📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Advisor, Communications
🔹 Company: Desjardins
🔹 Location: Montréal, Lévis
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid
🔹 Category: Communications
🔹 Date Posted: April 3, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site (Montréal, Lévis) with hybrid work arrangement
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading complex communications projects and initiatives
- Serving as a specialist advisor and subject matter expert
- Representing Desjardins's position in agreements with external partners
- Coaching decision-making bodies and acting as a resource person
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of expertise and experience in communications, with a focus on strategic planning, project management, and stakeholder engagement.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead specialized development projects, initiatives, and activities that significantly impact the entire organization
✅ Advise clients and partners to help them position, plan, develop, execute, and monitor strategic communications projects and initiatives
✅ Develop and update policies, standards, models, and programs to support your unit’s strategic projects and initiatives
✅ Identify, analyze, and diagnose major issues and make recommendations to decision-making bodies
✅ Represent your unit before decision-making bodies and represent Desjardins’s position when making agreements with external partners and organizations
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of autonomy and requires strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field
Experience: A minimum of six years of relevant experience
Required Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in English and knowledge of French
- Proven experience in project management and strategic communications
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in a financial services or related industry
- Familiarity with social media management and digital communications
- Knowledge of Desjardins Group and its lines of business
ASSUMPTION: Given the senior nature of this role, candidates with extensive experience in communications and a strong track record of leading complex projects are likely to be most successful.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Based on industry standards for senior communications roles in Canada, the estimated salary range for this position is CAD 90,000 - 120,000 per year. This is an estimate and the actual salary may vary based on experience and qualifications.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary and annual bonus
- 4 weeks of flexible vacation starting in the first year
- Defined benefit pension plan
- Group insurance including telemedicine
- Reimbursement of health and wellness expenses and telework equipment
Working Hours: Full-time, with a hybrid work arrangement (2-3 days on-site per week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on market research and may vary depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the sixth largest in the world, with assets of $470.9 billion as at December 31, 2024. It offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, its online platforms, and its subsidiaries across Canada.
Company Size: Desjardins Group has over 55,200 skilled employees, making it a large enterprise with a significant presence in the financial services industry.
Founded: Desjardins Group was founded in 1901 and is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2025.
Company Description:
- Desjardins Group is a cooperative financial group with a strong focus on member and client satisfaction
- It offers a wide range of financial products and services, including banking, insurance, wealth management, and investment services
- Desjardins Group is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and fosters a positive work environment for all employees
Company Specialties:
Company Website: http://www.desjardins.com/fr/bienvenue.jsp
ASSUMPTION: Desjardins Group is a well-established and reputable financial services organization with a strong commitment to its members and clients.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is a senior-level position, requiring a high degree of expertise and experience in communications.
Reporting Structure: The senior advisor, communications, reports directly to the director of communications and works closely with other communications professionals across Desjardins Group.
Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid role, with employees working on-site 2-3 days per week and remotely for the remainder of the time.
Growth Opportunities:
- Progression to a director or manager role within the communications department
- Expansion of responsibilities to include additional lines of business or functional areas
- Opportunities to lead strategic initiatives and projects that drive organizational change and growth
ASSUMPTION: Given the senior nature of this role, there are significant opportunities for growth and development within Desjardins Group.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Desjardins Group has multiple office locations across Canada, with the primary headquarters in Lévis, Quebec. The offices are modern and collaborative workspaces designed to foster productivity and innovation.
Office Location(s): 1, Complexe Desjardins, Montréal and 100, rue des Commandeurs, Lévis, Quebec
Geographic Context:
- Montréal is the second-largest city in Canada and a major cultural, economic, and technological hub
- Lévis is a city located across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City, offering a high quality of life and a lower cost of living compared to Montréal
- Both locations offer a diverse range of cultural attractions, recreational activities, and culinary experiences
Work Schedule: Full-time, with a hybrid work arrangement (2-3 days on-site per week)
ASSUMPTION: The work environment at Desjardins Group is collaborative, inclusive, and focused on employee success and development.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume submission
- Phone or video screening interview
- In-person or virtual behavioral and situational interview
- Final interview with the hiring manager
Key Assessment Areas:
- Communication and presentation skills
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Project management and leadership skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Desjardins Group's values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments
- Research Desjardins Group and its lines of business to demonstrate your understanding of the organization and its priorities
ATS Keywords: Strategic communications, project management, stakeholder engagement, policy development, French, English, Desjardins Group, banking, financial services
ASSUMPTION: The interview process at Desjardins Group is designed to assess candidates' skills, experience, and cultural fit, with a focus on finding the best match for the organization's needs.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Microsoft Project)
- Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer)
- Communication and collaboration platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack)
ASSUMPTION: The tools and technologies required for this role are standard for communications professionals and can be learned quickly by candidates with relevant experience.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Member-centricity
- Integrity
- Expertise
- Innovation
- Cooperation
Work Style:
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Results-driven and focused on continuous improvement
- Adaptable and responsive to change
- Committed to professional development and growth
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you demonstrate member-centricity in your daily work?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you had to innovate to overcome a challenge?
- How do you approach collaboration and teamwork in a hybrid work environment?
ASSUMPTION: Desjardins Group values candidates who are aligned with its member-centric culture and demonstrate a strong commitment to its mission and values.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Navigating a large, complex organization with diverse stakeholders
- Adapting to a hybrid work environment and balancing on-site and remote work
- Keeping up with industry trends and regulatory changes in the financial services sector
ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be overcome by strong project management skills, effective communication, and a commitment to continuous learning and development.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to a communications manager role, this position requires a higher level of strategic thinking and leadership, with a greater emphasis on driving organizational change and growth
- In the banking industry, communications roles often focus on reputation management, crisis communications, and brand strategy, while this role is more focused on internal communications, policy development, and stakeholder engagement
- Career progression from this role could include moving into a director or manager position within communications, or transitioning into a related functional area, such as public affairs or government relations
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of strategic, leadership, and project management responsibilities, making it an attractive opportunity for experienced communications professionals looking to take the next step in their careers.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive internal communications strategy to support a major organizational restructuring
- Leading a cross-functional team to create and execute a communications plan for the launch of a new digital banking platform
- Conducting a comprehensive review of Desjardins Group's brand guidelines and making recommendations for updates and improvements
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic, leadership, and project management aspects of the senior advisor, communications role.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the most significant communications challenge facing Desjardins Group in the next 1-2 years, and how this role will contribute to addressing it?
- How does this role collaborate with other communications professionals and stakeholders across Desjardins Group?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the communications department and Desjardins Group as a whole?
- How does Desjardins Group support work-life balance for its employees, particularly in a hybrid work environment?
- Can you provide an example of a time when Desjardins Group demonstrated its commitment to member-centricity and how it impacted the organization's success?
ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to help candidates better understand the role, the organization, and the cultural fit, enabling them to make an informed decision about their application.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments
- Research Desjardins Group and its lines of business to demonstrate your understanding of the organization and its priorities
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and express your continued interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
