Director, Marketing & Communications
Position Overview
Organization: Mackenzie Health Foundation
Title: Director, Marketing & Communications
Reports to: Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement
Team: Three
Location: Hybrid work model, currently minimum 2 days in office. When in office: 955 Major Mackenzie Drive West, Vaughan, Ontario.
Compensation: $110,000 – $140,000 plus HOOPP, and a comprehensive vacation and benefits plan. Salary will be determined commensurate with experience.
Is this you?
You are a marketing and communications leader who enjoys leading a team to accomplish goals. You are a hands-on Director, meaning you can work alongside executive leadership in strategy creation/development, and are equally comfortable turning around, rolling up your sleeves alongside your team to execute.
You are a marketing and communications generalist with experience across all channels – web, digital marketing, print, social, content development, etc. – and you’d describe yourself as a true omni-channel marketer. You enjoy establishing the foundational building blocks your cross-functional teams can utilize to achieve their goals, like brand guidelines. You have experience working with vendors and agency partners to achieve your organization’s goals and are a shrewd manager of these resources. Because you understand your goal, beyond creating and maintaining a respected brand and voice in a crowded market, your goal is to raise funds. You are a talented writer and have a knack for persuasive writing. You are an excellent content editor; when you give feedback to your team, you are empowering and encouraging.
You are excellent at nurturing high performing talent and providing growth opportunities for your team. You are a trusted colleague to your peers and a sounding board for ideas and never turn down the opportunity to brainstorm. You are confident and humble – you know your area of expertise and are happy to share it with others. You are approachable and inclusive and approach your work with cross-functional teams with curiosity and genuine care for their success.
You would be energized, motivated and excited to play a key role in the marketing and communications strategy and execution for a vital hospital foundation that is on the cusp of transformation. If this sounds like you, read on.
The Organization
Mackenzie Health Foundation has experienced remarkable success with the historic completion of the $250M Ultimate Campaign. Today, Mackenzie Health Foundation continues to ride the momentum of success generated by the campaign while also retooling in response to post-campaign priority shifts. With the recent arrival of their President & CEO, Nicole McCahon (2023), Mackenzie Health Foundation is set up for continued growth and transformation.
Mackenzie Health Foundation raises vital funds to support Mackenzie Health’s two hospitals – Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. Each have a full-service emergency department, core services and specialized services to provide members of the community with the care they need. Woman and Child, Inpatient Mental Health and Inpatient Integrated Stroke programs are available at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. An extensive range of outpatient clinics, chronic kidney disease care, complex continuing care and rehabilitation are available at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.
Mackenzie Health has faced unprecedented demands for patient care in recent years. One year after Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital opened its doors to the public, patient volumes surpassed projections – three years ahead of schedule. York Region is one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada, with more than 550,000 residents. Mackenzie Health is responding to the increasing needs by expanding operations, renovating Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital and partnering with York University on a medical school, while concurrently planning for updates at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital as it reaches the typical 5–7year lifecycle of its equipment. Mackenzie Health is preparing for significant funding needs over the next decade, and the Foundation will need to increase its financial support separate from, and in addition to, current revenues.
Having recently completed the Foundation strategic plan for 2025 – 2029, the Foundation will focus on four key areas, these are: Elevate their culture of philanthropy, build capacity, maximize fundraising and boldly tell their story.
Their statement of purpose is to be a leader in health care philanthropy to inspire community support of patient care excellence at Mackenzie Health.
This is where you come in.
The Position
Reporting to the Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement, the Director, Marketing and Communications will lead a team of four. The Director and their team will be accountable for executing all omni-channel marketing and communication activity on behalf of the Foundation. This includes digital marketing, web, social (which is shared with the hospital), and fundraising communications (including major gift proposals, donor impact reports, the annual report, etc.). As a key partner to the hospital’s marketing and communications team, the Director will be responsible for leading the planning, project management and successful delivery of marketing communications programs. They will continually work to build a brand voice and position Mackenzie Health Foundation as a charity of choice in the community.
