Category Archives: Public Relations

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa via Asif A. Ali on Flickr

The Shebeen Club Opens in Ottawa

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Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa via Asif A. Ali on Flickr

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa via Asif A. Ali on Flickr

Well, kittens, we’ve up and moved to Ottawa for the next few wintery months, a place where we have literally two connections to whom we are not related by blood, so we’re dusting off the Shebeen Club and looking for a new monthly home in the freezing-rainyest city on the planet.

We have also given the Facebook group a bit of a tune-up, with a fancy custom URL https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheShebeenClub/ and a call for new members and suggested venues. Our needs are simple.

For a Shebeen Club meeting, we need a room that won’t charge us for the space, but will supply waitstaff, foods and beverages, and be okay if everyone wants separate bills (everyone will). To start with, seating for a dozen should be adequate, and if it’s not, we’ll learn fast. Hopefully we can get to critical mass fairly quickly. We need this once a month, from about 6 to 9pm. We don’t need this for September, and probably not for October either, but for November, for sure.

We also need you to invite your literary friends who live in Ottawa, since right now our Ottawa membership consists of: me.

Shebeen Club Jump Start Tuesday, May 27

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Whee! We're back!

Whee! We’re back!

That’s right, we’re back, bitches! For ONE NIGHT ONLY, the Shebeen Club returns to the back corner of the Shebeen at 7pm Tuesday, May 27 for drinks and eats and catching up on what we’ve all been doing in the what, six? eight? months since last we met.

Heading into our ninth year of existence, I’m sure we have a lot to share and boast and bitch about. I, personally, have some SOOPER EXCITING news that I am saving for the night. There’s no point emailing and asking; I won’t tell you. You gots to put your butt in a chair at the actual event.

Here’s the Facebook post.

It’s high time we Shebeened again! I hereby invite you and your literary homies to the May 2014 meeting of the Shebeen Club, one of Vancouver’s longest-lived literary gatherings. Bring your latest work, your attitude, and your ravenous thirst (for knowledge, of course!) to the Shebeen at 7pm on Tuesday, May 27.

Who knows, you might end up reading some lovely poetry, like Rik Mayall here and his highly supportive audience!

Job: External Communications Specialist at VanCity

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Vancity. Make GOOD money.

Vancity. Make GOOD money.

Found this on LinkedIn, I think. Anyway, if I were sticking around I might apply for it but as I’m going to be traveling for the next year or so, it’s all yours. May the best External Communications Specialist win!

Job Details

Requisition Number 13-1251
Post Date 10/17/2013
Close Date 11/1/2013
Title External Communications Specialist
Employee Type Contract
Employee Schedule Full-Time
Job Category Communications
City Vancouver
Province BC
Description External Communications Specialist

With exceptional listening and compassion skills, and the ability to translate Vancity’s Good Money™ brand promise to our members, you will have excellent writing skills and a solid understanding of content strategies.  This will be complemented by three years of related experience and a specialized post-secondary diploma or degree in communications or a related field.

The External Communications Specialistreports directly into the Manager Communications (external).

Key areas of accountability for this role are:

  • Research, write, edit, and provide recommendations to publish materials to enable the execution of communications plans.
  • Assist the communications team in creating and maintaining content in internal and external Vancity channels.
  • Plan and coordinate logistics for organization wide events and meetings.
  • Assist in media monitoring, gathering and analyzing data to measure effectiveness of media plan and other communications plans.

Here at Vancity, we have a consistent set of expectations for all employees:

  • Work effectively and with full commitment on the tasks assigned by your manager.
  • Give your manager your best advice.
  • Stay within policy.
Qualifications Competencies:

  • Solid business acumen in the context of the financial industry.
  • Solid analytical skills to review information, detect anomalies, and investigate and resolve discrepancies.
  • Solid problem solving and decision making skills to apply specific standards and guidelines to the work; escalating unresolved issues to senior staff
  • Solid knowledge of the concepts, practices and techniques of the related field.
  • Solid knowledge of Vancity strategies, functions and programs.
  • Solid communication and interpersonal skills to act as a resource for the specialized area, providing specialized advice, guidance, explanations, and related support; and also to participate development of program content.

Education:

The competencies for this position would typically be acquired through a specialized post-secondary diploma in a communications discipline or general undergraduate degree.

Experience:

2 to 3 years related experience.
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We commit to creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace and to working with people and communities to help them thrive and prosper. Diversity is integral to this commitment. Our diversity allows us to fully understand, connect to, and respond to the needs of our members and communities.

Sound like a good fit? Put your outstanding skills to use with an organization that promotes work-life-balance, accountability-based leadership and member-led innovation that creates community impact. Apply online today!

Selah.

Shebeen Club Reunion Party: Thursday, August 22

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Typical Shebeen scene

Typical Shebeen scene

We’re BACK, BITCHES!

That’s right, Vangroover’s classiest literary gathering returns for One Night Only. Or will commit to One Night Only. You know how that goes.

