Kinark Child and Family Services has a rich 50-year history serving children and youth through a wide range of evidence-based mental health services that include individual, family, and group counselling. We are on a mission to help children and youth with complex needs achieve better life outcomes with a broader vision of a healthy future for Ontario’s children and youth. We have a passionate team of over 700 staff serving close to 9,000 children and youth each year in our three program streams - Community-based Child and Youth Mental Health, Autism, and Forensic Mental Health.

Our people are the heartbeat of our organization where ‘Holding children, youth, and families at the centre of all that we do’ is only one of the values that guides our work.

In support of our journey towards being an employer of choice in our sectors, our staff is engaged for feedback to identify and support improvements, big and small, to enhance the employee experience.

If you have a passion for making a difference in the lives of children and youth with complex needs and want to be part of the mission we are on… Come join our team!

For more information about Kinark, our values, our strategic priorities, and our service programs, please visit ourwebsite at .

What we offer:

- Competitive salary, comprehensive health and dental advantages, and other employment perks *
- Flexible work arrangement supporting employee work life balance
- Employer Matching Defined Contribution Pension Plan up to 6% *
- Employee Wellness Program
- Extensive Educational and Training Opportunities and Supports
- Supportive work environment with regular Supervision and Feedback
- Renowned Accredited Clinical Programs

*Dependent on hours worked, length of service and/or collective agreement (where relevant)

We currently have an opportunity for:

Position Title

Communications Specialist

Program Lists

Kinark Child & Family Services -> Head Office

Location

Markham, ON L3R 5X5 CA (Primary)

Reg/Temp

Temporary

Start Date

September 21, 2026

Temporary End Date

January 14, 2028

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Relief

No

Other Employee Classification (if applicable)

Not Applicable

Total # of hours per week

35

Hourly pay rate: $34 to $38

# of Positions

1

Close Date

August 7, 2026

Job Description

Kinark is looking for a Communication Specialist who can help reimagine our methods of planning, information sharing, collaboration, and drive alignment across teams - all while contributing to our culture and building excitement about Kinark’s mission.

The Communications Specialist is responsible for developing and implementing communications plans to support a variety of internal and external initiatives. They will develop a variety of original communication materials (ie. presentations, promotional materials, web content, key messages, Q and A’s) to support the implementation of various internal and external projects.

This position requires knowledge on topics such as branding, media relations, executive communications, stakeholder engagement, graphic design, community management, internal communications, and issues management.



The role requires someone who can work both independently as well as on a team, demonstrating critical thinking, strategic decision making; including taking timely and immediate actions to protect and enhance Kinark's reputation.

The Communications Specialist will maintain relationships with staff at all levels of the organization and provide communications support, coaching, input, and feedback to teams and colleagues.

The hourly pay range for this position is $34 to $38 CAD

The Communications Specialist will be responsible for the following:

- Work directly with Senior Manager to recommend and develop communication tactics that support internal and external communications
- Strategically explore, leverage, and implement innovative ways to creatively communicate with employees (internal communication platforms, video communication, etc.)
- Develop and write key messages/content for communication materials in all media formats (e.g., print, web, digital, social media, presentations, videos, briefing notes, speaking notes, etc.)
- Shoot and edit professional-quality photos and videos.
- Script, film, and edit professional-quality videos, including transcription and captioning of videos for accessibility.
- Consult, plan, and execute integrated strategic communication plans (internal and external) to support agency initiatives and provide counsel to senior management on strategic initiatives
- Ensure strategic communication tactics are aligned with Kinark’s strategic plan and goals
- Support communication-related reporting needs (e.g., key performance indicators, monitoring and measurement activities, etc.)
- Monitor and incorporate best practices and trends in communications planning, strategy, and measurement to improve processes and procedures
- Act as a subject matter expert in communications, based on best practice learnings, and provide expertise and advice across the organization to ensure products, information, guidance, and resources are widely available, known and utilized
- Work alongside other communication team members to support goals and objectives related to projects and initiatives
- Other duties may be assigned within the scope of this position

Key Relationships:

Collaborates with different levels of staff across the agency in all sectors and departments regarding adoption and use of new communication/IT tools, provides (communication) input and advice to various working groups and committees working to develop and implement new initiatives.

Works with Executives and senior management to convey new initiatives, systems, and processes to stakeholders.

Education:

A minimum of three-year College level diploma in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field





A minimum of three years of corporate communications experience in fast-paced, dynamic, and demanding environments

Experience:

- Experience working in a large-scale organization, public sector experience preferred
- Experience working in project teams to deliver on communications plans and strategies
- A strong writer and editor, specifically in preparing engaging content for a wide variety of target audiences and communications vehicles
- Experience creating communications plans, strategies, key messaging, for programs or services
- Demonstrated ability to work efficiently with Microsoft Office tools (Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook), Adobe Creative Suite and other design tools, and CRM systems
- High degree of collaboration and the ability to influence to achieve program/project objectives while protecting/enhancing the organizational brand
- Ability to work flexibly to tight deadlines, under pressure, as part of a team
- Ability to multi-task and have good organizational and time management skills
- Sound judgement, discretion, and decision-making ability
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability and experience to work across all levels
- Experience working on internal communications, employee engagement, and corporate culture projects is an asset
- Health care experience would be an asset
- Bilingualism is an asset

** Please note that Equivalent combination of education & experience will be considered.

Kinark Child and Family Services conditions of employment include but are not limited to successful Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening or Criminal Broad Record Check, based on position, and completed Pre-Employment Medical certificate. Criminal record check disclosures with confirmed findings will be reviewed in accordance with applicable policies and relevant legislation and does not necessarily preclude employment. Each case is reviewed individually and considers the relevance of the findings to assess the implications to employment

Candidates must have the skills and knowledge needed to work with an increasingly diverse client and staff population as well as a proven commitment to anti-oppression, equity, and inclusion as relevant for the role applied to.

Kinark Child and Family Services values inclusivity and diversity in the workplace, including age, ancestry, disability, gender expression, gender identity, race, religion and sexual orientation, that make each of us unique, and recognize that people experience oppression based on these characteristics and identities. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’). If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify People and Culture at .

While we thank all applicants, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Any information obtained during the course of recruitment will be used for employment recruitment purposes only, and not for any other purpose.

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📌 Communications Specialist (Markham)
🏢 Kinark Child and Family Services
📍 Markham