The Director will liaise with the Vice President to develop the Foundation’s annual marketing and communications plan. The team they will oversee has expertise in fundraising communications, digital marketing and social media. They will ensure their team is continually delivering content on time, on budget, and on strategy. The Director will also oversee external vendor relationships, including the current project-based marketing agency. Experience with issuing agency RFPs and leading a selection process would be an asset to our successful candidate.
The opportunity will appeal to an approachable marketing and communications leader who possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills and can roll up their sleeves alongside their capable team to execute. A motivating leader with a coaching style, the successful candidate will provide their team with growth opportunities and foster a collaborative culture based on trust, respect and having some fun along the way.
Key Responsibilities
Marketing and Communications
• Alongside the Vice President, play a key role in the development and implementation of Foundation-wide marketing and communication strategy
• Develop Foundation brand guidelines
• Execute brand and communication strategies using a variety of modalities to reach the Foundation’s key market audiences to achieve fundraising strategic objectives
• The Vice President will be supporting the President & CEO in developing their social presence; the Director will execute this strategy and ensure speaking notes, social content, and other supporting material are developed and delivered as needed
• Develop compelling key messages, materials, and content
• Implement the integrated digital marketing strategy that leverages all digital channels to drive fundraising success and increase awareness of the Mackenzie Health Foundation brand
• Oversee donor and community experience through various earned and paid communication channels; ensure enhancement of donor and community experience through exceptional storytelling and relevant, timely and accessible content
• Work with the Vice President in establishing and then maintaining the Foundation’s brand and architecture, ensuring quality and consistency across the organization
• Assist in preparing annual and multi-year plans and budgets and manage the updating of forecasts and variances
• Oversee and periodically create specialized marketing and communications strategies for major gift fundraising campaigns focused on attracting high net worth donors; ensure further engagement and stewarding of existing donors
• Support Senior Manager, Fundraising Communications in the creation of highly personalized donor proposals, stewardship reports and other collateral/content
• Oversee the development of the annual report and key donor materials such as stewardship reports and donor impact reports
• Provide leadership, priority setting and direction to members of the Marketing and Communication team
• Sustain a strong team, keeping staff motivated and engaged with team input at regular meetings to further empower and develop their self-confidence
• Empower the team through strategic planning, information sharing and collaboration to meet the goals of the team and Foundation
• Manage a team of direct reports, including recruiting, orientation, training, objective setting, coaching, monitoring performance, and encouraging professional development for these staff
• Motivate team members by creating an environment that promotes positive communication and encourages bonding of members from various departments/teams
• Monitor and track staff activity; provide feedback and guidance on performance, projects, and other initiatives impacting staff
• Provide appropriate and meaningful staff recognition
• Work as a team player, promoting a positive and professional work environment and conduct role with integrity and respect
• Act as an ambassador throughout the community, positively representing the Hospital and the Foundation
The Ideal Candidate
• 7+ years within a charitable/not-for-profit organization in a marketing and communications capacity. Experience in a large, complex not-for-profit health care organization is a definite asset
• Higher Education in marketing or communications or related field of study
• Experience with Constant Contact, Google Analytics, Hootsuite and Asana an asset
• Experience with fundraising CRMs (RE, Salesforce, etc.) and Omatic are considered an asset
• A proven track record for implementing innovative and best-in-class communication within an organization with multiple stakeholders, including external and internal
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to analyze trends from quantitative and qualitative data
• Strong communication, interpersonal, public speaking, and leadership skills
• An innovative and motivational mentality
• Excellent management, decision-making, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects, work successfully unsupervised to meet deadlines
• Excellent written (specifically to a donor audience) and oral communication skills are a must
• Excellent interpersonal / customer service skills AND highly collaborative – enjoys helping team members succeed; a great listener; someone who can manage velocity and is a positive contributor
Application Instructions
Mackenzie Health is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer committed to providing accommodations for applicants upon request at any stage of the recruitment process in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Preston Human Capital Group is conducting this search on behalf of Mackenzie Health Foundation. If you are looking for an outstanding challenge and meet the qualification criteria, we look forward to hearing from you. Please include a cover letter and CV addressed to Lindsay Preston at lindsay@phcap.ca. The posting closes on March 21, 2025, at 5pm ET. Please note that only qualified respondents will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.