Reporting to the Vice President, Executive Communications & Media Relations, the Director of Media Relations & Issues Management will create and implement strategic media plans and programs to continue to build OMERS brand as one of the world’s leading pension plans. You have a deep curiosity and creativity for uncovering and helping tell stories that are meaningful and relevant to OMERS key audiences.

This role is accountable for maintaining and developing global media relationships, handling all inbound media inquiries, and acting as a company spokesperson. You will develop briefing materials, issues notes, and corporate responses in partnership with other members of the Global Communications team and by leveraging internal subject matter experts.

You will be responsible for helping measure the effectiveness of our media efforts in protecting OMERS reputation, and in shaping new ways to advance OMERS global brand.

As a member of this team, you will be responsible for:

• Media relationships and knowledge - maintaining deep and consistent relationships with global media, including up-to-date knowledge about their current and potential future coverage areas of interest

• Industry knowledge - Strong understanding of the Canadian pension and global investment sectors

• Proactive brand building – leveraging your broader and OMERS-specific knowledge to generate campaign and story ideas to set OMERS apart and continue to build its brand

• Press office and spokesperson – handling all inbound media inquiries, making recommendations and routing them to others internally as appropriate. Acting as key media contact and spokesperson, including timely responses and good process

• Media training and feedback – using internal and external resources, provide media training to senior executives and subject matter experts, staff interviews, and offering regular and constructive feedback

• Issues and reputation management – participating in the development and creation of media issues notes, and participating in issues management meetings as needed to provide media relations input, guidance, and counsel

• Content creation – drafting interview briefing materials, media plans, press releases, and other communications as needed

• Measurement - working with our digital team to regularly measure and report on the effectiveness of our media relations efforts, including to the Executive Leadership and Board, and to use this information to adapt our strategies, as necessary

• Monitoring – staying on top of media on topics of interest and relevant coverage, and sharing interesting and relevant content to the appropriate internal contacts

• Content sharing - contributing to our departmental content calendar, flagging interviews to ensure they are shared as appropriate on our social media channels and intranet, and working with our team to ensure sound process and tracking of media engagements

To succeed in this role, you:

• Have excellent knowledge of the global media landscape and strong relationships, particularly with financial and pension reporters

• Are experienced and comfortable in a high-profile, public facing role and have experience as a company spokesperson

• Have confidence and the ability to influence and gain the trust of internal and external stakeholders

• Demonstrate strong integrity, tact and political acumen

• Have excellent judgement, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure

• Possess very strong researching and writing skills and a passion for storytelling

• A minimum of 7-10 years relevant experience, ideally in external communications, media relations and journalism

• The ability to establish effective, baseline metrics, report on and learn from them, and to adapt communications efforts in response

Our story:

Founded in 1962, OMERS is one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans, with $127.4 billion in net assets as at June 30, 2023. OMERS is a jointly-sponsored pension plan, with more than 1,000 participating employers ranging from large cities to local agencies, and over half a million active, deferred and retired members. OMERS members include union and non-union employees of municipalities, school boards, local boards, transit systems, electrical utilities, emergency services and children’s aid societies across Ontario. Contributions to the Plan are funded equally by members and employers. OMERS teams work in Toronto, London, New York, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe – serving members and employers and originating and managing a diversified portfolio of high-quality investments in public markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate.

OMERS is committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live and work. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a barrier-free recruitment and selection process. At OMERS inclusion and diversity means belonging. How we create a sense of belonging is through our employees and our vast network of Employee Resource Groups. Whether you are passionate about gender, pride, or visible minorities, we have groups that are focused on making a difference in all of our lives.