Winnipeg Foundation is For Good. Forever. We help people give back to our shared community by connecting generous donors with causes they care about For Good. We are an endowment-based public foundation, so gifts are pooled and invested, and the annual earnings are distributed back to the community Forever. Founded in 1921, we are proud to be Canada's first community foundation. Our vision is ‘a Winnipeg where community life flourishes for all.’
The Foundation is committed to work-life balance and diversity, both within the organization and in its work with the community.
We are looking for an experienced and collaborative Manager, Communications & Marketing to help bring that vision to life (1 – Permanent – Full-Time Position)
Our Values
- Trust
- Generosity
- Equity
- Transformation
- Responsiveness
Our Core Competencies
- Relationship Building
- Managing Healthy Conflict
- Adaptability
- Critical Thinking and Decision Making
The Role
Reporting to the Vice President, Communications & Marketing, you will lead the team responsible for telling Winnipeg Foundation’s story, building its brand, connecting with donors and community partners, and helping Winnipeggers understand the difference generosity makes in our city.
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has led creative, communications, and marketing teams and knows how to move great work from an early idea to a successful launch. You might spend one day shaping a campaign, coaching a writer, reviewing a design, or helping a colleague clarify their audience. The next day, you could be preparing a leader for a media interview, responding to an emerging issue, or finding a compelling new way to tell a story of community impact.
You understand that creative leadership is not about having every idea. It is about creating the conditions for people to do their best work, giving clear direction, raising the quality of the work, and bringing different perspectives together around a shared purpose.
Because our work serves the whole organization and the wider community, teamwork is essential. You will be a trusted partner who listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions, welcomes expertise from across Winnipeg Foundation, and helps people move from differing perspectives to a clear path forward.
What you will do
Lead a talented team
- Lead, coach, and support Communications & Marketing staff, helping each person understand how their work contributes to the organization’s purpose.
- Set clear priorities, expectations, and standards while creating room for creativity, learning, and new ideas.
- Build a collaborative, supportive, and accountable team culture where people can produce excellent work and enjoy doing it.
- Assess workload, skills, and capacity, and determine when freelance, agency, or vendor support is needed.
- Provide regular feedback, support professional development, and address performance concerns respectfully and promptly.
Bring strategy to life
- Translate Winnipeg Foundation’s communications and marketing strategy into practical plans, campaigns, editorial calendars, project briefs, and measurable deliverables.
- Lead day-to-day execution, establish priorities, assign work, manage timelines, and help the team overcome barriers.
- Work confidently with high-level or evolving direction, identifying what needs to be clarified and developing a practical way forward.
- Manage assigned budgets and recommend the best use of staff, freelance, agency, and vendor resources.
- Keep the Vice President informed of progress, opportunities, emerging issues, and reputational risks.
Provide creative and editorial direction
- Set a high standard for the quality, creativity, accessibility, and consistency of Winnipeg Foundation’s communications.
- Provide clear and constructive direction to writers, designers, content creators, freelancers, and agencies.
- Guide the development of publications, campaigns, videos, advertising, digital content, and community stories.
- Ensure Winnipeg Foundation’s voice and visual identity are used consistently across channels.
- Help the team create communications that are warm, clear, inclusive, and meaningful to different audiences.
Lead integrated communications and marketing
- Oversee coordinated initiatives across print, web, email, digital advertising, social media, publications, and other channels.
- Work with teams across Winnipeg Foundation to understand their goals, audiences, expertise, and communications needs.
- Research, write, and edit content when needed, including media releases, speaking notes, web content, reports, campaign materials, and organizational announcements.
- Help colleagues make complex information clear, accessible, and relevant.
- Use audience insights, analytics, and feedback to strengthen campaigns, content, channels, and team practices.
Lead public relations and issues communications
- Build trusted relationships with journalists, editors, producers, community partners, and other external contacts.
- Identify proactive opportunities to share Winnipeg Foundation’s work, perspectives, and community impact.
- Oversee media releases, key messages, briefing materials, interview preparation, and responses to media inquiries.
- Lead crisis and issues communications planning in collaboration with the Vice President and organizational leadership.
- Monitor emerging issues, identify potential reputational risks, and provide calm, practical advice during sensitive or rapidly changing situations.
- Act as a Winnipeg Foundation spokesperson when delegated.
