Director, Corporate Communications

Novacap is a leading North American private equity investor and one of Canada’s most experienced private equity firms. Founded in 1981 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs, Novacap focuses on middle market companies in four core sectors, Technologies, Industries, Financial Services and Digital Infrastructure.

Novacap combines deep sector specific expertise and strategic and operational excellence to partner with entrepreneurs and management teams. Since its inception, the firm has made primary and add-on investments in more than 250 companies. Novacap has over C$8 billion of assets under management and more than 115 employees, including 65-plus investment professionals, across offices in Montreal, Toronto and New York.

What You Will Do

The Director, Corporate Communications is responsible for leading Novacap's enterprise-wide communications function. The role is accountable for developing and executing an integrated corporate communications strategy that strengthens the firm's reputation, advances its strategic priorities, and ensures consistent messaging across employees, limited partners, intermediaries, portfolio companies, the media and the broader market.

Working closely with the Managing Partners, senior leadership and investment teams, the Director serves as a trusted communications advisor, translating the firm's strategy, investment activities, market positioning and organizational priorities into clear, compelling messaging.  The Director also strengthens engagement with key internal and external stakeholders through executive messaging, corporate positioning, and thought leadership.

As part of a lean, high-performing team, this is a highly hands-on role. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable developing communications strategy and personally delivering it – writing executive communications, preparing presentations, managing key initiatives and contributing wherever needed to achieve exceptional outcomes.  This role combines strategic leadership with direct execution in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Communications Leadership & Execution

• Develop and execute an integrated corporate communications strategy that strengthens organizational alignment, supports strategic priorities and reinforces Novacap's reputation.
• Ensure consistency of messaging across all internal and external communication channels.
• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to the Managing Partners and senior leadership.
• Translate complex business initiatives into clear, concise communications for diverse audiences.

• Lead enterprise communications initiatives from strategy through delivery, coordinating internal stakeholders and external partners while balancing competing priorities.
• Lead the communications strategy for the firm's internal and external events and corporate sponsorships, ensuring a consistent brand experience, messaging and stakeholder engagement across all audiences.
• Measure the effectiveness of communication efforts and recommend continuous improvements.
• Personally develop and deliver a broad range of executive and corporate materials, including executive messaging, presentations, speeches, announcements and thought leadership while supporting execution alongside the Senior Communications Advisor during periods of high activity.
• Develop trusted relationships across the partnership and proactively identify opportunities where communications, positioning and stakeholder engagement can advance business objectives.

Executive & Partner Communications

• Partner closely with senior leadership to develop executive communications, presentations, speeches and key messaging.
• Support executive engagement with limited partners, intermediaries, portfolio company leaders and industry audiences through briefing materials, presentations and key messaging.
• Advise investment professionals and operating leaders on communications related to investments, portfolio companies and strategic initiatives.
• Provide communications counsel on sensitive or high-profile situations.
• Support communications related to fundraising, investor engagement and strategic transactions, as appropriate.

Corporate Reputation & External Communications

• Own and continuously evolve Novacap's corporate narrative, market positioning and reputation.
• Develop proactive communications strategies that strengthen Novacap's reputation with limited partners, portfolio company management teams, intermediaries, prospective investment opportunities, the media and the broader financial community.
• Lead media relations and external communications activities, reinforcing Novacap's positioning while ensuring consistent messaging across traditional media, industry platforms and other external stakeholders.
• Drive thought leadership initiatives across digital channels, publications and speaking opportunities.
• Ensure consistent messaging across website content, marketing materials, social media and corporate publications.
• Develop and maintain crisis and issues-management protocols and prepare and coach firm spokespeople for high-stakes or reputational situations.
• Own Novacap's brand and visual identity standards, ensuring consistent application across firm materials and, where relevant, portfolio-facing communications.

Internal Communications

• Reinforce Novacap's culture and strategic priorities through leadership communications, employee engagement initiatives and firm-wide events while ensuring alignment with the firm's external messaging.
• Partner with Human Resources to strengthen Novacap's employer brand and support talent attraction, onboarding and retention communications.
• Lead messaging around major organizational initiatives, leadership updates and firm-wide announcements.

Leadership

• Act as the firm's communications center of excellence by developing standards, templates and practical tools that support consistency across the organization.
• Lead the communications function by combining strategic direction with hands-on execution.
• Manage external communications agencies and vendors and oversee the communications budget to ensure quality, consistency and cost-effectiveness.
• Mentor and develop the Senior Communications Advisor while fostering collaboration across investment teams, Operations, Human Resources and Investor Relations.
• Establish communications standards, processes and best practices.

What You Will Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Business, Public Relations or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in corporate or strategic communications.
• Experience within private equity, alternative asset management, investment banking or another capital markets-oriented financial services organization strongly preferred.
• Fully bilingual (English and French), with outstanding written and verbal communication skills in both languages.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a trusted advisor to senior executives on corporate communications, executive messaging and reputation management.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling abilities.
• Experience leading both internal and external communications programs.
• Proven ability to simplify complex financial and business concepts for multiple audiences.
• Experience managing communications budgets, including annual departmental budgets and budgets for high-profile internal and external events.
• Demonstrated experience leading the planning and execution of high-profile corporate events, including executive meetings, employee events, limited partner events and industry conferences.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• High degree of professionalism, judgment and discretion when handling confidential information.

Key Attributes

• Thrives in a lean, entrepreneurial environment where strategic thinking and hands-on execution are equally important.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and executive presence.
• Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Outstanding writing, editorial judgment, and storytelling ability.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing business needs.
• Collaborative leader who enjoys mentoring others while contributing directly to execution.
• Sound judgment, discretion and professionalism.