Senior Manager, External & Client Communications-(Hybrid)

Central 1 cooperatively empowers credit unions and other financial institutions to deliver banking choice to Canadians. Central 1 provides critical services at scale to enable a thriving credit union system. We do this by collaborating with our clients, developing strategies, products and services to support the financial well-being of their more than 5 million diverse customers in communities across Canada. For more information, visit www.central1.com.

What we offer:

• Work-life flexibility 

• Hybrid work environment 

• Variable annual incentive plan

• Generous annual vacation allotment

• Top-notch flexible benefits plan including family building and gender affirmation

• Retirement Plan, matched contributions at 6%

• Access to a learning platform and educational assistance support

• Access to a virtual wellness platform

• Career development opportunities

• Wellness Flex Fund to support personal interest and activities

• Day off to volunteer in your community and other paid time off options

• Corporate discounts

*subject to employment agreement

Job Summary:

The Senior Manager, External & Client Communications leads Central 1’s external and client-facing communications, helping shape a strong, trusted, and compelling voice in the Canadian financial services ecosystem. This role drives clear, consistent, and timely communications aligned to corporate priorities, brand positioning, and regulatory expectations—partnering closely with client-facing teams and key relationship owners to tell Central 1’s story, strengthen stakeholder confidence, and protect its reputation.

What you’ll be doing:

Functional Accountability: External & Client Communications:

• Own and lead the external and client communications function across the organization, setting strategy, standards, and priorities that advance corporate objectives and protect reputation
• Define and maintain a clear external and client communications framework, including audience segmentation, messaging hierarchy, channel strategy, and governance
• Ensure all client-facing and external communications are strategic, consistent, high-quality, and aligned to corporate positioning, brand, and regulatory requirements
• Act as the central point of accountability for how the organization communicates externally — balancing proactive storytelling, client clarity, and reputational risk management
• Establish clear success metrics and regularly evaluate the effectiveness of external and client communications efforts
   

Corporate Communications & Reputation Management:

• Lead enterprise-level corporate communications activities, including:
  • Corporate narrative and positioning
  • Executive and enterprise announcements
  • Issues management and reputational risk support
  • Crisis communications planning and response
  • Cyclical client / member touchpoints including quarterly client briefings and bi-annual Peer Group meetings, etc.
• Partner closely with Finance, the Corporate Secretary office, Legal, Risk, Regulatory Affairs and senior leadership to manage sensitive, high-impact, or time-critical communications
• Ensure external communications reinforce trust, credibility, and confidence among clients, partners, regulators, and industry stakeholders
   

Line of Business Communications Support:

• Provide strategic communications leadership for Central 1’s core lines of business — Payments, Treasury and Corporate — applying the enterprise external communications strategy to portfolio-specific needs
• Translate line-of-business priorities, initiatives, and changes into clear, client-focused communications that support understanding, adoption, and engagement.
• Provide communications leadership to portfolio leaders on messaging, sequencing, and risk considerations, ensuring alignment with broader corporate communications
• Balance portfolio needs with enterprise priorities, proactively managing trade-offs and expectations
   

Planning, Governance & Enablement:

• Lead annual and quarterly external and client communications planning, ensuring resourcing and sequencing align with enterprise priorities
• Establish and manage intake, prioritization, and approval processes for external communications, ensuring strong capacity management for the external & client communications team, and effective communication volumes to clients
• Serve as a strategic advisor and decision-maker, not an order taker, on what, when, and how the organization communicates externally
   

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to communications team members and contractors supporting external and client communications
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders, enabling effective influence without direct authority
• Collaborate with Marketing, Treasury, Payments, Sales/Business Development, and Client Relations teams to ensure coordinated execution across channels
   

What you'll have:

• Post-secondary education in Communications, Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 10+ years of progressively senior experience in external or corporate communications roles. Experience in B2B organizations is an asset.
• A senior level of certification or accreditation preferred SCMP, ABC or APR.  
• Significant change management / change communications experience. Prosci certification is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing stakeholder communications strategies to support business outcomes for organizations
• Exceptional storytelling ability, with strength in translating business strategy into clear, engaging, external stakeholder-focused messaging
• Experience managing communication channels and driving continuous improvement in reach and effectiveness
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of the organization
• Experience working collaboratively with cross functional teams and senior leaders
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate sensitive or confidential issues
• A collaborative, proactive and solutions-oriented mindset aligned with Central 1’s values

Salary range: $110,000-$135,000

The salary represents the job rate determined for the successful candidate who is fully competent in the role. The actual salary will vary depending on market conditions and relevant job-related factors such as knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and education/training. 

Central 1 does not use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to screen, assess, or select applicants during our recruitment process. This job posting is for an existing, specific vacancy within our organization. All applications will be considered exclusively for the position described in this posting.

Central 1 is an equal opportunity employer and committed to building an inclusive workforce by creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong and has the opportunity to be successful. We welcome all applicants to join our diverse workforce and we will provide an accessible candidate experience including, but not limited to accommodations to interview sites and alternate formats upon request to our Recruitment team.