Manager, Public Affairs & Communications

Job Description

Manager, Public Affairs & Communications

Department: Environment and Climate Change

The mandate of the Department of Environment and Climate Change is to manage land, water, air, wildlife, and forests. This includes promoting, planning, and supporting the wise and sustainable use of natural resources, and protecting, restoring, and stewarding the environment for the social and economic benefit of all Northwest Territories residents.

Job Information

The Manager, Public Affairs and Communications (the Manager) is responsible for the management and oversight in the development, coordination and implementation of the Department of Environment and Climate Change's (ECC) public relations and communications strategies and plans, and the provision of specialist advice and expertise related to media relations, promotion of the Department's objectives, the production of digital, print, multi-media, audio-visual, and promotional materials to support the Department's communications initiatives.

The Manager leads the Department's media relations and communications planning development, providing strategic advice to senior management and departmental staff. The incumbent provides leadership in the development and implementation of the department's social media campaigns and activities and leads the creative development and delivery of promotional strategies and products to increase awareness of departmental programs and services. The Manager ensures the development and delivery of departmental information and reporting documents and is responsible for ensuring their compliance with the GNWT's Visual Identity Program and the Official Languages Act.

The Manager is responsible for the management of the financial and human resources within the Public Affairs and Communications Unit including the supervision of four (4) direct report positions.

This position is located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The incumbent would be required to live and work in Yellowknife, NT. A hybrid/remote work plan is not a possibility.

For more information about living and working in the Northwest Territories please visit our benefits page or NWT Tourism.

Key Responsibilities

• Provides strategic communications advice.


• Recommends strategic communications approaches designed to complement and enhance the Department's policy, legislative and program initiatives.


• Manages the development, implementation, and evaluation of communications plans and strategies for the Department.


• Manages the development and implementation of public affairs, media relations and issues management.


• Manages the development, distribution and evaluation of departmental public and marketing information and educational and promotional materials and activities.


• Manages the Public Affairs and Communications Unit by actively managing and supervising all direct reports including assigning work to staff, setting goals and objectives, assessing performance, and taking disciplinary action if required.

Qualifications Required

• Completion of a Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field and five (5) years of progressively more responsible experience in communications or public affairs, including one (1) year of supervisory experience.


• Master's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field and three (3) years of progressively more responsible experience in communications or public affairs, including one (1) year of supervisory experience.


• Diploma in journalism, public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field and seven (7) years of progressively more responsible experience in communications or public affairs, including one (1) year of supervisory experience.


• High School Diploma and five (9) years of progressively more responsible experience in communications or public affairs, including one (1) year of supervisory experience.


• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.


• Related fields may include digital content creation, corporate communications, advertising, social media management, and media relations.

GNWT Inquiries

Inquiries Only:

Department of Finance
Government of the Northwest Territories
YELLOWKNIFE CENTRE 5TH FLOOR
BOX 1320 YELLOWKNIFE NT X1A 2L9
Tel (867) 767-9154 Extension 14106
Fax (867) 873-0445
jobsyk@gov.nt.ca