AVP, Corporate Communications - Office of the CEO

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

Advance your career by joining a team who are as energetic, smart, and driven as you are! We are seeking a dynamic and experienced communications leader for the role of AVP, Corporate Communications, focused on leading global communications initiatives for teams including:  Office of the CEO, Corporate Secretary and Board, Internal Audit, Communications Strategy & Planning, Shared Design Services and Corporate Archives.

Reporting to the SVP, Chief Communications Officer, this role will be crucial in shaping and delivering Sun Life's corporate narrative at the highest levels of the organization. This results-oriented communications leader will oversee and deliver creative and holistic internal and external communication strategies and programs that engage employees, protect and enhance Sun Life’s reputation and align to strategic business priorities.

We provide an environment where individual contribution is rewarded and teamwork is encouraged, where objectives are clearly defined and where our core values are always front and center. The incumbent will be responsible for coaching and developing a team, as well as being a highly collaborative partner with Communications colleagues across Sun Life’s business groups and other functional areas to drive results in our matrixed organization.

Please note this role requires regular presence at our Toronto One York office.

What will you do:

1. Office of the CEO and Board Support:

• Working closely with the SVP and Chief Communications Officer to develop and implement communication strategies to support the CEO's objectives and the company's overall goals
• Drafting speeches, presentations, articles, social media posts, and other communication materials for the CEO aligned to our corporate strategy and advancing Sun Life’s interests 
• Responsible for Annual Report and Annual General Meeting materials for CEO and Board
• Secure and support the CEO in external engagements, including speeches, social media presence, presentations, and media engagements
• Ensuring consistent and effective communication with employees through various channels, including company-wide announcements, internal social channels, senior leader events and town halls
• Monitoring the effectiveness of communication efforts and reporting on key metrics
• Collaborating with other Sun Life teams to ensure consistent messaging across all channels
• Manage sensitive and confidential communications related to corporate strategy and board decisions
• Provide strategic communications counsel to the Corporate Secretary, Board members and Internal Audit, as needed

2. Operations and Planning:

• Oversight of Corporate Communications annual strategy and planning cycle, ensuring the global comms community is aligned to deliver against enterprise priorities
• Oversight and leadership of Sun Life’s Corporate Intranet from an editorial lens
• Support the global Sun Life Communications community of practice by continuously assessing digital tools available and making recommendations; this role is also responsible for broad implementation and ownership of tools including overall vendor management
• Responsible for Corporate Communications quarterly and annual measurement and reporting process, delivering high quality reports for various stakeholders across the enterprise.
• Responsible for overseeing Corporate Communications budgets, including leading the annual budget process
• Responsible for providing oversight and guidance for Corporate Communications team engagement, learning and development and other initiatives across the Comms function in order to grow Sun Life’s Corporate Communications capabilities and capacity

3. Shared Design Services and Corporate Archives:

• Lead the Communications’ shared design services team to ensure consistent branding and high-quality visual communications
• Ensure all design standards and guidelines for all corporate communications materials align to corporate global brand guidelines
• Collaborate across the team and with other teams across the organization including Client Experience and Marketing to maintain brand consistency
• Oversee Sun Life’s Corporate Archivist in preserving and telling the Sun Life story

5. Team Leadership and Development:

• Manage, coach, and develop a team of communications professionals
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team

A few reasons you might love this job:

• Helping drive enterprise priorities: You will work with members of Sun Life’s Executive Team and Global Leadership Team, as well as senior stakeholders in all markets where Sun Life operates.
• Be appreciated: Your success will be recognized and appreciated
• Enjoy: Inclusive, flexible, and fun workplace
• Growth and Opportunity

What you bring:

• Can develop and deliver a corporate narrative
• Consistently elevates and prioritizes to deliver senior-level communications counsel to senior executives
• Possesses business acumen and great communications judgement to understand Sun Life's ecosystem. This includes the ability to track and synthesize stakeholder perception – client, employee, government/regulator, news developments
• Delivers strategies and recommendations that enhance and protect the Sun Life brand
• Models behaviour consistent with Sun Life's leadership profile and risk appetite
• Minimum 12-15 years in Corporate Communications – a proven balance of external and internal
• University Degree, and post secondary in journalism or public relations

Assets:

• Global/International financial services experience
• Support of C-Suite and Board members for a large, public company
• Direct media relations experience
• Experience leading issues and crisis management communications

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.  

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you! Several work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We may use artificial intelligence to support candidate sourcing, screening, interview scheduling.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Salary Range:

140,000/140 000 - 225,000/225 000

Job Category:

Communications

Posting End Date:

12/04/2026