Curriculum Vitae

Robert Half: Senior Field Communications and Content Specialist (Contract), 2024 – 2025

International staffing firm known for its focus on skilled talent in multiple sectors, including Finance and Accounting and Technology. I’m proud to note that I quickly developed the needed human resources expertise after nearly a decade writing for and about enterprise technology.

My role focused on developing communication strategies, briefing notes for director-level executives, and marketing, event, corporate communications, public relations, and social media materials, including emails, blogs, speeches, presentations, case studies, and social media posts. Highlights included:

• Serving as the company liaison for charitable and industry association partners.
• Managing content for multiple specialty projects including blogs, emails, and presentation materials for the company’s signature Salary Guide and Demand For Skilled Talent campaigns, multiple roundtables for senior leadership, and two keynotes for the Canadian division’s managing directors.
• Leading the development of case study materials, cataloguing wins for customer-facing staff to share with clients.
• Developing multiple 500 – 2,500-word blogs per month, choosing topics based on campaigns and identified content gaps and using Semrush and Google Analytics for SEO.
• Coordinating with U.S. and local teams to optimize marketing materials shared with candidates and clients.
• Supporting public relations and corporate communications strategies and outreach.
• Developing prompt management skills by incorporating generative AI into content development.

Bank of Montreal: Corporate Communications Manager, 2022 – 2024

One of Canada’s “Big Five” banks, I supported this international financial institution’s Data and Analytics division with communications strategy development and messaging including articles, emails, presentations, and social media posts related to key projects, milestones, and change management initiatives. Highlights included:

• Acting as communications lead for four of the division’s seven executive leaders.
• Capturing and amplifying divisional accomplishments by supervising the monthly collection of Key Wins, one-paragraph summaries shared with senior executives across the bank.
• Supporting the divisional Learning & Development and Governance teams by editing department-specific content, ensuring formatting aligned with corporate guidelines.
• Leading the development and execution of multiple team-specific and branch-wide presentations, successfully disseminating critical content in a timely manner.
• Collaboratively raising awareness of DE&I initiatives with colleagues and senior leaders through diverse communication strategies including emails, events, and presentations, resulting in high audience engagement.
• Supporting colleagues and senior leaders with the development, application, and amplification of their messages for external activities and speaking engagements.
• Monitoring and measuring the Communication team’s activities and contributions in a clear, accessible way, incorporating the insights into future campaigns.

Porter Novelli: Senior Account Executive, 2018 – 2022

International public relations agency specializing in consumer packaged goods, healthcare, government, social impact, and technology, among other practices. As part of the Canadian technology team, I owned and supported communications strategy development, execution, and messaging including press releases, thought leadership, speaking and presentation notes, whitepapers, RFPs, and social media for up six enterprise technology clients at any given time.

My main clients throughout my tenure were financial services-focused analytics software developer FICO and accounting software developer Sage, which required me to know both industries inside and out and played a key role in my later employment with BMO. I also acted as the local representative for the company’s global DE&I team. Other highlights included:

• Planning and leading one-off campaign research and outreach strategies in response to client requests.
• Monitoring news, competitor activities, and regulatory updates in each client’s target industry, providing tailored and timely recommendations for new strategies and content.
• Providing executives with briefing books and media training, ensuring interviews aligned to client expectations.
• Running the Canadian social media accounts for two clients: Sage and creative software developer Adobe.
• As part of the DE&I team, contributing to internal communications strategies and leading webinars on how companies can discuss controversial news and create a more inclusive working environment.
• Leading media outreach for five client campaigns, including the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) award-winning “Forward Together” PR campaign for Sage.
• Doubling year over year media coverage for two clients despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Receiving a Client Service Excellence star award.

IT World Canada (ITWC), Associate Editor, 2015 – 2018

Gone but not forgotten trade website/communications firm that acted as a one-stop-shop for the enterprise technology industry’s communication needs, running three websites covering the sector for users (IT World Canada), salespeople (Channel Daily News), and customers (ITBusiness.ca) while also providing event, award, marketing, and public relations services. As Associate Editor, I contributed to events and awards and ran ITBusiness.ca. Highlights included:

• Managing the editorial calendar for ITBusiness.ca and editing all content that appeared on the site.
• Contributing between 10 and 13 300 – 1000-word articles every week to the company’s three websites.
• Alongside the Managing Editor, supervising a team of three staff writers.
• Soliciting, editing, and publishing content from Municipal IT workers across the country as managing editor of the Municipal Information Systems Association’s official quarterly magazine, Municipal Interface.
• Contributing to the planning and execution of annual company events such as Technicity and the ITWC Digital Transformation Conference and Awards.
• Winning the 2018 Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) MNP Excellence in Science & Technology Reporting Award.
• Co-hosting the company’s daily podcast, Hashtag Trending.

Freelance Reporter/Marketing Consultant, Various

While I’ve removed it from my present resume for space, I’d still like to emphasize here that my written and verbal communications expertise was honed by a decade of freelance B2B reporting, community reporting, and copywriting. Highlights included:

• Pitching articles across a variety of complex topics, including enterprise technology, financial services, business management, education, politics, and urban development, presenting them in a way each subject’s target audience could understand.
• Regularly collaborating with business owners, executives, and political leaders by researching, developing, and submitting story proposals, encouraging them to reach out to a given publication’s community.
• Writing and delivering published articles and thank you e-mails to sources, ensuring future cooperation and positive reputation.
• Providing freelance marketing copywriting services to small and medium-sized businesses, using Semrush and Google Analytics to write organic, SEO-friendly content.

Other Experience:

• IABC/Toronto: Managing Editor, Communicator Newsletter
• Toastmasters (Advanced Speakers on the Hill): Competent Communicator (CC)
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Creative Writing Volunteer, Inpatient Program
• Toronto Metropolitan University: Societies Assistant; Founder/Artistic Director of Oakham Amateur Campus Theatre

Education: Bachelor of Journalism, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)