Are you a self-motivated and driven marketing and communications professional and an expert multi-tasker with over two years of people management experience? Do you want to be at the helm of the global expansion of Free The Children’s marketing and communications?

Free The Children empowers youth to fulfill their potential to be agents of change. Through our organization's unique youth-driven approach, more than two million young people have been involved in our innovative programs in more than 45 countries. Founded by international rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations, and Oprah's Angel Network. In 2012 Free The Children, was awarded Canada’s Top Employer for Young People for our amazing opportunities for young employees!

The candidate should have a minimum of 3-5 years of work experience,including experience managing a large team of ten people or more. He or she must be a results-driven generalist in the field of marketing and communications, or creative services. Reporting to the Director of Creative and Communications, the selected candidate is responsible for leading a department of over thirty employees responsible for design, writing, media planning, marketing, websites, curriculum development, digital communications and translation.

Free The Children’s Creative and Communications department develops and oversees the organization’s cutting edge international branding. As part of the team, you will have a unique opportunity to work alongside world-class brands and with award-winning creative agencies. Our marketing, communications, branding, strategy and overall production value is always at the forefront of marketing trends not just in the non-profit sector, but the for-profit sector, too. Our work is internationally renowned and showcased in such publications as The Globe and Mail, Huffington Post, Greystone Books and Metro Media. Within Free The Children’s Creative and Communications department, you will have an opportunity to take your work to the next level—all the while doing meaningful work that makes the world a better place. Join a team that truly makes a difference.

The position is based out of Free The Children’s International office in Toronto (233 Carlton Street). A minimum two-year commitment is expected. Salary is to be negotiated. There is a three (3) month probationary period, upon reaching the three (3) month period, all staff members are offered a health plan including dental and Employee Assistant Program.

Please apply online at http://www.freethech..s/careers/.

While resumes are important, we want to know what makes you a great fit for our team and culture. We will consider resumes on a rolling basis and would like the right person to join us as soon as possible.

Responsibilities:

Oversees organizational communications and marketing

• Under the direction of the Creative and Communications Director, the Associate Director is responsible for the development and execution of all Free The Children  marketing and communications strategies and tactics (with the exception of social media and public relations).
• Plans departmental priorities (to align with organizational priorities) and allocates resources accordingly.
• Develops full-scale plans, critical paths and identifies associated communication and content assets.
• Clearly and effectively delegates deliverables to team members.
• Monitors progress, milestones and deliverables; tracks action items; identifies work process improvements.
• Sets and continually manages expectations with team members and other stakeholders.
• Troubleshoots challenges and escalates issues to department Director, when needed.
• Proactively manages changes in project scope, identifies potential crises, devises contingency plans and communicates it to stakeholders.
• Collects and interprets data (such as web analytics, stakeholder surveys) to inform strategies and tactics.

Leadership and Management

• Acts as a member of the senior-management team within the Creative and Communications department, as well as within the broader organization as a whole. Upholds highest level of professionalism.
• Continuously liaises with other department Associate Directors and Directors to ensure departmental outputs align with organizational objectives.
• Continuously liaises with Creative and Communications department managers in order to move departmental deliverables forward.
• Coaches and motivates team members, and influences them to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work.
• Provides direction, leadership, and coordination for a wide-range of projects.
• Leads departmental human resources functions such as hiring, evaluations and difficult conversations with team members (where needed).
• Sets up departmental processes and monitors efficiency, such as project tracking, streamlining revisions of resources and more.

Quality control

• Reviews written, design and web content and provides feedback in order to ensure quality of deliverables.
• Reviews and approves all Free The Children marketing and communications sets in a timely manner in order finalize all departmental deliverables.
• Actively exercise integrated thinking by foreseeing implications of decisions made.

Skills and Qualifications:

• 3-5 years of work experience in marketing and communications and/or content development and creative services.
• 2+ years of experience managing a large team of ten people or more.
• Possess an undergraduate degree in Marketing, Communications, English or another related field.
• Experience overseeing multiple creative projects with aggressive timelines.
• Must be a generalist in creative fields:

o Web savvy with familiarity with usability principles, as well web standards.

o Possesses exceptional writing and communication skills, with an eye for good content (both written and design).

• A natural driver with ability to command authority and work collaboratively.
• Must be highly organized and able to develop and maintain departmental systems and processes.
• Detail-oriented and highly meticulous, even when faced with competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
• Displays good judgment, with an ability to identify risks and manage expectations.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate creative concepts and rationale with every level of the organization.
• Proficient in the Microsoft Office Suites, as well as Google Analytics.
• The following are assets but not mandatory (candidates without the below will be considered):

o Bilingualism in French and English.

o Experience working in marketing and brand management for large events.

o Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suites and graphic design

What makes Free The Children unique…

A Top Employer for Young People, Free The Children is filled with passionate, driven, hardworking, entrepreneurial, shameless idealists, this means we work late, set high goals and exceed them, and then push hard the following year to beat and exceed last year’s goals of empowering youth to change the world.

If you are looking for a predictable 9-5 work environment, this won’t be the right fit.

If you are inspired and excited by collaboration, making friendships with the most incredible people, unique additional responsibilities like working on our We Days and your personal values align with our core values, we would love to hear from you.

Free The Children sincerely thanks all those who apply, however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.