COMM O 24R - Senior Specialist, Brand Strategy and Planning

Position: Senior Specialist, Brand Strategy and Planning
Classification: CO24
Salary: $76,017.18 - $86,658.48
Status: Permanent, Full Time
Location: Vancouver, BC
Work Option: Hybrid
Flexible work options are available, subject to an approved telework agreement; Hybrid work is available for employees residing within the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains (VCM) region and enables employees to telework from their home up to 3 days a week with in office days on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Closing Date: July 4, 2025 at 4:00pm
Position #: 00100461
Competition #: DBC 2025-22

If you are interested and you meet the selection criteria, please respond to this link with your CV prior to 4 PM July 4, 2025.

You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply for this full-time opportunity.

The initial salary for this position will start at the beginning of the listed salary range with the opportunity to advance up the pay grid in annual increments. An eligibility list may be established.

At Destination BC, we are passionate about showcasing the transformative power of British Columbia’s travel experiences with the world. As a Provincially funded Crown corporation, we support BC’s tourism industry through global marketing, destination development, industry learning, community programs, and visitor services. Recognized globally for our authentic brand, award-winning marketing, and innovative destination management, we work collaboratively to strengthen BC’s tourism industry.

We offer exciting and meaningful work in a supportive, inclusive environment that values learning and professional growth. Our flexible work policy balances in-office collaboration with working from home, creating optimal conditions for both employees and the organization. This position is part of our hybrid model, where employees work in the office on Wednesdays and Thursdays and have the flexibility to work from home on other days.

Destination BC is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. If you require accommodations during the hiring process, please contact dbccareers@destinationbc.ca. We are also committed to providing workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities, ensuring you have the support needed to perform your best work both during the hiring process and throughout your employment with us.

The Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service is available to Canadian Indigenous (First Nations [status or non-status], Métis, or Inuit) applicants. Indigenous applicants can contact this service for personalized guidance on the BC Public Service hiring process including job applications and interviews.

Learn more about our programs and services at www.DestinationBC.ca.

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Specialist, Brand Strategy and Planning is a brand leader in the organization, responsible for managing brand strategies, building brand engagement programs to enable understanding and adoption of the brands, and supporting the development of annual marketing plans that drive emotional urgency to visit British Columbia from our target segments.

Their deep experience with brand management, strategic planning, customer insight development, market and landscape analysis, project management, and brand engagement, make them a leader in driving brand engagement, alignment, and positioning across Destination BC. They excel at translating brand objectives and consumer insights into strategic marketing initiatives. They are a conceptual thinker and a natural leader, able to identify opportunities and motivate and empower those around them into action. They play an essential role in ensuring the integrity, consistency, and ongoing evolution of a portfolio of brands within the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands through their work as a strategist and as a brand evangelist, leading training programs for internal and external audiences. Under the direction of a Manager, Brand Strategy and Planning, they contribute to the development of the annual brand and brand marketing plans.

They are passionate about sharing their expertise with others, and are skilled in driving understanding, adoption, and application of the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands by internal and external stakeholders through the development of tools, training, and other engagement activities. They work in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and budgets. They establish and maintain strong professional working relationships with Destination BC colleagues as well as representatives in Destination BC’s overseas offices as required. They develop and maintain relationships with contractors, marketing and technology agencies, and tourism industry stakeholders. They manage multiple projects in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders and interact professionally with officials at Destination British Columbia, Destination Canada, other tourism organizations, agencies, the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, and related public and private sector agencies.

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Take a leading role in the ongoing evolution of the strategy behind the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands, including project management, research, stakeholder consultation, procurement, and contracting of vendors, etc.;
• Lead the implementation of the global brand strategy across Destination BC’s consumer- and industry-facing activities across all divisions within the organization;
• Manage the full project lifecycle (initiation, project scoping, planning, resource allocation, contract management and closure) in the development and delivery of brand-related projects, including brand research, brand strategy development, and marketing plan development ranging in complexity and duration using a combination of internal resources and external suppliers;
• Support the development and delivery of strategic brand tools (e.g. brand alignment frameworks, brand storytelling pillars, etc.) for use by teams across the organization, as well as external stakeholders (e.g. community destination marketing organizations) and/or suppliers (e.g. creative agencies);
• Work closely with the Research & Analytics teams to maintain a deep understanding of global target audiences, including initiating new consumer research projects and/or creative expression testing and with Global Integrated Marketing to understand the performance of marketing programs;
• Support the evolution of the global brand strategy and supporting tools to address new/evolving audience insights;
• Proactively identifies opportunities and/or gaps in information, training, and tools for teams across the organization; develops content for tools and training, provides direction and feedback to internal creative team or external suppliers (e.g. graphic designer) in designing content;
• Facilitates and leads training sessions for staff and/or tourism industry stakeholders;

