Director, Strategy & Insights

About NATIONAL Public Relations

With over five decades of expertise, NATIONAL supports organizations through periods of transformation by building trust and addressing critical business challenges. As one of Canada's largest independent communications firms, we offer a blend of strategic advisory, communications, public affairs, digital, healthcare, creative, and research services that empower public and private sector clients to manage reputation, engage stakeholders, and drive outcomes.

About the Role

The Director, Strategy & Insights acts as a key advisor to senior executives, providing guidance on complex business and reputation matters using research and integrated communications strategy. This leadership role requires the ability to facilitate strategic engagements, lead executive workshops, uncover growth opportunities, and collaborate across teams to devise strategies that influence business decisions beyond mere communications plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic advisor to senior clients addressing business, reputation, and stakeholder challenges.
• Lead research, insights, and strategic planning across areas including corporate reputation, executive positioning, transformation, public affairs, and integrated communications.
• Design and lead workshops and strategy sessions that help clients focus on their business priorities.
• Convert qualitative and quantitative research findings into pragmatic business and communications strategies.
• Create narratives, positioning platforms, audience targeting strategies, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Identify emerging client needs and proactively grow strategic advisory relationships.
• Steer major proposals and new business efforts to contribute to the firm's growth.
• Mentor and develop consulting staff to enhance the strategic advisory capacity.
• Help evolve the firm's proprietary methodologies, research techniques, and advisory services.

Candidate Qualifications

• Over 10 years’ experience advising senior leaders on business, reputation, communications, transformation, or stakeholder strategies.
• Background in management consulting, strategic communications, brand or corporate affairs, public affairs, or a comparable advisory field.
• Exceptional facilitation abilities with a history of leading executive workshops and strategy sessions.
• Proven skill in translating complex research into clear strategic recommendations.
• Strong commercial acumen in identifying growth opportunities and expanding client relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, comfortable presenting to executives.
• Proficiency with AI-enabled tools for enhancing research, synthesis, and strategic thinking.

Professional Attributes

• Innate curiosity and strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to pose insightful questions that clients may not have considered.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and leading through organizational change.
• Ability to distill complex issues into understandable insights enabling confident decision-making.
• Engaging executive presence with strong influence on senior stakeholders.
• Commercially minded, enthusiastic about growing client relationships and seeking new opportunities.
• Collaborative leadership style focused on team-building and nurturing talent.

What We Provide

• A hybrid working environment complemented by a supportive and collegial office culture.
• Competitive salary range of CAD $103,500 to $115,000, adjusted according to experience, skills, and internal fairness.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Opportunity to engage on high-profile projects across diverse sectors.
• Professional growth, coaching, and development opportunities within a national team.
• Some travel as needed for client and team engagements.

Additional Details

This position is based in Toronto, Ontario, with a hybrid work arrangement. NATIONAL values diversity and inclusion and accommodates candidates through the recruitment process upon request. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The company employs AI tools in the screening and selection process.