BAND 3 – Manager, Brand Storytelling

Position:                   Manager, Brand Storytelling
Classification:          Band 3
Salary:                       $88,700.23 – $125,700.07
Status:                       Regular, Full Time
Location:                   Vancouver, BC
Position #:                 00143164
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:            February 18, 2025 at 9AM
Position #:                 00143164
Competition #:          DBC 2025-02

***Please DO NOT apply for this position by submitting your profile on this BC Government Hiring Centre website. Applications must be made via the following directions below.***

If you are interested and you meet the selection criteria, please respond to this link with your CV prior to 9 AM February 18, 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.

This position is temporarily excluded from union membership until January 17, 2026. An eligibility list may be established.

Destination BC is recognized globally for our strong, authentic brand, our award-winning creative and leading-edge marketing, and our destination management strategies. We work hard, play to our strengths, support each other unreservedly, and consider it a privilege to share the transformative power of BC’s experiences with the world. We offer the opportunity to love what you do by engaging in exciting and innovative work and immersing yourself in a collaborative work culture that is committed to empowerment and employee learning and development. Our primary workplace model is a combination of in office and work from home based on a split week giving you the best of both worlds.

Destination British Columbia (Destination BC) is a Provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s tourism industry through a combination of global marketing, destination development, industry learning, cooperative community-based programs, and visitor servicing. Destination BC’s programs help to improve the visitor experience, support businesses and communities across the province, and strengthen BC’s worldwide reputation as a destination of choice. For more information about Destination BC’s programs and services, please visit www.DestinationBC.ca. 

Destination BC is committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and in all aspects of our work and welcomes applications from all qualified job seekers. If you are an applicant with a disability, we will ensure workplace accommodations are in place to enable you to do your best work. 

A safe and respectful workplace for all employees is a leading priority for our organization, and as part of this, we are committed to the health and safety of our employees, industry partners, sub-contractors, and community.

For inquiries regarding accommodation requirements, or to learn more about our commitment to the health and safety of our employees, please contact dbccareers@destinationbc.ca. For more information about Destination BC’s programs and services, please visit www.DestinationBC.ca. 

Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service is available to applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, status or non-status, Métis, or Inuit) seeking work or already employed in the BC Public Service. For advice and guidance on applying and/or preparing for an interview for this opportunity, we invite applicants to connect with the Indigenous Applicant Advisor, by email: IndigenousApplicants@gov.bc.ca or by phone: 778-698-1336.
 

PURPOSE OF POSITION

Reporting to the Director, Global Creative, the Manager, Brand Storytelling is responsible for developing compelling brand narratives that shape global travellers’ perceptions of the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands. This role leads the ideation, planning, production and approval of written and visual creative that supports and strengthens these brand narratives across consumer touchpoints, including the parent brand (Super, Natural British Columbia) and up to eight regional place and route brands known as ‘iconic brands’. The Manager oversees creative work across all formats, channels, and markets – both domestic and international – and directs the work of internal and external teams, agencies, and contractors.

The Manager supervises a team of specialists, each leading the creative development process for one or more brands in the Super, Natural British Columbia family.; They also guide a social media team responsible for creating highly visual, brand-aligned storytelling.

In addition to developing multi-year creative platforms that  represent the traveller-facing expression of the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands, the Manager leads the content strategy and editorial plans that drive Destination BC’s storytelling efforts through paid, earned, and owned channels. They oversee the creation and production of all creative materials to meet brand goals, ensuring authenticity, consistency, and long-term brand health and affinity. Collaborating closely with Brand Strategy and Planning Managers and Integrated Marketing Managers, the  Brand Storytelling Manager ensures that each brand’s identity and creative expression, align with consumer insights, brand objectives and the overarching parent brand across all channels and markets.

The Manager collaborates with global agencies, in-market contractors, and a wide range of content creators, overseeing the creative process for consumer-facing initiatives led by Destination BC. This includes always-on activities and channels, large-scale “brand acts”, photography and video production, acquisition, advertising production, editorial, and social media content, from concept through to final delivery. The Manager ensures high standards of quality and alignment to brand strategies throughout. While working primarily with a centralized creative agency based in Canada, the Manager approves creative work in international markets.

In addition to providing strategic and innovative creative direction within the organization and to external partners, the Manager oversees a team of seven full-time employees, ensuring they meet performance targets and accountabilities. They are also responsible for financial oversight and reporting. The Manager ensures that all creative outputs are of high quality, align with the brand’s strategy, and resonate with the diverse motivations of global travelers.
 

