Location: SASKATOON, SK
Employment Type: Full-time term summer position (approx. 16 weeks – May-August 2024)
IMPORTANT: Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or permanent residents to be considered for the position.
Are you interested in becoming Genome Prairie’s Digital Communications Officer for the summer of 2024? Explore this exciting
opportunity on our dynamic and collaborative team.
Reporting to the Manager of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, the Digital Communications Officer will develop their strategic communications expertise and skills through a broad range of communications, partner engagement and events activities with a digital-first focus. The successful candidate will help drive an effective and responsive digital content strategy, supporting Genome Prairie’s overarching corporate strategy and fueling our impact in health, agriculture and food, the environment and climate action.
We are looking for a creative, highly organized communications professional with a passion for writing and digital storytelling, an interest in science and innovation, and a growth mindset.
Key responsibilities: Digital content planning, creation, curation
- Develop and curate clear, compelling, impact-
and people-focused, accessible and accurate multimedia content for Genome
Prairie’s digital platforms. - Maintain/update digital content (social media,
web, newsletters) to support Genome Prairie’s strategy and the delivery of
challenge-driven research and other initiatives we manage. - Proactively propose and develop daily social
media posts and campaigns. - Help identify opportunities to effectively
connect and engage with key stakeholders. - Draft compelling web content-including blogs,
event posts and media releases - Produce engaging visual content for social media
and other promotional materials. - Plan and manage the launch of new digital
material on multiple platforms, including time-sensitive news releases.
Communications impact measurement, analysis and reporting
- Track and report on communications impact (e.g.
social media, web, newsletters and media relations) to inform and improve
Genome Prairie’s strategic communications and support organization-wide communications
impact measurement.
Newsletter production and management of distribution lists
- Develop/design content for newsletters via Mailchimp.
- Maintain newsletter distribution lists, ensuring compliance with Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL).
- Support best practices in CRM and other digital platform record-keeping.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s post-secondary education (completed or in progress) in a related field such as
communications, journalism and/or public affairs/relations. - Relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Excellent digital communicator across platforms, demonstrating skill and experience in social media management, writing, web content creation/curation, newsletter development, digital campaigns and storytelling.
- Skills and experience with a range of digital media tools, platforms and related metrics (web, social media, newsletters, virtual events, etc.), as well as digital stakeholder and public engagement campaigns in considered a bonus.
- Current with digital communications trends, industry standards and best practices.
Strong assets
- Experience with social media impact measurement, web analytics and/or other forms of
communications impact reporting. - Familiarity with the Canadian research and innovation ecosystem, government policy and/or
science communications is considered a bonus. - Knowledge/experience with standard communications applications (Microsoft Office Suite). Experience using standard media software (i.e. tools in the Adobe Design Suite) for the production of digital content such as info graphs, videos, etc., will be considered a bonus.
Application Process:
All applicants are asked to submit one PDF file of their cover letter and resume (a cover letter must be included with the application) to humanresources@genomeprairie.ca.
Only applications submitted to the above-mentioned email address will be accepted. The closing date for priority selection is February 2, 2024 – however, Genome Prairie will evaluate applications on a rolling basis (apply early!) until the position is filled.
In addition, this position is partly funded through the Canadian Summer Jobs program and requires the following eligibility criteria to be met by the candidate:
- be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment.
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment (international students are not eligible).
- have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
Individual accommodations due to a disability are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, citizenship status, marital status, actual or perceived sexual orientation.
Genome Prairie is committed to creating an inclusive environment and building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. We value diversity and recognize that experience comes in many forms and skills are transferable. Please view this description as a general overview, but not a mandatory, comprehensive list. If you feel passionate about our efforts and believe that you have the skills to contribute to this role, apply!
We wish to thank all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
Genome Prairie is a non-profit organization that supports stakeholders across Manitoba and Saskatchewan in capturing and maximizing the benefits of advanced research in genomics and related biosciences. This role is achieved by aligning the partners and resources needed to develop and manage targeted projects addressing regional priorities. Genome Prairie also enables participation among regional researchers in Genome Canada’s competitive granting process for large-scale projects. Learn more at genomeprairie.ca.
