Director of Communications at the Embassy of Canada in Paris, France.

4443

Director of Communications

€ 63 355 annual gross + benefits i.e. possibility of an additional 6.5 hours per month (time accumulated over the 35 hours per week) at 125% the hourly rate + 7 OTR (refunded overtime) days a year, transportation benefit, 13th month, and health insurance benefit. Location: Embassy of Canada, 130 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris

Indeterminate

Full-time –Indeterminate duration

Manager

Locally Engaged Staff LE-09 (LE-O2)

Embassy of Canada, 130 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris

26-04-2021 at 23:59 UTC+1 / GMT+1

Under the supervision of the Deputy Head of Mission, and in accordance with the Mission program and report strategy (the Strategy) as well as with Canada international priorities, the incumbent is responsible for developing, implementing and directing a global communication strategy in order to inform key audiences on realizations, policies and other Canada messages for the advancement of international policy objectives and to raise Canada’s profile and build strategic networks.
His or her responsibilities essentially fall into the following four categories:
1) Manage the team and communication program, plan and manage the budget. The team includes a media relation officer, a strategic communication officer and two cultural promotion officers.
2) Develop and see to the implementation of the mission communication strategy; collaborate with the Mission senior management team, with the other program and services managers, the visiting delegations, inform and advise them with their communications and action plans in relation to the activities and internal and external opportunities; and develop the communications tools.
3) Coordinate social media and digital campaigns, manage the content and day-to-day activities of the mission’s digital platforms.
4) Build and cultivate proactive media relations and contacts including international networks in the Canadian, French and Paris-based media in order to, attract audiences and promote a better understanding of Canada government policies, programs, services and initiatives and garner positive and frequent media coverage of Canada. The incumbent will occasionally, provide communications services and strategic counselling to the other Canadian Missions in Paris (Canadian Permanent delegations to OECD or Unesco).

Candidates will initially be selected based on the essential qualifications relating to education, experience and the required linguistic profile. Qualifications constituting assets may also be taken into account for the screening of applications.
Candidates will have to clearly demonstrate, in their covering letter (750 words maximum), the manner in which they meet these criteria by explaining clearly and concretely how they meet each criterion of the essential qualifications and where appropriate, the asset qualifications. Please note that it is not sufficient simply to assert that one meets the requirements or to list current responsibilities.
Short-listed candidates will subsequently be assessed in relation to the qualifications with the help of tools such as written exam, interview, role-play, simulation exercises, reference checks and /or psychometric tests.
Education:
University degree (equivalent to French baccalaureate + 3 i.e. a level 6 French diploma or Canadian Bachelor’s degree)
Languages:
Bilingual (French/English), including excellent and professional-level writing, editing, and speaking capabilities
Experience:
• Minimum of 4 years recent experience (i.e. acquired within past 8 years) working in journalism, media relations, events management, public diplomacy or public relations/affairs in France and/or in Canada
• Experience in supervising staff/small teams, including assigning work, following up on deliverables, preparing learning plans, and providing formal and informal feedback or coaching.
• Experience building collaborative working relationships with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders
Knowledge:
• Strong knowledge of the tools, techniques, and trends in the fields of social media and digital communications (including video and multimedia production)
• Strong knowledge of the print, broadcast, and social media communities in France.
Abilities:
• To manage, mobilize, organize the work and the performance of a team
• To develop and manage communication programs and strategies
• To develop collaboration with partners as well as political, economic and international stakeholders
• To provide strategic communications advice to senior-management
Competencies:
• Judgement
• Strategic and innovative vision
• Values and ethics
• Change management
• Result orientation

A preference may be given to candidates who, in addition to the essential qualifications, also possess the following asset qualifications. It is incumbent upon candidates to explain and demonstrate in their motivation letter how they meet these asset criteria:
1. Good knowledge of the Government of Canada’s international mandates, objectives and priorities, as well as extensive knowledge of Canada, including Canadian interests in France, Europe and internationally
2. Experience in working for an Embassy or organisation with an international mandate.
3. Experience in crisis communication management
4. Recent (i.e. acquired within the last three years) experience in developing and implementing communications programs, strategies, plans and products
5. Experience in constructing and leading a successful social media strategy and comfort delivering detailed analytics for reporting purposes
6. Experience in developing targeted and innovative communications or advocacy campaigns

If candidates satisfy the criteria listed in the asset qualifications, they must also clearly demonstrate how they meet these criteria in their motivation letter and/or CV in order for these to be taken into account.

