Bilingual Director, Communications Business Partnership

About CMHC

The work you do and the work we do together matters. We come to work every day with a common purpose: to contribute to a well-functioning housing system.

At CMHC, we hold ourselves accountable for our results and support our colleagues in their achievements. We thrive on collaboration, connecting across CMHC and involving the right people to get our work done. Our leadership style is guided by trust, where our leaders favour an adaptive approach based on the needs of their teams.

Join us and be part of a team that's committed to making a real difference and be part of something meaningful.

What’s in it for you

We’ve got the purpose, the people and the perks you need for a fulfilling career. Here’s the comprehensive and generous benefits you get when you’re a permanent employee:

• Annual Paid vacation.
• Annual individual performance incentive.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Comprehensive group insurance plan to support your well-being from day one.
• Support towards your personal and professional growth with training, mentorship and more. 
• An inclusive workplace culture and environment.

About the role

Reporting to the Vice President, Communications, the Director, Communications Business Partnerships is a leader within the Communications function responsible for building strategic partnerships with business units across the organization to ensure communications is integrated into business initiatives and activities.

The Director champions a business partner model that positions Communications as a strategic enabler of organizational success, driving consistency, collaboration, and excellence across the enterprise.

The Director serves as a trusted advisor to business leaders, providing strategic communications counsel and leading a team of communications professionals aligned to key business portfolios. The role ensures communications strategies are proactive, audience-focused, measurable, and aligned with the organization's corporate objectives, reputation, and mandate.

The role will lead a team of Communications Business Partners, the External Affairs function and will also oversee the Stakeholder & Partnerships Coordinator and Communications Operations and Planning to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and communications objectives.

What you’ll do:

Strategic Advice and Guidance

• Provide strategic communications advice and hands-on support to the VP, Communications, Senior Leadership, and the President's Office, ensuring timely, coordinated, and effective communications for key initiatives, and issues management.
• Lead and develop a team of Communications Business Partners, providing direction, coaching, and oversight to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality communications advisory services across the organization.
• Build trusted relationships with executives and senior leaders across the organization.

• Understand business priorities, risks, opportunities, and stakeholder needs to proactively identify communications requirements.
• Provide leadership on cross-sector communications initiatives, stakeholder engagement and sponsorship activities, and enterprise coordination efforts, resolving complex alignment issues and escalations while fostering collaboration across the organization.

Business Partnership Strategy & Program Management

• Develop and lead the Communications Business Partnership strategy, establishing priorities, service delivery expectations, and integrated planning approaches that support organizational objectives and strengthen engagement with business leaders.
• Provide strategic direction and guidance to Communications Business Partners on complex communications challenges, emerging issues, stakeholder risks, and engagement opportunities, enabling proactive and effective solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement of communications programs, tools, and services by identifying opportunities to enhance client support, strengthen business partnership.
• Ensure stakeholder engagement, sponsorship, and partnership activities are effectively integrated into communications strategies and aligned with organizational priorities, brand standards, and reputational considerations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the sector’s Centres of Expertise and business leaders to ensure the seamless delivery of integrated communications strategies, services, and solutions.
• Foster strong relationships across sectors to drive alignment, consistency, and a coordinated approach to communications, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and outreach activities.
• Promote collaboration, best practices, and a client-focused mindset across the Communications Business Partnership function, identifying opportunities to enhance integration, efficiency, and organizational impact.

Client Intelligence & Issue Management

• Establish and oversee enterprise approaches for gathering, analyzing, and sharing client, stakeholder, and business intelligence to inform communications strategies, decision-making.
• Monitor and evaluate communications, stakeholder engagement, and partnership activities, using insights and performance metrics to measure effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure robust tracking, reporting, and accountability mechanisms are in place, driving continuous improvement in client service delivery, stakeholder experience, and overall communications effectiveness.

What you should have:

• An undergraduate degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, human resources management, business administration, or a related field.

• A minimum of thirteen years' experience in communications, marketing, public relations, stakeholder engagement, or related disciplines, with a minimum of five years of management experience.
• A demonstrated experience in managing a comprehensive strategic communications group to advance the organization’s goals.
• Strong judgment, political acuity, and issues management capabilities.
• A demonstrated ability to build successful partnerships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders including senior leaders.
• A demonstrated experience advising senior executives on high-profile, complex communications matters.
• Solid oral and written communication skills in both official languages (French and English), including the ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly in a variety of settings and styles to a variety of stakeholders (senior management in particular).
• The ability to balance competing priorities and stakeholder interests in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Experience in the financial sector, public sector, Crown corporation, or highly regulated environment is an asset.

Posting closing date: Note, the competition will remain active until filled. 

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion 

We’re committed to employment equity and encourage women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, veterans and persons of all races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions to apply. We also welcome applications from non-Canadians who are eligible to work in Canada.

CMHC is an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought – and of people – are recognized, valued, and considered essential to achieving our mission.

Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion 

What happens after you apply 

We know that applying for a new job can be both exciting and daunting, and we appreciate your effort. Learn more about our hiring process.  If you are selected for an interview or testing, please advise us if you require an accommodation.

If you applied before and you were not successful don’t worry – we're always posting new positions, so don’t hesitate to give it another shot. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table this time around!