Internal Communications Specialist - 6 month term

About Optima Living

Founded in 2007 by two friends inspired by their families’ dementia journeys, Optima Living was created to provide a more home-like experience in seniors housing and care. What began as a personal mission has grown into one of Western Canada’s leading senior living and continuing care providers.

Today, Optima Living offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Long-Term Care, Brain Health, and Memory Care across Alberta and British Columbia. Our innovative approach includes Spark, Your Wellness, Your Way; our proprietary brain health and care model. As the only Top 10 Canadian senior living and care provider focused exclusively on Western Canada, we proudly serve more than 4,300 residents.

Guided by our North Star, Let us welcome you home™, we are committed to People, Place, and Community. With a resident-first philosophy and a focus on innovation, we are redefining aging with purpose creating communities where seniors live with dignity, connection, and joy.

Position Summary

We are seeking an Internal Communications Specialist to strengthen how Optima Living communicates across the organization—ensuring our teams are informed, aligned, and connected to our strategy, priorities, and culture.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Communications, this role sits at the intersection of communications, human resources, and business operations. You’ll translate complex organizational priorities into clear, engaging internal communications that resonate across a growing, entrepreneurial organization. This is a high-visibility role requiring both strong execution and thoughtful, strategic input.

Key Responsibilities

Internal Communications

• Develop and deliver internal communications including leadership updates, announcements, memos, and organizational updates for employees and residents.
• Lead the communication of key initiatives, projects, and changes across the organization.
• Ensure consistency, clarity, and alignment of messaging across all internal channels.
• Contribute to acquisition communications, ensuring new employees feel welcomed to Optima Living and quickly understand our values and North Star.
• Support crisis and sensitive communications internally, ensuring clarity and timeliness.

Executive & Leadership Communications

• Partner with senior leaders to develop communications that effectively cascade priorities and decisions, taking into account different learning styles and preferences for written, visual, and multimedia content.
• Prepare executive presentations, talking points, and internal messaging for leadership forums and town halls.
• Support leaders in communicating with clarity, credibility, and consistency across teams.

Content and Engagement

• Develop engaging content that brings our strategy, priorities, and culture to life for employees.
• Lead or support recurring communications such as internal newsletters, town halls, and employee events.
• Continuously improve how we communicate to drive engagement, clarity, and understanding.

Strategic Improvement

• Assess current internal communications practices and recommend improvements to messaging, channels, formats, and cadence.
• Monitor best practices and trends in internal communications and employee engagement.
• Help build a more structured and scalable internal communications approach as the organization grows.

Collaboration & Support

• Work cross-functionally with teams including but not limited to Operations, Resident Services, Lifestyles and Programs, HR, and Communications.
• Coordinate inputs from across the business to synthesize complex information into clear, aligned messaging.

Qualifications & Experience

• 3–5+ years of experience in internal communications, corporate communications, journalism, or a related field.
• Strong writing and storytelling skills, including experience developing newsletters, announcements, and executive-level communications, with the ability to translate complex or sensitive information into clear, concise messaging.
• Story-first thinking, with the ability to connect day-to-day communications to broader organizational priorities.
• Proven ability to develop high-quality presentations and internal materials.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented self-starter with strong time management and prioritization skills; able to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build productive relationships with senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial environment with ambiguity and evolving priorities.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, and project management tools.
• Experience with Canva or Adobe Creative Suite; basic video editing skills are an asset.

Conditions of Employment:

• Clear Police Information Check
• Clear Vulnerable Sector Check