• Develop and lead brand engagement activities for internal and external teams to ensure wide adoption and deep understanding of brand strategies;
• Assign and provide direction and feedback on brand identities by agency and in-house creatives (e.g. graphic designers, copywriters, video editors), ensuring brand alignment across all outputs;
• Manage project-related timelines and financial processes including managing contracts and budgets ensuring compliance with government policies and procedures and certifies satisfactory contract performance for release of payment;
• Provides guidance, information, and advice to the tourism industry, including regional and community tourism organizations and businesses, and other external stakeholders, on Destination BC programs and activities in relation to brand strategy and alignment; advice may have direct impact on tactical decisions of stakeholders; and
• Represents Destination British Columbia at meetings and events with key stakeholders; this includes preparing and delivering formal presentations and workshops.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Three years’ experience in a strategic brand role, including strong understanding/experience in developing brand strategy, architecture, and brand positioning based on consumer, market, and competitive insights;

• Minimum two years’ experience in a role directly managing external agency vendors, such as consultants or agencies;
• Minimum two years’ experience project managing complex projects, with multiple outputs and deadlines, including experience evaluating creative projects/campaigns from concepts to rough drafts to final delivery, risk management, time management, financial management, and monitoring and reporting;

• Minimum two years’ experience in roles that involved a high level of engagement and relationship-building with diverse stakeholders; and
• Formal training in project management will be considered an asset.

COMPETENCIES

• Conceptual Thinking is the ability to identify patterns or connections between situations that are not obviously related, and to identify key or underlying issues in complex situations. It includes using creative, conceptual or inductive reasoning or thought processes that are not necessarily categorized by linear thinking.
• Strategic Orientation is the ability to link long-range visions and concepts to daily work, ranging from a simple understanding to a sophisticated awareness of the impact of the world at large on strategies and
  on choices.
• Leadership implies a desire to lead others, including diverse teams. Leadership is generally, but not always, demonstrated from a position of formal authority.
• Developing Others involves a genuine intent to foster the long-term learning or development of others through coaching, managing performance and mentoring. Its focus is on developmental intent and effect rather than on a formal role of training. For this competency to be considered, the individual's actions should be driven by a genuine desire to develop others, rather than by a need to transfer adequate skills to complete tasks.
• Flexibility is the ability and willingness to adapt to and work effectively within a variety of diverse situations, and with diverse individuals or groups. Flexibility entails understanding and appreciating different and opposing perspectives on an issue, adapting one's approach as situations change and accepting changes within one's own job or organization.
• Initiative involves identifying a problem, obstacle or opportunity and taking appropriate action to address current or future problems or opportunities. As such, initiative can be seen in the context of proactively doing things and not simply thinking about future actions. Formal strategic planning is not included in this competency.
• Relationship Building is working to build or maintain ethical relationships or networks or contacts with people who are, or may be, potentially helpful in achieving work-related goals and establishing advantages. These people may include customers, clients, counterparts, colleagues, etc.

INDIGENOUS RELATIONS BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Sustained learning and development means continually increasing your ability to build and maintain respectful and effective relationships with Indigenous peoples. Central to this competency is appreciating that there are many other cultural understandings of knowledge and ways of working that have legitimacy and deserve respect-and therefore require our continual learning and development, including direct exposure to cultural and community ways.
• Cultural agility is the ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably and effectively with Indigenous people. It is noticing and readily adapting to cultural uniqueness in order to create a sense of safety for all. It is openness to unfamiliar experiences, transforming feelings of nervousness or anxiety into curiosity and appreciation. It is examining one's own culture and worldview and the culture of the BC Public Service, and to notice their commonalities and distinctions with Indigenous cultures and worldviews. It is recognition of the ways that personal and professional values may conflict or align with those of Indigenous people. It is the capacity to relate to or allow for differing cultural perspectives and being willing to experience a personal shift in perspective.
  

HOW TO APPLY & APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To be considered for this position, your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the education and experience as outlined in the job requirements section above. Applicants selected to move forward in the hiring process may be assessed on the knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies as outlined in the above Job Description. A Criminal Record Check (CRC) will be required.

A resume is required as part of your application. Ensure your resume includes your educational accomplishments, employment history including start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and any relevant information that relates to the job to which you are applying.

As part of the application process, you will be prompted to complete an online questionnaire to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements. Responses to this questionnaire will be used to shortlist applicants against the job requirements.

Please allot approximately 30 minutes to complete the application.

Only applications submitted using the online application portal will be accepted.

If you are interested and you meet the selection criteria, please respond to this link with your CV prior to 4 PM July 4, 2025.