Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

Founded in 2000 by three former Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 fighter pilots who identified an opportunity to improve military readiness training, Top Aces has since established itself as the world leader in contracted adversary air (ADAIR) services and joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) training.

We pride ourselves on our unblemished safety record, having flown an industry leading 160,000+ hours of operational training without accident in support of customers worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., Germany, and multiple other NATO allies and international partner nations.

Our vision is to be the most trusted provider of innovative defense training solutions, continuously elevating standards in an industry where "Experience Matters." This commitment to innovation and technology ensures we remain adaptable, training allied militaries to succeed against evolving threats.

Top Aces’ dynamic team contributes to delivering on our purpose of training the next generation of combat leaders by living our values of Service, Integrity, Excellence, and Together every day!

Join our team!

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Marketing & Communications is responsible for developing and leading Top Aces' marketing, brand, and communications strategy. The role leads a team of marketing and communications professionals and ensures that the company's messaging, brand presence, employee communications, and external profile support corporate priorities and business growth.

The position also provides strategic oversight of government relations activities through the direction and management of external Government Relations advisors. The Senior Director establishes priorities, aligns advisor activities with business objectives, monitors performance, and coordinates internal support for advisor-led advocacy and stakeholder engagement initiatives. The role is not intended to execute day-to-day lobbying activities.

The Senior Director serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on marketing, reputation, executive communications, media relations, employee communications, brand positioning, and strategic stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy & Brand Management

• Develop and execute a global marketing strategy for showcasing the company’s capabilities in line with corporate priorities, growth objectives, and business development needs.
• Lead brand positioning and ensure consistent use of approved brand standards across the business, regions, channels, and external materials.
• Oversee the development of marketing campaigns, presentations, digital content, videos, advertising, promotional materials, and customer-facing collateral.
• Lead the strategy for corporate events, trade shows, conferences, partnerships, and sponsorships.
• Partner with Business Development and executive leadership to support customer pursuits and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor market trends, audience insights, competitor activity, and emerging opportunities to strengthen positioning and campaign effectiveness.

Internal Communications

• Develop and execute an internal communications strategy that supports employee engagement, culture, organizational alignment, and change initiatives.
• Lead the preparation of executive messages, employee announcements, leadership updates, All Employee Calls, and communications for major corporate initiatives.
• Advise leaders on communication approaches for organizational changes and employee-facing initiatives.
• Measure the reach and effectiveness of internal communications and continuously improve channels and content.

External Communications & Media Relations

• Develop and implement an external communications strategy to strengthen Top Aces' visibility, credibility, and reputation.
• Lead the preparation of corporate messaging, press releases, media statements, website content, social media, corporate announcements, and executive communications.
• Lead media relations and manage relationships with relevant industry and business media.
• Support senior leaders with interviews, speeches, presentations, strategic messaging, and public-facing engagements.
• Lead crisis communications planning and coordinate communications responses during business-critical situations.
• Ensure consistent messaging across markets, audiences, and communication channels.

Government Relations Agency Oversight

• Establish annual Government Relations priorities in consultation with executive leadership, Strategy, and Business Development.
• Direct and manage external Government Relations advisors responsible for executing the company's Government Relations activities.
• Set clear advisor mandates, budgets, and reporting expectations.
• Review and approve advisor-developed stakeholder strategies, engagement plans, briefing materials, advocacy campaigns, and government-facing messaging.
• Coordinate internal subject-matter experts and executives to support agency-led government outreach and stakeholder meetings.
• Ensure Government Relations activities are aligned with business objectives, customer pursuits, corporate messaging, and reputation considerations.
• Monitor relevant government, defence, procurement, policy, and regulatory developments through agency reporting and other appropriate sources.
• Assess advisor performance, manage contracts and budgets, and recommend changes to external support where required.
• Ensure activities are conducted in accordance with applicable lobbying, transparency, ethics, and reporting requirements.

Team Leadership & Functional Management

• Lead, coach, and develop an agile marketing and communications team.
• Establish clear priorities, objectives, accountabilities, and development plans for team members.
• Foster collaboration across functions and ensure the team provides responsive, high-quality support to internal stakeholders.
• Manage the departmental operating budget and allocate resources according to business priorities.
• Select and manage external marketing, communications, creative, digital, media, and related service providers.
• Establish meaningful performance indicators and regularly report on results, risks, priorities, and resource requirements.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business Administration, Political Science, or a related field.
• A master's degree or relevant professional designation is considered an asset.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in marketing and communications, including senior leadership accountability.
• Demonstrated experience leading internal and external communications, brand strategy, media relations, and integrated marketing initiatives.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams and managing cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience managing external agencies, consultants, contracts, budgets, and performance expectations.
• Experience overseeing Government Relations agencies, public affairs advisors, or stakeholder engagement programs is a strong asset.
• Experience in defence, government-facing, or a highly regulated industry is considered an asset.

Skills, Knowledge & Behaviours

• Strategic marketing and communications leadership.
• Brand stewardship and reputation management.
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Strong agency governance, contract management, and budget oversight capabilities.
• Sound judgement and the ability to navigate sensitive, complex, or high-profile matters.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate strategy into clear communication and marketing priorities.
• Executive presence and ability to advise and influence senior leaders.
• Effective people leadership, coaching, delegation, and prioritization.
• Strong project management and ability to lead multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative, adaptable, creative, and results-oriented approach.
• Bilingualism in English and French, with strong English writing skills, is preferred.

Working Conditions

• Domestic and international travel required.
• Availability to support events, stakeholder engagements, or urgent communications outside regular business hours.
• Eligibility to obtain required security clearances and Controlled Goods access may be required.

Security Clearance Requirements/ CGP / ITAR:

Position requires Controlled Goods Clearance and Level 2 Secret Clearance

By joining Top Aces, you will find:

• A work environment in which service, integrity, excellence and teamwork are highly valued;
• Opportunities for development and growth;
• Multidisciplinary and multicultural collaboration at a local and global level;
• A flexible schedule;
• Attractive benefit plan.

Come share your passion with us! Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered, and challenged to be your best self.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Top Aces, all employees are welcome regardless of race, nationality, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or age. The masculine form may be used in this job description solely for ease of reading but refers to men, women and gender diversity.

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