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Under the direction of the Director, Creative, lead the ideation and development of brand narratives for the Super, Natural British Columbia family of brands that define our positioning and place in the marketplace, culture, and the traveller’s journey.
• Oversee comprehensive brand storytelling across both visual and written mediums for always-on and campaign activities, with a focus on growing brand affinity in BC’s key domestic and international markets;
• Serve as the lead creative contact for all brand marketing programs, directing the work of the creative and brand agencies daily;
• Lead the development of the content strategy and editorial plans that drive the stories Destination BC shares across paid, earned, and owned channels;
• Develop and deliver sharp and inspiring creative briefs and presentations to global agency partners, internal teams, and external collaborators, ensuring clarity and creativity;
• Ensure all creative outputs in all formats – from time-bound global brand activations to targeted B2C digital campaigns and B2B trade and media events – align with and are driven by the strategies developed by Brand Strategy and the Integrated Marketing teams;
• Manage and mentor a diverse team of internal creative producers, social media specialists, agency partners, and external content creators responsible for developing creative assets;
• Accountable for the budget and production of owned photo, video, and written content that reflects the Super, Natural British Columbia brand’s unique identity;
• Provide creative insights and subject matter expertise to contribute to brand strategies and brand marketing plans, ensuring the brand remains relevant and resonant;
• Lead and participate in brainstorming sessions with internal and external business partners, developing strategies, providing updates, and offering creative solutions to challenges;
• Spearhead innovative and strategic creative work within the organization, with agencies and with external partners, ensuring all creative outputs are high-quality and resonate deeply with global traveller segments;
• Oversee the implementation of a shared content ecosystem and process for collecting, sharing, and managing content that aligns with Destination BC’s content strategy and plan from multiple sources: industry (tourism businesses, cities, regions), sector associations, and residents;
• Ensure the creative expression of the Super, Natural BC family of brands reflects BC’s diverse population, elevating Indigenous voices, perspectives, and stories through meaningful collaboration with diverse communities and creators and an inclusive approach to production;
• Collaborate with the Global Brand Strategy team to continually evolve and refine brand identities and creative expressions, ensuring they remain effective in the global marketplace;
• Partner with the Integrated Marketing Strategy team to ensure channel performance and expertise is integrated into the creative development process;
• Provide expert advice on the creative expression of both consumer-facing and corporate brand, and business partner relations, to Destination BC executives, the Global Marketing Division’s leadership team, employees and business partners;
• Build and maintain strong relationships with businesses, communities, regions, sectors, government and Indigenous partners, aligning brand efforts while managing potential brand risks and issues;
• Contribute to the hiring process for the brand and creative strategy agency, ensuring alignment with the creative vision;
• Support an insights-driven, growth-mindset culture supporting team members’ development through mentoring, training, and professional growth opportunities;
• Other related duties as required.
   

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• University degree or diploma in design, copywriting, marketing, advertising or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience;
• Five years’ experience leading the development of creative materials across multiple formats with proven results;
• Five years’ experience in a senior marketing or advertising leadership role, with experience in budget management, team leadership, strategic planning, and stakeholder relationship management and communications;
• Experience in managing advertising agency relationships and overseeing related processes;
• Skilled in developing and delivering clear, strategic communication and creative briefs;
• Strong Influence and impact skills, with the ability to effectively communicate and sell ideas within the organization and to external partner;
• Ability to prepare and deliver compelling presentations that resonate with diverse audiences;
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of brand-building in both online and offline environments;
• Experience in financial management oversight, including accountability for budgets;
• Experience leading and coaching diverse teams, fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Preference for candidates who have a demonstrated ability to lead large-scale, high-visibility brand initiatives such as “brand acts” and global activations that resonate across consumer segments.
• Preference for candidates who have developed large scalable, shared content ecosystems and processes to collect, share, and house content from multiple sources, including businesses, brand partners, and 3rd party content creators
• Preference for demonstrated experience collaborating with Indigenous communities and/or equity deserving communities to elevate their voices, values and perspectives in your storytelling.
   

COMPETENCIES

• 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.
• 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.
• Leadership implies a desire to lead others, including diverse teams. Leadership is generally, but not always, demonstrated from a position of formal authority. The “team” here should be understood broadly as any group with which the person interacts regularly.
• Decisive Insight combines the ability to draw on one’s own experience, knowledge and training and effectively problem-solve increasingly difficult and complex situations. It involves breaking down problems, tracing implications and recognizing patterns and connections that are not obviously related. It translates into identifying underlying issues and making the best decisions at the most appropriate time. At higher levels, the parameters upon which to base the decision become increasingly complex and ambiguous and call upon novel ways to think through issues.
• Solving Problems Creatively involves knowledge and skills in fostering creative problem solving in the organization through critical reflection, problem analysis, risk assessment and rewarding innovation.
• Managing Organizational Resources is the ability to understand and effectively manage organizational resources (e.g., people, materials, assets, budgets). This is demonstrated through measurement, planning and control of resources to maximize results. It requires an evaluation of qualitative (e.g., client satisfaction) and quantitative (e.g., service costs) needs.
   

INDIGENOUS RELATIONS BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Self-discovery and awareness means understanding one’s thoughts, feelings, values and background and how they impact the success of the interaction and relationship, or how they may influence one’s work. It is recognizing one’s own biases by tracing them to their origins, through reflection and by noticing one’s own behaviour—and then intentionally seeking a way forward that positively impacts the interaction and relationship. It means maintaining new ways of thinking and acting when situations become difficult or uncertain, or in times of urgency.
• 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. It includes an eagerness to continually reflect upon and assess your own level of cultural agility and competence, self-awareness and expertise. It means being willing to learn in new and different ways and appreciating how diverse ways of thinking and acting can ensure the success of the BC Public Service in supporting Indigenous self-determination.
• 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.
• Change leadership is championing the achievement of intended, real change that meets the enduring vision of Indigenous self-determination in British Columbia. It involves collaboratively developing and implementing ideas to achieve positive change from anywhere in the BC Public Service. The change leader learns from other leaders and elders, models the vision and encourages members of the public service to commit to and champion the vision. The change leader inspires others into new ways of thinking and doing business. The change leader routinely energizes the change process and removes barriers to change.
   

ORGANIZATION CHART
               Vice-President, Global Marketing
                        Director, Global Creative        
                                   Manager, Brand Storytelling
                                      Creative, Social Media & Content (7 FTEs)

                                                      
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.