Specialist, HR Communications & Engagement

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Information Services, Level B

Job Title

Specialist, HR Communications & Engagement

Department

Communications | Workplace Learning and Engagement | Central Human Resources

Compensation Range

$6,747.50 - $9,701.42 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

July 14, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Jun 30, 2026

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary
The Specialist, HR Communications & Engagement position designs and implements highly skilled communications and engagement strategies through the use of targeted initiatives for the VP, Human Resources (VPHR) portfolio. Collaborating with colleagues in VPHR and across UBC, the Specialist role manages diverse, multi-stakeholder projects and key deliverables that directly impact faculty and staff experiences at UBC. One example of a key deliverable is the Canada's Top 100 Employers Competition. The Specialist role has significant oversight responsibility to independently build alignment across 25+ internal contributors across UBC and external contractors (designers & writers), and to provide expert advice to leaders and colleagues involved in the national employer competition program.  This role serves as an integral part of a dedicated team of communicators and marketing professionals who help ensure the engagement and communication strategies deployed in VPHR reinforce UBC’s overarching mission, values, and culture while contributing towards an outstanding work environment.

Organizational Status
Reporting to the Manager, HR Communications & Engagement, the Specialist, Communications & Engagement is responsible for the design and implementation of various communications, engagement projects, and initiatives for the VPHR portfolio. The Specialist provides advice, consultation, and communications expertise as part of the overall HR Communications team within VPHR.  The role also works in partnership with various communications professionals, diverse stakeholders and colleagues across UBC, as well as external consultants and service providers.

Work Performed

Communications Planning & Execution:

• Designs and implements communication and engagement strategies, projects and initiatives that directly impact faculty and staff experiences at UBC, including UBC's people strategy (e.g. Focus on People or equivalent), the recruitment experience, the orientation & onboarding experience, learning and leadership development, rewards and recognition, and how people create connections across the University.
• Develops and maintains a reputation as a valued thought leader/trusted partner in designing effective communications and executing on highly successful marketing campaigns and projects.
• Implements tactics for strategies and plans that communicate and advance VPHR’s employer story (brand) internally and externally.
• Responsible for the editorial content and delivery of a variety of web-based and print communication vehicles for identified audiences within VPHR, and across distributed HR channels.
• Researches, writes and/or manages web and social content for UBC audiences, including, but not limited to people profiles, announcements, newsletters, educational and informative blog posts and stories.
• Creates reports and presentations for VPHR-led strategies (such as Focus on People) for multiple audiences including UBC’s Board of Governors, the UBC Executive, and the broader UBC community.
• Manages multiple, ongoing and complex projects, including establishing timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Contributes to HR’s communication operations (as a function), as well as the ongoing improvements and evolution of communication best practices.
• Collaborates closely with UBC Brand & Marketing, Internal Communications, ISC Change and Communications, and other communications colleagues in Faculties and VP portfolios to ensure alignment and deliver results that positively influence the staff and faculty experience while promoting and safeguarding the University’s employer brand and reputation.
• Proactively advises on and develops communication plans and materials for VPHR outreach activities, special events, and days of significance.
• Develops, evaluates and reports on communication and engagement metrics, measurement and feedback to ensure objectives are achieved.
• Performs other duties as required.

Strategic Engagement:

• Works in partnership with Workplace Strategy & Employee Experience team to provide relevant communication strategies and channels to help engage staff and faculty through orientation events, professional development programming, to enhanced employee experience opportunities.
• Builds and manages various communications plans, campaigns, and tactics that enhance UBC’s employee experience initiatives throughout the entire employee lifecycle.
• Continued facilitation support of Employee Experience programming (as schedule permits).
• Manages UBC-wide reputational communications and marketing projects and initiatives within the VPHR portfolio, including national employer awards programs and internal employee recognition programs.

• Provides strategic communications’ support and expertise for UBC’s learning and talent development strategies and initiatives.