Be a trusted organizational partner
- Provide thoughtful communications advice to leaders and teams across Winnipeg Foundation.
- Bring audience insight, communications expertise, creativity, and sound judgment to organizational decisions.
- Build understanding and support for projects that involve multiple teams and perspectives.
- Listen with empathy, give respectful and candid advice, and follow through on commitments.
- Help colleagues anticipate communications needs and build their own confidence as communicators.
Recommended Qualifications & Experience
- Seven to 10 years of progressively responsible experience leading, coaching, and managing in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or a related field.
- Post-secondary education in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience building relationships with journalists and preparing leaders or subject-matter experts for interviews.
- Strong project-management skills and the ability to manage competing priorities without losing sight of quality or purpose.
- Experience leading integrated marketing and communications initiatives across multiple channels.
- Strong public relations, media relations, crisis communications, and issues-management experience.
- Experience translating organizational strategy into clear plans, priorities, campaigns, and deliverables.
- Experience managing budgets, agencies, freelancers, vendors, and other external partners.
Skills & Competencies & Abilities
What you bring
- Strong creative direction and editorial judgment across written, visual, print, and digital work.
- Excellent writing, editing, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
- The ability to provide clear feedback that helps people and creative work become stronger.
- The ability to build relationships, navigate different perspectives, and create support without relying solely on formal authority.
- Comfort using analytics, audience research, and feedback to guide decisions.
- Working knowledge of content management systems, social media platforms, email marketing tools, analytics tools, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Knowledge of Winnipeg and Manitoba’s charitable and community sectors is an asset.
Most importantly, you are a generous team player. You care about the people doing the work, the colleagues you serve, and the community affected by the decisions you make. You bring confidence without ego, creativity with purpose, and high standards with a genuine desire to help others succeed.
Why Winnipeg Foundation?
This is an opportunity to lead creative work with a lasting purpose. You will help Winnipeggers understand their community, celebrate generosity, discover ways to participate, and see how their contributions can improve life across our city.
You will join colleagues who care deeply about Winnipeg and believe strong relationships produce stronger work. Our values of Trust, Generosity, Equity, Transformation, and Responsiveness guide how we work with one another and with the community.
Winnipeg Foundation is committed to work-life balance and to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and through our work in the community.
If you are an experienced communications and marketing leader who loves developing people, shaping excellent creative work, and bringing teams together around a meaningful purpose, we would be pleased to hear from you.
What We Offer:
- Starting salary in the range of $87,516 - $109,394
- A comprehensive benefit package including health and dental benefits
- A Health Spending Account
- Access to Consult + (Virtual Doctor Service)
- EFAP program available to employees and family members
- Pension program starting at six months of employment
- Vacation starts at three weeks per year
- Eco-pass program (half-cost bus pass)
- Maternity/Parental Leave Top-Up
- Professional Development opportunities
Submit applications, including a resume and cover letter, by September 20, 2026, to https://careers.risepeople.com/the-winnipeg-foundation/en.
Applicants who do not fully satisfy all the essential requirements are nonetheless encouraged to submit their applications for consideration regarding this position. We firmly believe diverse perspectives, skills, and experience can enrich our team and contribute to the Foundation’s overall success.
The Recruitment Process
- As part of the Foundation’s commitment to being transparent, the following are the stages of our recruitment process:
- Job posting closes – September 20, 2026
- Phone screening interview – September 25, 2026(Tell me about yourself, your core competencies as a leader)
- First In-person interview – October 5 & 6, 2026 (It is all about your technical skills)
- Second in-person interview – October 21 & 22, 2026 (What makes you a great coach, leader & mentor? What is your vision for this role)
- Start date: November 1, 2026
During the recruitment process, prospective candidates will be expected to provide specific examples of situations where they have demonstrated the Foundation's values and core competencies.
Winnipeg Foundation is committed to an inclusive, barrier-free environment. It will accommodate applicants' needs under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) at all stages of the recruitment and selection process. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those advancing in the competition will be contacted. If contacted to participate in the process, please advise if you require accommodation.
Note:
Employment is conditional upon verification of eligibility to work in Canada for an employer other than the current employer.
If you would like to discuss accommodation or have difficulty submitting your application via the portal, please email [email protected] for support.
Pay: $87,516.00-$109,394.00 per year
Benefits:
- Commuter benefits
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Life insurance
- RRSP match
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision care
Work Location: In person
