THE ROLE

Reporting to the Associate Director, Pension Communications, the Senior Communications Specialist, Pension Communications will be responsible for developing compelling, audience-focused content for UPP’s plan members. The ideal candidate will have strong written communication skills and the ability to build trust and relationships with a variety of external audiences. This role requires the ability to distill complex messages into easy-to-understand content suitable for our diverse audience, including university professors and employees, faculty associations, staff unions, sector associations, participating employer administrators and prospective members. 

This individual will ensure that the UPP brand is woven into all facets of communications with plan members, ensuring that communications are well-written and adhere to our brand guidelines. They must have a strong grasp of written communication tactics to be able to tailor content for the desired purpose and audience.

The ideal candidate will manage multiple priorities, work independently, and foster strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders while maintaining consistency and alignment with UPP’s brand guidelines.

This role is based in downtown Toronto under a hybrid work policy, allowing employees the flexibility to work remotely and in-office (approximately two days per week in-office).

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES:

The Senior Communications Specialist, Pension Communications will engage and inform UPP’s existing membership and prospective members by undertaking the accountabilities listed below. 

Content development

• Create engaging content for all platforms, including presentations, social media posts, newsletters, booklets and other pension communications.
• Identify, track, and manage opportunities for UPP to communicate with members so that member needs are accounted for and so UPP is proactive in member communications. 
• Take an audience-focused approach and use innovative strategies and tactics to support the business and team objectives. 
• Write short communications appropriate for social media posts and longer, in-depth material for membership newsletters and other member-facing materials.
• Use plain, member-friendly language to distill complex pension-related information into content that is easy to read and understandable.
• Review and edit content for accuracy, style, readability, and adherence to UPP’s brand guidelines.
• Advise on and implement best practices for content across all platforms.
• Develop content so that the tone is appropriate for the target audience.

Project planning and coordination

• Assist the Associate Director with the development of comprehensive communication plans and strategies to support organizational objectives.
• Demonstrate strong project planning and coordination skills, managing resources and timelines effectively.
• Oversee the end-to-end development of projects, from creating comprehensive communication plans to developing content and collaborating with creative and digital teams to ensure high-quality and successful delivery.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate effective communication and collaboration.
• Coordinate multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with strategic goals.
• Serve as a liaison between the Communications team and other departments, ensuring consistent messaging and information flow.
• Operate independently and collaboratively while maintaining a high level of productivity and accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 3+ years of experience in creating written content, preferably within the context of a large, multi-stakeholder organization such as a university, membership association, union, pension plan, or financial institution.
• Post-secondary education in communications, marketing, or a related field, or relevant experience.
• Knowledge of best practices related to communications and knowledge translation.
• Proven ability to distill nuanced and complex topics into accessible and digestible content 
• Proven ability to develop materials that develop and strengthen relationships with audiences.
• Ability to work with strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage projects independently.
• Able to provide advice to enhance understanding of content.
• Strong proofreading capabilities.
• Written and verbal fluency in French is considered an asset.
• Experience in developing and executing comprehensive communication plans.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while also thriving in a collaborative team environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in leveraging digital and social media platforms for effective communication.
• Familiarity with the pension or financial services industry is an asset.
• Strong analytical skills to assess the effectiveness of communication strategies and make data-driven decisions.

ATTRIBUTES:

• A team player who works effectively in partnership with leaders and colleagues, showing openness to feedback and a willingness to adjust strategies to align with organizational goals and improve outcomes.
• A creative thinker who understands messaging impact and how to attract attention and drive narratives.
• A multitasker who can comfortably flow between projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated, diplomatic, and professional.
• Strong organizational and planning skills; able to prioritize and deliver on deadlines. 
• Able to build collaborative and trusting relationships with internal and external partners, and effectively communicate to an array of audiences.
• Innovative at heart – able to think analytically and act creatively. 
• Up to date on industry trends.
• Comfortable communicating with teammates, other departments, external partners, members, and the public.

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

• Collaborative
• Creative
• Strong work ethic
• Passion for learning
• Empathetic
• Personable
• Confident

LIFE AT UPP

Do work that matters.We are duty-bound to serve our members’ interests, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. That’s why we’ve ingrained sustainability in our work from day one—to ensure our members have a resilient future to retire into, both today and for generations to come.

Stronger together. Collaboration is how UPP was born, and it’s how we work with each other and our partners day in, day out. No one at UPP is just a number (even if they are excellent at math) and every win is a shared win.

Grow every day. You’ll have the opportunity to work on unique, once-in-a-career projects that maximize your skill set and probably teach you some new ones—at any stage in your career.

Prioritize wellness. At UPP, wellness takes many forms. Ultimately, it’s about ensuring our people are cared for in the ways that matter to them. Check out some highlights of our inclusive employee-focused benefits program including:

• Defined benefit pension plan
• Flexible hybrid work model
• Work from abroad up to eight weeks/year
• Comprehensive group benefits including medical, dental, vision etc.
• Extended paramedical and mental health service coverage
• Health care and lifestyle spending accounts
• Fertility treatments, paid parental leave, and gender affirmation coverage
• Education Assistance program

UPP enthusiastically welcomes applications from all qualified applicants and especially invites people with lived experience as an Indigenous person, a person with a disability or as a member of another Human Rights Code protected group that faces barriers to employment to apply. Our goal is to create a barrier-free experience for every candidate throughout the recruitment process, so if you require accommodation at any point during the process, please let us know so that we can make the appropriate arrangements.  It would be our honor to work with you to adapt our processes to ensure that you can meaningfully participate.