: Flexibility and Adaptability is the ability to swiftly adapt one's behaviour to meet the evolving demands of a dynamic work environment. It involves recognizing and valuing diverse and conflicting perspectives, adjusting one's approach as circumstances evolve, and embracing changes in organizational or job requirements with ease.
• Initiative: Initiative is the ability to assess situations, address conflicts, and proactively act on future opportunities or problems. It is the strong inclination toward taking action and actively engaging in tasks rather than merely contemplating them.
• Integrity and Trust: Integrity and Trust is the demonstration of respect, honesty, and transparency in all interactions to earn and maintain credibility and confidence. It entails a commitment to being reliable and accountable for own words and actions.

CORE LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Building and Leading Effective Teams: Building and leading effective teams entails setting a clear vision and direction that unites and engages team members toward common objectives. It involves providing proactive leadership, and empowering team members through effective delegation, coaching, and constructive feedback, while fostering a culture of understanding, inclusivity, and innovation.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Coaching and Developing others involves a genuine commitment to assisting individuals to learn and grow in their roles and on their career paths through coaching, continuous feedback, and sharing of personal experiences.
• Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others effectively. It encompasses abilities like empathy, self-awareness, and interpersonal sensitivity, which are instrumental in fostering constructive relationships and effectively navigating the dynamics of a professional environment.
• Compassion and Sensitivity: Compassion and Sensitivity is demonstrated by approaching situations and interacting with others with a deep understanding of their emotional state, well-being, and needs, coupled with a genuine willingness to provide support. It involves showing kindness, empathy, and attentiveness to the feelings and experiences of others and utilizing this understanding to foster a supportive and harmonious work environment.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 8 to 10 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, public relations, or media relations, with at least 3 years in a senior or management-level role. Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, political science, or related field; graduate-level credential an asset.
• Experience with a humanitarian, development, or social impact organization or public affairs practice will be considered a strong asset.
• Demonstrated track record of Canadian media placements across national broadcast, print, digital, and sector or trade outlets, with existing journalist and editor relationships.
• Experience advising and preparing C-suite or executive leadership for media interviews, op-eds, and thought leadership platforms.
• Demonstrated ability working with reporters on background, with an editorial or journalism background considered an asset.
• Familiarity with Global Affairs Canada-funded programming and compliance will be considered an asset.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES

• Fluency in written and spoken English (fluency in French will be considered a strong asset).
• Exceptional writing skills across formats: press releases, op-eds, executive briefings, donor communications, web, newsletter, and social copy.
• Strong organic and paid social media fluency, including platform strategy, content planning, performance measurement, and emerging formats.
• Working knowledge of digital marketing tools and analytics, including Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, email marketing platforms (Mailchimp), website CMS and integration with CRM platforms.
• Sound editorial judgment and the ability to translate technical, programmatic, or research content into accessible public-facing narratives.
• Comfort operating under multiple stakeholder approval layers, including global network alignment and federal funder compliance requirements.
• Sound judgment in fast-moving, reputationally sensitive moments; calm under deadline and on-the-record pressure.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrated understanding of the creation of an enabling environment for gender equality and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in the workplace and in programming.
• Demonstrated commitment to Action Against Hunger’s Vision, Mission, and Values.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Office setting and/or work from home.
• Required to be seated whilst completing computer and desk-based tasks for long periods.
• Occasional travel within Canada and internationally for events, donor meetings, and field activities.
• Flexibility for early morning, evening, or weekend availability is required when responding to breaking news or supporting live media moments

Benefits

• Vacation: 1-2 years: 3 weeks, 2-4 years: 4 weeks, 5+ years: 5 weeks
• Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (after 3 months of employment)
• Retirement Savings Plan (after 1 year of employment)
• 13 paid holidays per year
• Paid time off (Personal and Sick Days)