Help Tell the Story of a Community in Action
For almost 40 years, the Guelph Food Bank has been a cornerstone of community support, helping individuals and families access nutritious food during times of need. Today, we serve more than 4,700 people monthly through a network of 16 community food pantries, with demand continuing to grow.
As our community changes, so must we.
The Guelph Food Bank is entering an exciting period of growth and transformation. We are strengthening how food is recovered, distributed, processed, and shared while building deeper connections with the donors, volunteers, businesses, organizations, and residents who make this work possible.
To help tell that story, we are seeking a Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator to join our team.
This is an opportunity for a creative, organized, community-minded communicator who enjoys turning ideas into action - whether that means telling a great story, creating a social media campaign, supporting a community food drive, capturing the perfect photograph, or representing the Food Bank at an event.
About the Role
Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the Guelph Food Bank's communications and community engagement activities.
You will manage social media, maintain our communications calendar and website, produce newsletters and digital content, support donor recognition, coordinate community food drives, and help keep the Food Bank visible and connected throughout Guelph.
This is a hands-on position. We're looking for someone who can write a great social media post in the morning, help a local business organize a food drive in the afternoon, capture photographs at a community event, and keep multiple projects moving simultaneously.
You will also collaborate with organizational leadership on larger communications projects, including fundraising campaigns, donor stories, major events, videos, and significant announcements.
Key Responsibilities
Social Media & Digital Engagement
- Manage the Food Bank's day-to-day social media presence, developing, scheduling, and publishing engaging content.
- Respond appropriately to messages, comments, tags, and community interactions.
- Promote programs, food drives, events, donation needs, volunteer opportunities, and partnerships.
- Identify opportunities to engage with community partners, businesses, donors, volunteers, and residents online.
- Monitor engagement and performance to improve content and reach.
Communications Planning & Content
- Maintain an organization-wide communications and content calendar.
- Plan communications around campaigns, events, food drives, seasonal activities, and organizational priorities.
- Work across departments to identify stories, milestones, donation needs, and program updates.
- Produce routine communications materials while maintaining a consistent organizational voice and brand.
- Balance advance planning with the ability to respond quickly to changing community needs.
Photography, Video & Storytelling
- Capture photographs and short-form videos of programs, donations, volunteers, food drives, and events.
- Develop visual content for social media, newsletters, the website, and donor recognition.
- Maintain an organized library of photographs, videos, and communications assets.
- Identify and develop stories demonstrating the impact of donors, volunteers, partners, and programs.
- Respect dignity, privacy, consent, and organizational standards when sharing community stories.
Website & Newsletter
- Maintain and update website content, including programs, donation needs, events, campaigns, and organizational news.
- Identify outdated information, broken links, and opportunities to improve the website.
- Coordinate and produce the Food Bank's newsletter, gathering stories, photographs, updates, and information from across the organization.
- Ensure consistent messaging and branding across digital communications.
Food Drive Organization & Communications
- Serve as a primary contact for routine community food drives.
- Help businesses, schools, workplaces, organizations, and individuals plan successful food drives.
- Communicate priority food needs and provide organizers with guidance and resources.
- Create and maintain posters, graphics, wish lists, signage, and promotional materials.
- Coordinate internally on collection, delivery, pickup, weighing, recognition, and follow-up.
- Maintain records of current and upcoming food drives.
- Build relationships with organizers and encourage recurring participation.
Community Engagement & Events
- Support the Food Bank's participation in community events, activities, and outreach opportunities.
- Represent the organization professionally at events when required.
- Coordinate promotional materials, displays, signage, photography, and event communications.
- Assist with event setup, participation, and follow-up.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen community relationships and visibility.
Donor & Community Recognition
- Coordinate routine recognition of donors, businesses, food-drive organizers, volunteers, and community partners.
- Develop social media posts, website content, thank-you messages, photographs, and recognition materials.
- Ensure community contributions are recognized in a timely, meaningful, and appropriate way.
- Collaborate with leadership on recognition associated with major gifts, campaigns, and partnerships.
Collaborative Communications
Some of our most important communications projects cross departments and require different perspectives and skills.
The Coordinator will work with the Chief Development Officer and other team members on larger initiatives, including:
- Donor Stories: Developing compelling stories about supporters, clients, programs, and community impact.
- Major Events: Supporting promotion, photography, video, signage, event-day activities, and follow-up.
- Campaign Content: Creating graphics, photographs, videos, social media, and website materials for fundraising, capital, and awareness campaigns.
- Video Projects: Supporting interviews, filming, production coordination, and distribution.
- Major Announcements: Coordinating communications around partnerships, funding commitments, program launches, and organizational news.
The Coordinator will contribute to the development and execution of these initiatives within the broader communications and fundraising strategy established by leadership.
What Success Looks Like
During your first year, you will:
- Build a consistent, engaging, and recognizable social media presence.
- Establish a reliable communications calendar that supports proactive planning.
- Strengthen relationships with businesses, schools, community organizations, donors, and volunteers.
- Improve the quality and consistency of newsletters, website content, photography, video, and digital communications.
- Develop resources and systems that help community members organize successful food drives.
- Ensure donors, volunteers, businesses, and community partners receive meaningful recognition.
- Tell compelling stories demonstrating both the need for the Food Bank and the impact of community support.
- Strengthen the Guelph Food Bank's visibility and connection to the community.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Post-secondary education in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, community engagement, nonprofit management, or a related field; or equivalent education and relevant experience.
- Experience managing social media or digital communications for an organization, business, campaign, or community initiative.
- Experience developing written and visual content for public audiences.
- A G-class driver's licence and access to a vehicle or ability to operate a fleet vehicle.
- Experience with community engagement, events, food drives, or nonprofit organizations is an asset.
- Experience with email marketing, website content management, photography, video, or graphic design is an asset.
Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication and storytelling skills.
- Ability to adapt content for different audiences and platforms.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Photography and basic video-production skills.
- Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar design tools.
- Strong interpersonal skills and confidence working with businesses, donors, volunteers, community organizations, and the public.
- Good judgment, attention to detail, and sensitivity when representing an organization publicly.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a small team.
We're Looking for Someone Who
- Loves telling stories and finding creative ways to connect people with a cause.
- Enjoys meeting people and building community relationships.
- Is equally comfortable behind a computer, behind a camera, or representing the Food Bank at an event.
- Can turn ideas into engaging content, activities, and campaigns.
- Plans ahead while remaining flexible when priorities change.
- Takes initiative and looks for opportunities.
- Understands that good communications are about relationships, trust, and community - not simply producing content.
- Approaches poverty and food insecurity with dignity, respect, sensitivity, and good judgment.
- Enjoys collaboration and contributing wherever needed.
Work Location
Primarily based at the Guelph Food Bank in Guelph, Ontario, with occasional work at events and community locations throughout the city. Some flexibility to work remotely may be available, subject to operational needs and prior approval.
Hours of Work
Full-time, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to support community events, food drives, fundraising initiatives, and outreach activities. Scheduling flexibility will be provided where possible, in accordance with applicable employment standards.
Compensation
$48,000–$55,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
