Communications Advisor (18 month Contract)

Job Type:

Contract

Department:

Salary:

$87,028.00 - $108,783.00

Close Date (closes at 12:00 am on date noted below):

March 31, 2026

Hours per Week:

35

Openings:

1

Position Summary

About Milton
Join one of Ontario’s fastest-growing and most dynamic municipalities. The Town of Milton is proud to deliver high-quality, sustainable municipal services that support a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking community where residents thrive, businesses succeed, and nature is respected and protected.

Our vision is to foster a safe, diverse, and welcoming environment—one that honours its natural landscapes and rich heritage, supports thriving and inclusive neighbourhoods, nurtures a strong and balanced economy, and offers exceptional opportunities to live, learn, work, and play.

What We Offer?
This contract position is eligible for the following:

•Annual Salary Range: $87,028 - $108,783
•Payment in Lieu of Benefits (for contracts over 12 months)
•Employee Assistance Program
•Eligibility to participate in the OMERS pension plan
•Paid time off, including vacation and incidental days (for contracts over 6 months)
•Employee perks/discounts: Discount on Active Living Pass and Perkopolis
•Flexible work arrangements, including hybrid work options and participation in the Town’s compressed work-week program (for eligible positions)

Position Summary
Under the supervision of the Manager, Corporate Communications, this position is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating communications strategies for Town of Milton initiatives, programs and services within the context of an overall strong and cohesive narrative for Milton as “A Place of Possibility”.

The projects associated with this position focus on municipal operations and the dissemination of information and strategies that contribute to service delivery, public education, public safety, community engagement and a high regard for the operational services delivered by the Town of Milton.

This position requires expertise in strategic communications planning, public engagement, risk and crisis communications, public relations and affairs, social marketing support, media relations, digital strategy and issues management. This role also requires the ability to provide strategic advice and counsel to staff and management across the corporation.

Major Job Responsibilities

Strategic Communications Planning

• Works with divisions to forecast communications initiatives and determine communications strategy based on submitted communications requests

• Develops integrated communications strategies from conception to completion (research, analysis, planning, execution, evaluation) for initiatives, programs and events to build positive relations with the public and advance Milton’s core narrative as “A Place of Possibility”

• Participates in divisional exercises and activities that align and integrate communications across the organization

• Works collaboratively with the team on integrated messaging and content to promote the Town of Milton among target audiences

• Analyzes and interprets data to inform strategy development, measure outcomes, identify trends and make recommendations for continuous improvement

• Maintains the internal and external communication standards of the corporation, including reputation management, corporate brand integrity and adherence to visual identity guidelines

Advice and Support for Department Operations Objectives

• Advises on current best practices, shares expertise and provides technical coaching as it relates to communications tactics and tools

• Leads the implementation of multiple concurrent communications plans for programs, services, events and initiatives for various client groups

• Writes and edits communications to meet various department needs

• Works collaboratively with the Creative Services Lead on design concepts and execution of marketing collateral that advance client business objectives and negotiates scope and deadlines

• Liaises with the Communications Advisor, Engagement in the execution of social media strategies and provides guidance to authors on decentralized social channels

• Liaises with divisional business partners to develop content for news releases; prepares responses to media inquiries and customer service requests received through the Town’s centralized channels

• Coordinates divisional website updates with the Customer Experience & Branding team

Issues Management & Emergency Communications Planning

• Working with the Manager or Director, provides strategic communication advice, including matters related to reputation management, stakeholder relations, public affairs, and media relations to key departmental staff

• Supports the Emergency Information Officer role and participates in an after-hours on-call rotating schedule, as required, to support the Town and its residents in the event of an emergency

• As part of the crisis communications team, applies strategic risk and crisis communication principles to effectively communicate to stakeholders, partners and residents during a community hazard and/or emergency

• Monitors issues and public sentiment on municipal issues to identify potential impacts to Milton and makes recommendations to senior leaders

• Responds to reactive media inquiries; prepares, trains and briefs corporate spokespeople; develops key messaging; and provides background information and research, as required

• Advises departmental staff on responding to public inquiries across various channels

Community Development and Engagement  

• Acts as the corporate centre of expertise for strategies and tactics to provide opportunities for meaningful two-way engagement with residents 

• Ensures community engagement and outreach activities are organized corporately to maximize participation and avoid engagement fatigue among residents and stakeholders

• Ensures outreach and marketing activities are compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act (AODA), the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Personal Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and other applicable legislation

• Builds centralized email marketing and distribution lists that are compliant with relevant legislation and leveraged corporately for the purposes of marketing Town programs and services, sending information updates and facilitating community outreach and engagement

Education & Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism or related discipline.

• 5+ years of experience in communications, marketing, public relations or a related industry

• Experience in strategic communications planning, public relations, public engagement and media relations with a demonstrated ability to evaluate success

• Exceptional verbal and written communications skills, including proficiency in clear communications

• Demonstrated ability to respond to changing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

• Advanced proficiency in all aspects of digital and social media

• Demonstrated ability to work with sensitive information, exercising diplomacy and tact in communications with internal/external stakeholders

• Proven ability to prioritize and manage high volumes of work with large cross-functional and cross-departmental teams

• Strong negotiation, presentation and partnership development skills

• Proven knowledge of the principles and best practices of public engagement

• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving and issues management

• Strong knowledge of Canadian Press Style, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) regulations and Canadian Anti-spam legislation requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Membership with the Canadian Public Relations Society

• Post-secondary certificate or diploma in Public Relations, Communications or equivalent

• Experience advising on issues management

• Experience with using various digital platforms, including video

• Experience liaising with elected officials, and a strong understanding of the municipal government environment

• Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation

• Public Relations Knowledge (PRK) certificate

• Membership of the International Association of Business Communicators

• Certification in Public Engagement from the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2)

• Knowledge of project management

• Proven knowledge of the principles and best practices of public engagement

Note to Applicants

This posting is for an existing job vacancy.

The Town is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, accessible, and respectful workplace. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and are dedicated to fair and transparent hiring practice.

We thank all who apply, however only those selected to move forward in the process will be contacted.

Accommodations

Should you be selected to participate in the recruitment process, please inform Human Resources of any accommodations you may require. We will work with you to ensure your full participation in the process.

How to Apply

Interested applicants are invited to apply online at www.milton.ca under the Employment Opportunities section. Please ensure your application is submitted by 11:59 pm on March 30, 2026.

If you are currently employed with the Town of Milton, please apply internally through the Jobs Hub app of your Workday account in order for your application to be processed as an internal applicant.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy legislation, applicant information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act and will be used strictly for candidate selection.