Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications

CAWST is a Canadian charity and licensed engineering consultancy, where we teach people how to bring safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene to their communities using simple, affordable technologies.

At the heart of everything we do is our belief that when people have their basic water and sanitation needs met, they have the opportunity to succeed. This is what drives our dedicated team to work with a global network of more than 1,500 clients and partners. Together, we have reached over 50 million people since our inception in 2001.

Collectively, we are making a difference at a scale beyond what any of us could do individually. But our job isn’t done yet and we need you to help us expand our reach.

The Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications is a pivotal role within CAWST’s Strategy and Market Development Team, leading the marketing function in reaching the organizational goal of 100 million people with clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and safe storage solutions by 2030.  We aim to do this by growing our clients, training partners, donors and institutional funders.  

This role oversees a broad portfolio that encompasses strategic marketing, communications, strategic planning, public relations, event planning, social media management and digital advertising.  Internal clients include the global services team, fundraising/donor team and institutional partnership team.  

• Marketing: This role provides strategic insight alongside creative tactical and implementation for marketing plans, campaigns, and projects. The incumbent will ensure that evaluation, analysis, and learning are part of every project as a core component to foster continuous improvement. An in-depth understanding of digital marketing platforms and analytical tools will be essential for success.  Experience with real time marketing and AI are big assets.  The main purpose is to engage CAWST’s key audiences, boost CAWST’s brand awareness, support fundraising and deliver against our core strategic directions as well as against specific goals, objectives, and revenue targets.

• Communications: This role is responsible for developing communications plans and creating key messages and content in alignment with CAWST’s goals and objectives. This will include content creation and supervision of stories about our clients’ successes and challenges and peer review of blog posts, social media posts, video scripts, and website content, emails, print collateral, and more. Translating complex concepts into concise and effective messaging is a key component of this role. Compelling storytelling techniques are essential for sharing CAWST’s impact and increasing our base of clients, funders, and donors.

• Leadership: Lead a team with responsibility for marketing and communications cutting across organizational business objectives.  Demonstrate CAWST’s values in the way you conduct yourself with Sr. leaders, colleagues and partners across the organization.  Ensure team compliance with CAWST policies and procedures and develop staff through projects, coaching and professional development opportunities.  

If you are someone who thrives in a diverse and fast paced environment, can adeptly handle multiple priorities with sound judgement and professional integrity, and wants to be surrounded by passionate and motivated individuals, we would love to meet you!

Please note: There is a small amount of travel anticipated for this position.

Specific Areas of Responsibility

• Support the 2030 Capital Campaign with strategic marketing and communications plans aimed at connecting the CAWST’s mission and vision to our current and potential future donors. 

• Develop and execute on strategic marketing and communications plans aimed at accelerating CAWST’s impact and reaching our goals.  

• Lead the Marketing team and build organizational capacity in marketing, communications, branding, digital, social, website, creative, public relations, donor support, advertising and special events.  

• Write and edit clear, compelling copy for all marketing and communications materials, including social media, websites, digital ads, blogs, brochures, video scripts, email marketing, annual report, and more.

• Connect with global partners to gather and tell stories, with a focus on ethical storytelling.  Write compelling stories that convey CAWST’s work and impact for use in marketing campaigns and donor initiatives 

• Lead all brand partnership work for the organization 

• Support events-based marketing opportunities (such as donor events and speaking engagements) through the coordination of logistics and development of briefs, pitches, speech writing, and more.

• Develop, liaise with, and manage relationships with a base of volunteers and contractors, such as public relations, writers, marketers, graphic designers, videographers, and photographers.

• Prepare briefing notes on WASH sector individuals and organizations by researching and synthesizing background for meetings, conferences, presentations, and events.

• Coach staff and volunteers on CAWST’s key messages.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of experience leading complex projects in marketing and communications.

• Experience as a manager or a team leader with a track record of building successful teams.

• An undergraduate or post-graduate degree in marketing, communications, public engagement, or related field.

• A passion for communication and cross functional collaboration a must.

• Demonstrated excellence in creating and executing effective marketing plans and programs, leveraging market research data, and developing tactics aimed at various target audiences.

• Experience in marketing-focused writing/editing, creative thinking, and production of marketing collateral and publications (print and digital).

• Strong understanding of today’s news and media landscape, with the ability to think through how best to pitch stories to shrinking newsrooms.

• Experience with fundraising, cultivating and stewarding donors.

• Proven ability to write compelling stories.

• Experience in collaborating with subject matter experts and developing marketing strategies and communications to meet project goals and objectives.

• Ability to take initiative and work independently to carry projects through to completion.

• Exposure to and experience with the creative process and project management challenges.

• Strong ability to work under pressure with competing deadlines and handle multiple priorities.

• Demonstrated ability to enhance business processes with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Fluency in French and/or Spanish.

• Experience in marketing and communications targeting international agencies and funders.

• Experience in marketing and communications targeting Canadian donors and funders.

• Experience in the execution of Capital Campaigns.

• Experience in science/technical communications.

• Experience in digital storytelling.

• Experience in or understanding of international development.

• Experience in developing relationships in cross-lingual and/or cross-cultural circumstances.

•  Understanding of ethical storytelling principals and experience with vulnerable populations.

• Experience with digital optimization, real time marketing and AI.  

Work Environment

• Hybrid work environment: In-office (Monday – Wednesday) & Remote (Thursday – Friday, when possible), with flexibility for in-person meetings and events.
• Opportunity to work with a dynamic team dedicated to solving the global water crisis.

Benefits of working at CAWST:

• A meaningful role, making a difference every day for people living without basic water and sanitation.
• A workplace culture where collaboration and innovation are fostered.
• Rich on-the-job experiences and professional development opportunities.
• Strong promotion of work-life balance and flexible work environment.

When applying, please include:

• A cover letter that gives an overview of your experience as it applies to this role, and explains why you are excited about joining our team.

• Your resume.

CAWST values equitable opportunities, sustainable solutions, and collaborative and inclusive processes. CAWST recognizes and accepts differences in cultural, religious, and political processes and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.