Vice President, Communications & External Affairs

Tourism Calgary is the destination management organization that enthusiastically shares and promotes the story of our friendly Blue Sky City to those near and far. We think big – like, Canadian Rocky Mountain big – using our sales and marketing expertise to drive an annual visitor spend of over $3B for the local economy and advocating for our growing tourism sector, which includes 84,000 Calgarians employed in the industry. From conventions to leisure travel, sports events to music and arts, Tourism Calgary represents the city’s diverse and unexpected experiences, extending our welcoming hospitality to the estimated 8.7 million people who visit Calgary every year. Here, the possibilities are as limitless as our blue skies.

Role Summary

Reporting to the President & CEO, the Vice President, Communications & External Affairs provides executive leadership for Tourism Calgary's corporate, executive and Board communications, government relations, public affairs, advocacy, media relations, reputation management, and strategic governance.

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this role serves as the organization's senior advisor on communications, public policy, government relations, governance, and organizational reputation.

This position is accountable for Tourism Calgary's external voice and corporate communications. It provides executive oversight of the organization's governance framework in partnership with the President & CEO, Board Chair, and Corporate Secretary, while supporting effective governance practices and Board effectiveness.

The Vice President leads a multidisciplinary communications team and is responsible for developing talent, fostering collaboration, and building organizational capability. The role partners closely with all Business Unit leaders, and particularly the Strategy & Community Engagement portfolio, which leads organizational strategy, community engagement, Indigenous relations, and long-term strategic partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Communications

• Lead the corporate communications strategy and annual communications plan.
• Oversee executive communications, media relations, issues management, crisis communications, and organizational reputation.
• Lead internal communications supporting organizational alignment and employee engagement.
• Oversee annual reports, corporate publications and organizational messaging.
• Ensure alignment and consistency across Tourism Calgary's corporate communications, brand messaging, and marketing communications through close partnership with the Marketing team.
• Partner with People & Culture and the Brand team on employer branding.

Government Relations & Public Affairs

• Develop and lead Tourism Calgary’s government relations and advocacy strategy.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with municipal, provincial, and federal government officials.
• Monitor legislation, public policy and regulatory developments affecting the visitor economy.
• Develop advocacy positions, briefing notes, presentations and submissions.
• Represent Tourism Calgary with government, industry associations and advocacy forums.
• Lead government engagement activities in support of the CEO.

People Leadership

• Provide leadership, coaching and performance management to the Communications & External Affairs team, presently consisting of four members.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture that reflects Tourism Calgary's values.
• Establish clear priorities, support professional development, and build organizational capability.
• Lead workforce planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for the department.

Board & Governance

• Serve as the executive sponsor for Tourism Calgary's governance framework, partnering with the President & CEO, Board Chair, and Corporate Secretary to support effective governance practices.
• Provide strategic advice to the Board and Executive Leadership on governance matters, Board effectiveness, and governance best practices.
• Support Board succession planning, governance evaluations, and continuous governance improvement initiatives in partnership with People & Culture and the Governance & Human Resources Committee.
• Provide strategic oversight of Board communications and governance priorities while the Corporate Secretary leads Board administration, governance compliance, and related operational functions.
• Attend Board, Committee, and Annual General Meetings as a member of Executive Leadership.

Stakeholder Relations

• Develop stakeholder engagement strategies supporting advocacy and corporate priorities.
• Maintain relationships with industry associations, business leaders, and government stakeholders.
• Partner with the Marketing and Strategy & Community Engagement portfolios to ensure integrated organizational messaging, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy.

Qualifications, Experience and Required Competencies

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in communications, public affairs, government relations, or related disciplines.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, political science, business, public administration, or a related discipline; graduate degree preferred.
• Proven executive leadership experience leading and developing high-performing communications, public affairs, or multidisciplinary teams, managing significant budgets, and delivering complex, enterprise-wide initiatives and organizational change.
• Demonstrated success serving as a trusted advisor to Executive Leadership Teams and Boards of Directors on strategic, governance, and organizational matters.
• Demonstrated success developing advocacy strategies and managing complex stakeholder relationships across government, industry, and community sectors.
• Strong understanding of public policy and government decision-making processes.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to produce high-quality communications under tight timelines.
• Ability to navigate complex and evolving environments while balancing multiple priorities and exercising sound judgment.

Living Our Values in This Role

• Think Boldly: We bring curiosity, fresh thinking, and the courage to question assumptions, put ideas forward early, and explore better ways of working with a focus on progress and possibility.
• Care Deeply: We show up with presence, pride, and accountability by listening, supporting others, caring about quality and impact, and having honest conversations that strengthen outcomes.
• Act Together: We collaborate across teams, communicate openly, follow through on commitments, and take shared ownership to create clarity and move work forward together.
• Inspire Possibility: We step forward with initiative, optimism, and energy, celebrate progress and wins, and help others see what’s possible for our work and our city.

Working Conditions

• This is a hybrid home-office role requiring on-site presence at the Tourism Calgary downtown office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
• Mondays and Fridays are optional work-from-home days, though in-office attendance may be required to support business and meeting needs.
• This role requires flexibility to attend evening and weekend meetings, events, and other business activities as required. Executive Team members are often on-the-go, engaging with our community and partners.
• Laptop and cellphone will be provided by Tourism Calgary.

Tourism Calgary values diversity of expertise, talent and opinion, which creates an innovative and collaborative environment. We are committed to a respectful and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all qualified individuals.

Only applicants selected for interview will be contacted.