Senior Communications Specialist (Media Lead) (Term to July 2025)

YVR is a place of connection, bringing together people, places, and cargo while ensuring a safe and efficient experience for everyone. Communications is an integral part to making that happen. We are looking for a proven communications professional who is keen to take initiative and contribute to the high performing, award-winning YVR Communications Team, which is responsible for promoting, protecting, and enhancing YVR’s reputation and advancing our strategic plan in service of the community and economy that supports it.

Position overview 

We have a full-time term (to July 2025) opportunity for a Senior Communications Specialist – Media Lead. Reporting to the Manager, Communications, the successful candidate will work closely with subject matter experts across many of YVR’s internal teams including but not limited to operations, government relations, air service development, and those connected to the airport’s service agencies. The role also liaises with a wide range of external contacts, such as airline representatives and external aviation sector specialists. 

Performance of this role includes taking responsibility for leadership, strategic direction, service delivery and adherence to corporate voice and messages to ensure both proactive and reactive media relations, content and programming consistently conveys YVR’s strategic priorities, position, and role in the community and the economy that supports it.

Key responsibilities include:  

• Collaborate with various internal departments, government agencies, and stakeholders to develop strategic media relations plans that work to secure positive earned media coverage for all YVR initiatives, such as airline inaugural events, capital construction projects and openings, commercial partner openings, and operational plan updates.
• Lead YVR media events including plan development, event concept, logistics, stakeholder management (business partners, agencies) and/or coordinate with various levels of government to organize media events and announcements.
• Contribute to crisis and issues response activities during business hours and while on call, including evaluating and responding to operational and reputational matters, providing senior communications support and media response.  
• Evaluate communications requests and needs from internal clients and external partners, using analytical and creative thinking to provide strategic counsel on communications strategy, tactics, timing, and measurement to ensure effective results in support of YVR’s strategic plan and priorities.
• Provide measurement and reporting to demonstrate effectiveness of programs and tactics. 
• Oversee and maintain YVR’s Newsroom, ensuring the editorial voice of the organization is reflected and consistent in all content, including articles, media materials, and corporate videos.

Key qualifications include:

• Ability to analyze, process and interpret large amounts of often technical content to tease out narratives and storylines.
• Excellent English writing skills (vocabulary, spelling, mechanics), with a comprehensive working knowledge of Canadian Press (CP) style.
• Strong judgement and leadership skills as well as conflict resolution, analyzing trends and solid decision making plus the ability to diplomatically lead meetings and provide counsel to colleagues.
• Expertise in project management, client services delivery and event execution.
• Completion of at minimum two- to three-year technical or community college certificate or diploma in public relations, journalism, communications, business or a related field, supplemented by five or more years of relevant work experience with an agency or corporation; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Education or on-the-job training focused on the essential functions of public relations, including but not limited to audience analysis, working knowledge or reporters/media outlets; key message development; spokesperson training; media release, fact sheet, Q&A, backgrounder and other tool development.
• Experience which includes one or a combination of public relations agency work and/or in-house communications work for companies and/or experience in a newsroom as well as media relations experience, including liaising with and managing media, pitching to media, crafting key messages.

This position is open to both Vancouver Airport Authority employees and external applicants. Previous job performance will be taken into consideration for all internal candidates that apply for this position.

As part of our recruitment process, short-listed candidates may be required to participate in an assessment process.

Salary Range : $72,008 to $94,115 per annum, based on 37.5-hour work week. This is individually tailored to reflect your unique experience, qualifications and internal equity.

At YVR, your work experience goes beyond the paycheck. We support your personal and professional development, well-being, and a thriving work culture with generous vacation days, extensive health benefits, retirement savings matching, wellness programs, community engagement, commuting support, and continuous learning opportunities. Learn more at https://careers.yvr.ca/benefits.

Please note that availability may vary based on employment type and is subject to certain eligibility requirements and potential changes by YVR.

YVR is more than just an airport. We connect our beautiful province and all it has to offer to the world. We are all leaders and trailblazers for change and innovation, so no matter the department or team you’re a part of, the work you do matters.

At YVR, we are flexible in everything we do. We will work together to find ways to deliver customer excellence that helps us all thrive.

Whatever your background and wherever you’re from, you belong at YVR. If you have any questions about accessibility or require any assistance applying, please reach out at careers@yvr.ca.