Performance Enablement:

• Serves as the primary communications expert for all key communications and marketing tactics related to UBC’s performance enablement (GPS) programming, expansion planning, growth across portfolios, and use of appropriate communication tactics and channels as per the GPS strategic plan.
• Plans, develops, and oversees the communication strategies for GPS that provides the end-to-end communications and engagement support for successful deployment:
  • Creates and manages all digital content and resources for the GPS program in collaboration with Talent & Organizational Development team.
  • Manages the online portal (i.e., SharePoint)
  • Identifies new and evolving resource needs; collaborates with GPS Project Team to develop and create targeted resources for GPS community
  • Creates and posts updates and ensures digital resources are updated as needed
  • Provides analysis of utilization (newsletters, Sharepoint, GPS metrics)
  • Oversees schedule/calendar of activities related to GPS implementation across portfolios

• Makes recommendations and contributes to the development of the GPS 3–5-year strategic plan.
• Evaluates when updates and revisions are needed to the GPS program templates and graphics; manages resources to ensure updates and revisions are made in a timely manner, and well-communicated.
• Liaises with HR Directors in each portfolio to enhance delivery of timely communications regarding GPS orientation, training, and timing of the various program elements.
• Develops and maintains a reputation as a valued thought leader/trusted partner in GPS for VPHR, distributed HR colleagues, and 1200 + participants across UBC.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This position plays an important role in achieving the goals that have been committed to the University community in UBC’s Focus on People framework (2025) and the University’s strategic plan (currently being refreshed). Failure to lead the development and implementation of the various engagement and communications strategies that align with the UBC’s current and future aspirations could have a detrimental effect on attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and staff, which could impact the reputation of UBC. This role exercises keen initiative and sound judgment in executing tasks through to completion, and must demonstrate tact and discretion given the subject matter involved within the VPHR portfolio. Works independently and as a collaborative team member within established guidelines and standards.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Manager, HR Communications & Engagement. Works under broad direction and in collaboration with the entire Talent & Organizational Development team as well as leaders and colleagues within the VPHR portfolio; collaborates with the wider communications and marketing community at UBC. Work is reviewed in terms of key deliverables, projects and client relationships involved with the services and professional expertise of HR Communications team.

Supervision Given
Oversees the work of contract consultants and external service providers (for example, Top Employer Award designers and writers). Supervises, oversees and manages the work of student employees (as applicable).

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

·       Prior internal communications expertise, strong understanding of employee experience trends, digital marketing techniques, and employer branding strategies and concepts.

·       Demonstrated ability to develop and implement successful communications strategies and plans in a large, complex organization.

·       Strong knowledge of current communications methods, practices and techniques in a variety of media.

·       Advanced writing and editing skills, and the ability to adapt style for a variety of channels and audiences.

·       Demonstrated working knowledge of graphic and web design principles. Ability to use desktop publishing software (such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign) as well as web content management systems (such as Drupal and WordPress).

·       Ability to excel in the use newsletter publishing software (such as CyberImpact).

·       Experience with social media monitoring and management, website analytics, and data visualization tools.

·       Strong project management skills and ability to use collaborative tools (such as Asana).

·       Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills.

·       Ability to manage multiple projects involving diverse stakeholders, as well as external contractors, with proven experience of collaborating with and influencing others across and at all levels of the organization.

·       Commitment to anti-racism and inclusive excellence, and ability to apply an intersectional anti-racist lens to communications projects.

·       Ability to recognize, respect and work effectively with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

·       Ability to think creatively and critically, and understand the complexities within large organizations.

·       Models and demonstrates good interpersonal communication through active listening and appreciative inquiry and is open to providing and receiving timely, constructive feedback.

·       Strong approach to continuous improvement and is open to experiment and improvise with new ways of approaching processes, tasks or problems.

·       Delivers outstanding client service and support, maintaining professionalism in all interactions.

·       Ability to exercise tact and subtlety, when working with confidential and critical information.

·       Effective at working independently as well as part of a collaborative, cross-departmental team.

·       Commitment to personal learning, development and improvement in pursuit of own objectives as well as those of the team and the organization.