About the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is our country’s leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth involved in the child welfare system. Guided by a bold fiveyear strategic plan and Impact Framework and working alongside over 100 child-and-youth serving organizations across the country, the Foundation is focused on driving meaningful, measurable change through outcomes-based partnerships, philanthropy, and systems-level influence.
Our work is grounded in four key areas of focus that are critical to long-term stability for children and youth in and from care: Education, Employment, Mental Health and Well-being, and Strong Families and Lifelong Connections. Across these areas, we fund and deliver highimpact programs and collaborate with communities, service agencies, and young people on solutions that address the persistent challenges faced by children and youth engaged with the child welfare system.
As we implement our new 2025-2030 strategic plan, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is entering a pivotal implementation phase, realigning its efforts and structuring its team to maximize measurable outcomes and national reach. Joining the Foundation means being part of a passionate, future-focused team driven by impact and a set of VOICE values. It’s an opportunity to be part of a national movement committed to creating a better future for those too often left behind. Together, we are building a future where the children and youth have the strength and resilience to create a lifetime of their own unstoppable successes.
To learn more about us, please visit our website.
To better understand our impact, please watch our ‘Investing in the Future, Today’ video.
The Ideal Candidate:
Are you a thoughtful communicator who writes with purpose and leads with values? You are a curious, strategic thinker with a sharp editorial eye and a deep belief in the power of storytelling to drive change. You are collaborative by nature, committed to the wellbeing of children and young people, and bring both clarity and care to complex topics. With strong judgment and a passion for mission-driven work, you use your voice to inform, inspire, and influence.
If you’re ready to lead with purpose and build something meaningful, we’d love to hear from you. Manager, Communications
Position Summary:
The Manager, Communications is responsible for developing and delivering compelling, high-impact content that strengthens the Foundation’s organizational voice, advances strategic priorities, and ensures alignment across diverse audiences including government, sector leaders, youth, donors, and the public. This role brings a high degree of writing expertise, strategic foresight, and storytelling acumen, positioning the Foundation as a thought leader in the child welfare space.
Reporting to the Senior Manager, Communications, this role will work in close partnership with departments across the Foundation and senior leadership to craft narratives that influence policy, shape public discourse, and drive stakeholder engagement. This is not a supervisory role but will serve as a key advisor and collaborator across teams.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Content Development
- Develop original content that reflects the Foundation’s strategic priorities, including advancing systems-change narratives (e.g., op-eds, speeches, thought pieces, position statements).
- Translate complex policy, research, and programmatic information and data into accessible, engaging narratives tailored to diverse audience needs.
- Serve as a writing partner to the Senior Manager, Communications and leadership team for high-stakes public engagements, including speaking engagements, reports, and strategic communications to enhance our reputation and public image.
Editorial and Narrative Leadership
- Lead the development of messaging frameworks and internal toolkits (e.g., FAQs, speaking points, summaries) to support cross-team alignment on Foundation positioning and messaging
. • Ensure content alignment across public touchpoints including web, reports, presentations and media, working collaborative with the Communication team
- Proactively identify and pursue opportunities for storytelling tied to key milestones, external policy cycles, and internal reporting.
Strategic Communications Planning
- Collaborate with communications team members on proactive communications planning that aligns with corporate objectives and strategic priorities.
- Scan for emerging sector conversations and proactively position Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s C work in those spaces.
- Contribute to the editorial calendar with long-range planning for strategic thematic storytelling and content development aligned to organizational objectives.
- Brings strong project management skills with the ability to lead a project from inception to completion
Cross-Team Collaboration and Support
- Provide advisory support to colleagues across the organization developing communications, from reports to proposals.
- Work in tandem with communications colleagues to ensure consistent content is delivered on time and ensure audience relevance.
- Support the development of partner- or donor-facing documents that reflect the Foundation’s voice, strategy, and values.
- Partner with HR and the leadership team to coordinate internal communication strategies as required.