This upcoming Thursday, August 22nd at 6pm, let’s meet up in the Shebeen and talk about old times and new times and, as ever, bitch about getting paid on time. If you’ve published a book since the last time we got together, bring some and we’ll let you show off. If you’ve gotten a new writing/editing/publishing gig since we last met, boast and we will applaud you.  If you’ve created an entire spoken word opera based on the Kardashians, please, in the name of Wagner, keep it to yourself.

Who’s welcome? Everyone except hostile drunks. If you’ve never been to the Shebeen Club before, well, it’s a group for practicing literati, whether they’re making a living at it or not. Writers, editors, publishers, book illustrators, printers, journalists, bloggers, poets, and not a few reprobates. They add a certain style to the mix.

Dress code: Dress writerly. Nobody knows what that means so you can’t get it wrong!

Pay for what you order, and don’t forget to tip nicely. We don’t want them getting annoyed with us after eight years, do we?

For the Facebook-dependent, the event is listed, and I quite frankly got so excited I blew $50 on Facebook ads. What can I say, it’s been a couple of years since our last get-together, and I lost my head.

Directions: the Shebeen is a “secret” pub, so it’s not going to have a giant neon sign out front. Go to the Irish Heather, 210 Carrall Street at the foot of Gastown in Maple Tree Square almost kitty-corner to Chill Winston. Go into the Irish Heather and straight through and out the back door. Turn right, because if you don’t you will walk smack into a brick wall. The door to the Shebeen is just a little ways on, on your left.

The Menu: no dinner special this time, but the menu is constantly changing and always high-quality. Don’t show up early, because they won’t be open yet!

PR Job: Account Manager – Community Relations and Communications

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She has no idea they are talking about her

She has no idea they are talking about her

The things you find on Twitter; not only are they hiring an account manager, but it also looks like they could use a proofreader. Here’s a pretty primo PR position:

Edelman Public Relations Worldwide is looking for an experienced public relations and corporate communications professional to join its expanding team in Vancouver.

 

Reporting to the Vice President, Corporate and Public Affairs, the Account Manager will contribute to the overall direction of account teams as it relates to client service, account management and quality control. You will also co-lead and/or contribute to winning new client business.

 

Our immediate need is for a team player with a demonstrated interest in government or business issues. The focus of Edelman’s work in these fields is to identify stakeholder and community priorities on behalf of clients and to develop response plans using direct contact or a variety of communications channels.

 

The successful candidate will support the development and implementation of comprehensive community relations programs, including the development of communications materials and documents, event planning and management, supporting clients in stakeholder meetings, and interacting with the public. Working in cross-practice and cross-geographical teams, the Account Manager will oversee quality and performance of accounts, ensuring work quality and adherence to budgets and deadlines. The position will take on increasing responsibility as the incumbent becomes familiar with project content.

 

Qualifications:

 

At least three to five years of related experience

An interest in content: that is, demonstrated ability and interest related to government or business issues and the rollout of major initiatives and major projects.

Community relations experience including event planning and management, managing subcontractors stakeholder contact

Experience in communications at an integrated marketing, PR or advertising agency

Strong organizational and project management skills, with proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and keep teams on track

Ability to work with senior staff to develop and execute plans based on client goals

Solid understanding of social media and digital applications

Exceptional written and verbal communications skills with demonstrated ability to write across a wide variety of topics and platforms

Familiarity with best practice in communications and community relations, and an ability to present them to clients

Ability to act as a daily client contact and to be responsible for client-related finance management, including managing large projects within budget

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited college or university is preferred

 

Should you be interested in applying for this role, please send your résumé and cover letter to hr.vancouver@edelman.com. Only those candidates short listed for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your interest in working with Edelman Canada.

About Edelman Canada

Edelman provides comprehensive, integrated communications counsel and services to an expanding list of Canadian and international companies, public sector organizations and not-for-profits. With offices in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, Edelman Canada is pushing the boundaries of traditional public relations, using the latest social media and digital tools to place our firm at the forefront of a new era of Public Engagement between organizations and their constituents.

About Edelman

Edelman is the world’s largest public relations firm, with 66 offices and more than 4,500 employees worldwide, as well as affiliates in more than 30 cities. Edelman was named Advertising Age’s top-ranked PR firm of the decade in 2009 and one of its “A-List Agencies” in both 2010 and 2011; Adweek’s “2011 PR Agency of the Year;” PRWeek’s “2011 Large PR Agency of the Year;” and The Holmes Report’s “2011 Global Agency of the Year” and its “2012 Digital Agency of the Year.” Edelman was named one of the “Best Places to Work” by Advertising Age in 2010 and 2012 and among Glassdoor’s top ten “Best Places to Work” in 2011 and 2013. Edelman owns specialty firms Edelman Berland (research), Blue (advertising), A&R Edelman (technology), BioScience Communications (medical communications), and agencies Edelman Significa (Brazil), and Pegasus (China). Visit http://www.edelman.com for more information.