• Full-time position of 5 days a week from Monday until Friday.
• Regular hours of work: 09:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30.
• Willing and able to work extended hours as required, late evenings and sometimes with little advance notice.
• Ability to travel when required.
• Open concept-working environment.
• Availability: position is vacant

• Reside and be authorized to work as an employee in France on a permanent basis;
• Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance at the level of “Reliability” from the Canadian Government.

This position is open to candidates who have their principal residence in France and are legally authorised to work in France permanently as an employee, and who meet all of the pre-requisites, i.e. all the essential qualifications and potentially the asset qualifications, and whose applications are received by the closing date and time. Candidates must have their principal residence in France and their permanent work authorisation in France as an employee at the time of publication of this selection process. Important: The Embassy of Canada does not sponsor and does not assist people in any way in obtaining a residence or work permit. This position is also open to spouses and common-in-law partners of Canada-based staff* posted in the Canadian missions located in Paris (with diplomatic status) or spouses and common-in-law partners of Canada-based staff* posted in France in French governmental offices or international organizations or French military bases, who hold a valid Canadian or French social security number and meet all of the pre-requisites, i.e. all of the essential qualifications and potentially the asset qualifications, and whose applications are received by the closing date and time. *Please note that in case a spouse or common law partner of a Canadian based staff who resides in France obtains the position, the duration of the contract will correspond to the duration of the partner’s posting in France (CDD).

How to Apply
• Please complete the online application form. Candidates must also upload their covering letter (750 words maximum) and CV.
• Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their covering letter how they possess the essential qualifications and, if applicable, the qualifications considered to be assets, by explaining clearly and concretely how they satisfy each criterion related to education and experience and linguistic profile with respect to the essential qualifications and, if applicable, with respect to each asset qualification.
• In their covering letter, candidates must also include the names, titles, email addresses and telephone numbers of at least three people, including at least two direct supervisors, who can serve as professional references for work experience acquired over the last three years.
• Third reference may be a client, academic reference or other supervisor.
• Any application missing any of the requested documents or requested information will be automatically rejected.

Important notes
• Communication for this process will be sent by email. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the contact information provided is correct and updated as necessary.
• Candidates who apply for this selection process must include an email address that accepts emails from unknown users (some email systems block these types of emails).
• Candidates selected at the screening stage will be invited to participate in the following steps of the evaluation process, which will include one or several components. The assessment methods may include written exams, interviews, simulation exercise, role-playing, practical exercises, reference checks and psychometric tests.
• Depending on the sanitary situation, assessments will be held either in person (i.e. candidates will have to be present in person physically at the Embassy of Canada, 130 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris 8.) or virtually. Candidates will have to adapt to the retained format, which will not be flexible.
• Assessments are planned as follows: Written exam on Wednesday May 05 th 2021 – Interviews on Friday May 21st 2021 (on Thursday May 20th if needed).
• The technical arrangements for participation in this selection process will be the responsibility of the candidates.
• Reference checks may be sought for candidates who reach the interview stage and may form part of the selection process.
• The costs associated with participation in this selection process will be the candidates’ responsibility. The Embassy of Canada in Paris does not reimburse any travel costs to and from interviews/exams, nor does it reimburse any relocation costs in the event of appointment.
• The Embassy of Canada in Paris does not directly or indirectly sponsor work permits and does not assist people in any way to obtain a residence or work permit.
• After the assessments, a list ranking the candidates according to the results obtained will be established. The position will be offered to the top candidate based on the ranking.
• The results of this competition may also be used to establish a reserve list of candidates, valid for a period of twelve months, for openings of similar permanent or temporary positions at the same level to be filled at the Embassy of Canada.
• The candidate will also be required to obtain a valid Government of Canada security clearance to work at the embassy.
• All employees hired locally are subjected to the LES Employment conditions booklet for France and required to pay into the French social security system. However, employees hired locally who are Canadian citizens will pay at source Canadian income tax according to the tax Convention between France and Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/programs/tax-policy/tax-treaties/country/france-convention-consolidated-1975-1987-1995-2010.html .
• For any question at any stage of the process, please send an email to [email protected]. This email address does not accept any applications, which must without exception, be submitted online.