Essential Qualifications and Competencies:
- Relevant experience, typically 3+ years, in strategic communications, public affairs, journalism or other similar transferable experience, preferably within the charitable or non-profit sector
- Post-secondary education or an equivalent combination of education and experience • Proven ability to think strategically, anticipate reputational risks and opportunities, and frame messages for impact.
- Demonstrated ability to create nuanced content for multiple audiences: donors, partners, young people, philanthropic sector and government.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with a proven ability to write for influence
- Strong writing portfolio, showcasing strategic, analytical, and high-impact content
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and deliver high-quality content under tight timelines and shifting priorities
- Experience supporting internal communications and working across departments to ensure messaging consistency and alignment.
- Deep understanding of the Canadian public policy, nonprofit, or philanthropic context.
- Collaborative team player who can work across teams and bring coherence to complex information.
- Proficiency with digital tools such as Engaging Networks, Google Analytics, Canva, WordPress, Hootsuite or similar platforms.
- Deep commitment to youth voice, equity, and systems-change values aligned with the Foundation’s mission.
- Committed to upholding the Foundation’s VOICE values: Vital Learning & Innovation, Open Communication, Inclusion & Diversity, Care & Compassion, and Empowering Accountability.
Assets (non-essential)
- Lived experience with the child welfare system
- Experience working in child welfare, or social services
- Bilingual English and French
Children’s Aid Foundation as an Employer
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada acknowledge that the Foundation’s main office is in Toronto, which is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississauga's of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The area now known as Toronto is covered by Treaty 13. Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is committed to supporting meaningful reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and others in these lands and across Canada.
The Foundation provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from equity seeking groups, including members of communities that are overrepresented in the child welfare system. We offer a family-friendly environment that allows for flexible work arrangements in order to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy work-life balance.
The Foundation is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment process as accessible as possible and provide accommodation as required for applicants with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact [email protected].
WHY WORK WITH US
At the Foundation, we prioritize your well-being and professional fulfillment by offering: • A 35-hour workweek to support work-life balance
- A hybrid model, with a mixed blend of remote work and 2-3 days in office (Toronto)
- The opportunity to make a meaningful impact on child welfare
- A generous compensation package, including: 4 weeks' vacation package, plus 3 float days, participation in the OMERS Defined Pension Plan with contributions matched 100% by the employer, a comprehensive benefits (including medical, dental, life and disability) package, Employee Assistance Program and a competitive salary.
- A welcoming, supportive, and collaborative work culture that embraces the Foundation’s VOICE values.
Our VOICE Values: − Vital Learning & Innovation − Open Communication − Inclusion & Diversity − Care & Compassion − Empowering Accountability
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please submit your current resume and a covering letter in one single document, detailing how your qualifications align with this opportunity and the Foundations' mission to [email protected] and include “Manager, Communications” in the subject line of your email by Friday, June 20, 2025. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted. You are encouraged to apply early as we are motivated to fill this role as soon as possible. We thank all candidates for their interest in the work of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted due to high applicant volumes. No telephone inquiries please.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OUR INTERVIEW PROCESS
We value transparency and want to ensure you feel prepared and supported throughout our hiring process. Here is what you can expect: Initial conversation:
A 30-minute virtual conversation with one of our team members to discuss your interest in the role and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and how you can make an impact.
First interview: A 1-hour meeting (in-person or virtual) with the Hiring Manager and relevant team members. We will discuss your skills and how they align with the team’s needs. We will also answer any questions you have about the role, our culture, and the impact we strive to make.
Second interview: A 1-hour in-person meeting with the Hiring Manager and different team members, depending on the role, it can be our CEO! This stage might involve a short preassigned presentation, a case study, or a discussion of role-specific scenarios. A brief behavioural assessment is completed in advance of this meeting.
We look forward to getting to know you and sharing what makes Children’s Aid Foundation such a special place to work.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $60,000.00-$70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Toronto, ON M5R 2S9
Application deadline: 2025-06-20
