Purpose:
Responsible for managing strategic communications and public relations efforts that promote the image, reputation, and political priorities of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) and the Office of the Council of Chiefs (OCC). This role supports political messaging, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and public affairs campaigns aligned with the MCK’s goals and values
Roles & Responsibilities
To organize and oversee political communications
- Develop and execute public relations strategies that communicate political priorities, policies, and initiatives to the public, media, and key stakeholders.
- Provides information to the Council of Chiefs and OCC Advisory and Administrative Team regarding community’s perspective on political matters that affect the community.
- Builds and maintains contacts and relationships with internal and external media, with an emphasis on Kahnawà:ke specifically.
- Leads media relations and responds to any media issues that arise in a timely fashion.
- Prepares political and operational press releases or position statements for media and/or public consumption and obtains and creates relevant statements.
- Advises the Council of Chiefs on the need for issuance of press releases or other information.
- Participates in council strategic sessions as a public relations advisor.
- Assists in preparing communications plans on specific files as requested by the Council of Chiefs or the Director of Public Relations.
- Ensures alignment of public relations advisory between PRU and the Council of Chiefs, by way of the Chief Political Advisor.
- Ensure stakeholders are consulted on all Public Relations activities and planning, including the OCC Advisory and Administrative Team.
- Ensures decision makers have informed (and if required, consulted) stakeholders, both internal and external, of any political information and/or decisions that impact them.
- In collaboration with the PRU Director, ensures that political communications directives align with the Council of Chiefs’ Political Priorities, PRU operations, and affected units (and stakeholders).
- Determines the level of engagement for political decision making (Council of Chiefs and Office of the Council of Chiefs Advisory and Administrative Team), ensuring adherence to the MCK Community Engagement Policy.
- Identifies spokespersons, prepares speaking notes, and acts as a press spokesperson on behalf of the MCK.
- Coordinates and manages communications platforms utilized for Ratitsénhaienhs updates, including but not limited to, radio talk shows, Ratitsénhaienhs Reports (print and video), press conferences and briefings, press scrums, etc.
- Liaises with OCC Advisory and Administrative Team to ensure basic knowledge of all political files and gain a clear understanding of the current MCK position on political files.
- Follows up on political directives with appropriate personnel.
- Participates as an advisor and provides communiqués for weekly Council meetings.
- Meets regularly with OCC Advisory and Administrative Team and PRU Staff to obtain information and guidance relating to communications and public relations strategies.
- Researches and monitors media, ensuring published information is shared with relevant stakeholders and communication plans are updated accordingly.
- Ensures that the distribution of information practices is in accordance with proper protocols and/or MCK policies and procedures.
To assist MCK Public Relations with the planning and development of public relations functions
- Maintains a close link with the Public Relations Team and assists with its functions.
- Collaborates with the Public Relations staff on the collection, measurement, and synthesis of information.
- Develops specific projects in conjunction with various MCK units and project coordinators.
- Develops and implements innovative public relations, communications strategies, and promotional campaigns.
- Develops articles, press releases, and/or innovative advertisements for various local, regional, and national media.
- Assists in the development and maintenance of a Communications resource center.
- Arranges for the translation of communication materials into Kanien’kéha and French as needed.
- Develops data collection instruments to measure public opinion and/or effectiveness of communications initiatives.
- Surveys stakeholders on specific items of interest through community consultation workshops, focus groups, Web surveys, telephone surveys, etc.
- Performs comprehensive analyses of research data.
- Synthesizes data to inform communication strategies, initiatives, and advisory services.
To assist in the programming and publication of various public relations and communication media
- Provides data to the MCK Website, other MCK websites, and internal newsletters.
- Provides written materials for Public Relations publications (Kahnawake TV/Newsletter, Onkwarihwa’shón:’a, Social Media, Mass E-Mail, etc.).
- Composes communiqués (letters to the editor, official responses, and statements) to articles.
- Assists in the planning, development, and production of programming for Kahnawake TV/Newsletter and Onkwarihwa’shon:’a.
