Original job description
Your Opportunity:
Assisted Living Alberta (ALA) is seeking a strategic and influential communications executive to join its Executive Leadership Team (ELT) as Executive Lead, Communications and Engagement. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this role provides provincial leadership for communications, engagement, public affairs, government relations, and stakeholders. As ALA continues to evolve as a provincial health agency, the Executive Lead will play a key role in building public confidence, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and advancing understanding of ALA's mandate and services. This is a unique opportunity to establish and lead a modern communications and engagement function that supports organizational growth, system transformation, and service excellence. Working closely with government, healthcare partners, service providers, and community organizations, the Executive Lead serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO and ELT on strategic communications, public affairs, issues management, and reputation management. The ideal candidate is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in strategic communications, government and stakeholder relations, ministry engagement, media relations, crisis communications, and issues management. Assisted Living Alberta (ALA) delivers, coordinates and oversees home and community care and continuing care health services in Alberta, helping Albertans live safely and independently in the places they call home.
Description:
The Executive Lead, Communications and Engagement leads communication and engagement strategies that build confidence in Assisted Living Alberta (ALA) and its contracted partners as providers of high-quality continuing care services in the community. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this role establishes and advances communications, engagement, government relations, and stakeholder coordination functions in partnership with the Ministry and system partners, supporting ALA's evolution as a provincial health agency. The Executive Lead provides strategic leadership for organizational communications, ensuring clear, consistent messaging that strengthens understanding of ALA's mandate, identity, and future-state model among internal and external audiences. With a team of nearly 30, the role oversees external communications and public affairs, including media relations, digital, web and social channels, public information and education, issues management, and crisis communications, while fostering strong relationships with government, stakeholders, and partners. This provincial position’s location is Edmonton (preferable) or Calgary.
Transition Company: Assisted Living Alberta Classification: Executive Lead Union: Exempt Unit and Program: ALA Corporate Communications Primary Location: Seventh Street Plaza Location Details: As Per Location Negotiable Location: Provincial Employee Class: Regular Full Time FTE: 1.00 Posting End Date: 23-NOV-2026 Date Available: 04-JAN-2027 Hours per Shift: 7.75 Length of Shift in weeks: 2 Shifts per cycle: 10 Shift Pattern: Days Days Off: Saturday/Sunday Minimum Salary: $71.44 Maximum Salary: $128.54 Vehicle Requirement: Not Applicable
Required Qualifications:
The successful candidate possesses a master’s degree in communications, public relations, business administration or related field. A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, government relations, or a related communications-focused discipline is required, including at least five (5) years in a senior leadership role with direct accountability for communications and engagement functions A combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered.
Additional Required Qualifications:
This key leadership position requires expertise in strategic communications, including internal, external and crisis communications at a system and local level. Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted strategic advisor to executive leadership teams, providing expert counsel on communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, and issues management, including preparing and coaching senior leaders for media interviews, public appearances, and high-profile communications events. Experience in government and stakeholder relations, including ministry interface. Experience in issues management. Cross-agency engagement and coordination experience is required, as is proven adeptness at building strong relationships with a wide variety of partners. Experience developing organizational strategy and planning, leading strategic initiatives and leading change to achieve positive results. Proven leadership abilities, including comfort with decision-making and exercising sound judgement. Ability to influence, negotiate, and mediate resolutions to complex situations.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in healthcare, continuing care or large-scale public sector organizations is preferred. Professional accreditation through Canadian Public Relations Society or International Association of Business Communicators is preferred.
More about this job
Responsibilities
Lead ALA’s communications, engagement, government relations, and stakeholder coordination functions, advising the CEO and Executive Leadership Team on strategic communications, public affairs, issues, and reputation management. Oversee a team of nearly 30 and manage external communications, media relations, digital and social channels, public information, and crisis communications.
Requirements
A master’s degree in communications, public relations, business administration, or a related field is required, along with at least 10 years of progressively responsible relevant leadership experience, including five years in senior leadership with direct accountability for communications and engagement. Candidates must demonstrate executive advisory expertise, government and stakeholder relations experience, issues management, cross-agency coordination, strategic planning, change leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to influence and negotiate; healthcare or public-sector experience and professional accreditation are preferred.
Skills
- Strategic Communications
- Internal Communications
- External Communications
- Crisis Communications
- Public Affairs
- Government Relations
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Ministry Engagement
- Media Relations
- Issues Management
- Reputation Management
- Executive Advising
- Cross-Agency Coordination
- Strategic Planning
- Change Leadership
- Negotiation
Visa sponsorship
Not detected in the job text
Categories
- Management & Leadership
- Marketing
- Creative & Media
- Healthcare
- Government & Public Sector
Keywords
- Assisted Living Alberta
- Continuing Care
- Home And Community Care
- Healthcare
- Provincial Health Agency
- Executive Leadership Team
- Strategic Communications
- Public Affairs
- Government Relations
- Ministry Engagement
- Stakeholder Relations
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Media Relations
- Crisis Communications
- Issues Management
- Reputation Management
- Internal Communications
- External Communications
- Digital Communications
- Web Communications
- Social Media
- Public Information
- Executive Advising
- Cross-Agency Coordination
- Strategic Planning
- Change Management
- Canadian Public Relations Society
- International Association Of Business Communicators
