Vice President, Brand & Marketing

Are you a visionary leader ready to shape & elevate the brand of one of Canada’s most impactful & historic children’s charities? Are you motivated by transformational change & eager to make a profound impact?

Join UNICEF Canada as Vice President, Brand & Marketing and be part of a high-impact, mission-driven team working across Canada and globally to create a better world for children.

This is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to lead, inspire, & create meaningful change in the world.

Position Details

Why UNICEF & UNICEF Canada?

UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we provide and advocate for education, health and nutrition services. Protect children from violence and abuse. Bring clean water and sanitation to those in need. Keep them safe from climate change and disease. Serve as the world’s largest provider of vaccines. Before, during and after emergencies, we’re on the ground with life-saving help and hope. The needs of children around the world continue to increase and the role of UNICEF is more important than ever.

UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees located in high-income countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth.

As UNICEF Canada prepares to launch a bold new Strategic Plan in 2026, a key focus will be elevating our brand to new heights, driving deeper engagement, building stronger connections, and creating lasting affinity with our most important audiences.

Be part of this next phase of impact.

The Opportunity

As the Vice President of Brand & Marketing, you’ll be at the helm of a transformation journey, leading the charge to amplify UNICEF Canada’s brand presence, drive groundbreaking marketing strategies, ensure that our message resonates with diverse audiences, and expand its impact like never before. This is your chance to leave a lasting legacy and lead with creativity, innovation, and purpose while playing a pivotal role in advancing our mission.

We’re seeking a dynamic, results-driven leader with expertise in both the agency and non-profit sectors. The ideal candidate will blend strategic thinking with creative brilliance, engaging audiences in new, compelling ways. By supporting our fundraising and advocacy teams, you’ll drive UNICEF Canada’s growth and impact.

Leading a team of brand and marketing professionals, you’ll champion mentorship, high-performance, growth, and collaboration. As a key member of our Senior Leadership Team, you’ll help foster a culture rooted in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that UNICEF Canada’s values are reflected in every campaign and initiative.

You are an energetic and innovative brand builder who understands the importance of data and insight- driven strategy and have an eye for great creative. You are a relationship builder who can effortlessly partner with various areas of the organization, including mass marketing / high value fundraising, domestic and international advocacy and UNICEF global teams.

With an entrepreneurial spirit, a curiosity about the world, and an ability to be agile and responsive to changing needs and trends, you are motivated and excited about the opportunity to be part of transformational change at one of Canada’s leading children’s charities. You are a life-long learner with a keen desire to lead high-impact, brave, strategic work in the social impact sector.

Key Accountabilities

Brand & Marketing Strategy

Shape and elevate UNICEF Canada’s brand strategy, drive multi-channel engagement, and innovate for impactful growth for Canada’s leading humanitarian organization for children. 

• Lead UNICEF Canada’s branding efforts, including providing strategic oversight and guidance for UNICEF Canada’s agency partner.
• Guide the development and implementation of a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing & engagement strategy to enhance UNICEF Canada’s brand visibility, donor engagement, revenue growth, and advocacy impact.
• Oversee the development of on-brand assets for the UNICEF Canada team, with a particular emphasis on the fundraising and advocacy portfolios.
• Work collaboratively with the digital marketing team to enable best-in class performance marketing creative that is high-impact and on-brand.  
• Analyze market trends, audience insights, and campaign performance to inform strategic decisions and adapt to emerging opportunities.
• Innovate creative promotional partnerships that further UNICEF Canada’s reach and connect us with new and diverse audiences.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to align brand & marketing efforts with organizational goals & strategies, ensuring the organization has clear processes, approvals structures, & brand guidelines.
• Develop an annual operating plan and budget, based on organizational priorities and needs for brand and marketing efforts internally and externally.

Brand Management 

Champion UNICEF Canada's brand identity and enhance our presence across all platforms.

• Serve as the internal brand champion, overseeing and protecting UNICEF Canada’s brand identity, ensuring consistent messaging and visual representation across all platforms.
• Lead and implement market research findings to drive brand positioning and deepen engagement.
• Maintain brand guidelines, ensuring all internal and external communications reflect the organization’s values and voice.
• Manage and work with external vendors / in the areas of brand, market research, and media-buying to bring an integrated approach to vendor outputs and consistency in brand experience.
• Collaborate with the UNICEF global team to leverage opportunities and share learnings.
• Provide strategic oversight on UNICEF Canada’s digital presence on social media and select email platforms to enhance engagement.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to ensure social channels build brand awareness, engagement, and growth, while ensuring alignment with overall marketing goals and audience preferences.

Team Leadership & Development 

Lead, inspire, & elevate the marketing team to achieve creative excellence and transformational results. 

• Manage, mentor, and inspire the Marketing and Brand team to achieve results, fostering creativity, collaboration, professional growth, and inclusive work culture
• Set clear objectives and accountabilities within the team and build capacity by promoting innovation and integrating new technologies, tools, and processes.
• Conduct annual goal setting, planning, and performance reviews aligned with strategic plans.
• Anticipate long-term implications and plan for contingencies.
• Ensure alignment with mission and values in all people-related activities. 

Operational Integrations

Drive strategic impact through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven leadership. 

• Establish benchmarks and assess the impact of engagement activities, adjusting strategy as needed.
• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Fundraising, Advocacy, Programs) and external teams including UNICEF Global team and National Committees to ensure alignment and integration of marketing efforts.
• Build strategic partnerships with agencies, influencers, and organizations to amplify messaging and extend the organization’s reach.
• Develop and manage the marketing and communications budget, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing campaigns, engagement, and team performance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in marketing and brand management.
• Proven success in both agency and non-profit environments, with a strong understanding of donor-centered marketing & fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-channel campaigns that drive awareness, engagement, and revenue.
• Exceptional storytelling, content creation, and messaging skills tailored to diverse audiences.
• Experience overseeing creative direction, digital marketing strategies, and data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to execute a comprehensive audience-centric social media content strategy to drive brand affinity while ensuring alignment with overall organizational priorities
• Strong project management and performance measurement skills, with the ability to balance strategic vision with execution.
• Strong budget management and experience negotiating partnerships and vendors.
• Knowledge of marketing tools and platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, social media management tools, CRM systems).
• A collaborative people leader with a track record of mentoring and managing high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with experience engaging C-suite leaders, donors, board members and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional relationship management, navigating multiple internal and external stakeholder groups with different objectives.
• A strategic, proactive, solutions-oriented, and creative problem solver, with a result-oriented mindset  
• A passion for UNICEF Canada’s mission and values and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing practices and team culture.
• An asset: Bilingualism in English and French

An Employer of Choice: What We Offer

UNICEF Canada is where diverse talent & passion come together to create extraordinary impact for every child. We are committed to being an employer of choice and building a culture that is inclusive, ambitious, compassionate, and high impact.

Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment

UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter as one document to careers@unicef.ca by Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Please include your salary expectations in your cover email and reference VP, Brand & Marketing in the subject heading.

UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).