Careers

Role

The Communications Department helps the Bank meet its commitment to openness and transparency through a wide range of communications activities and vehicles. A key priority is support for the Bank's Governing Council, which plays the lead role in communicating monetary policy.

Organization

The department consists of two divisions—the Policy, Planning and Public Affairs Division and the Operations Division. It also includes an Internal Communications section.

Policy, Planning, and Public Affairs Division is composed of two service groups: Planning and Public Affairs, and Policy and Research.

Planning and Public Affairs Section is responsible for the strategic planning and integration of policy-related communications and, in particular, for the support of Governing Council communications on monetary policy. These responsibilities include planning, research, analysis, advice, and support for key monetary policy initiatives and communications releases such as interest rate announcements, the semi-annual Monetary Policy Report, and the Monetary Policy Report Update. It also cultivates the Bank's relationships with its various outside audiences. It maintains contact with reporters, government representatives, members of professional associations, and students, to name a few. Inside the Bank, Public Affairs provides communications advice to all departments and helps them to prepare news releases and other communication tools. It provides support to senior Bank staff for public presentations and media events. Public Affairs also provides current and historical information on interest rates, exchange rates, and other financial market statistics through its Public Information unit.

Policy and Research Section is responsible for researching and writing speeches for the Governor and the Deputy Governors. It also develops other communication materials designed to increase public understanding of the Bank's role in formulating monetary policy. These materials include audiovisual products and backgrounders for the Bank's Website.

Operations Division includes three sections: Publishing, Translation, and Conferences and Executive Services.

Publishing plays a key role in achieving the Bank's business and policy objectives by providing the facilities and expertise (research, analysis, advice, planning, production, and editing services) required to produce and distribute the Bank's major external publications, including the Annual Report, Bank of Canada Review, Monetary Policy Report and Summary, Monetary Policy Report Update, Financial System Review, Banking and Financial Statistics, the Business Outlook Survey, technical reports, working papers, conference proceedings, speeches, and information brochures in print and in electronic format.

Web Communications is responsible for the Bank of Canada's external Website and the Bank's intranet site.

The Bank's extensive Website provides over 6,000 documents and services that include archives of research, speeches, and press releases; various interactive calculators and lookup tools; educational material; recruitment information; a glossary; daily and historical market statistics; and numerous other reference resources.

Translation provides a full range of specialized linguistic advice and services, aimed at ensuring that internal and external written communications meet the requirements of the Official Languages Act and that translated documents contribute to the achievement of the Bank's communications objectives. Services provided include translation and revision of all internal and external publications and official communications, policies, guidelines, and other Bank documents, and terminology services in the economic and financial domains that are available to Bank employees and to the national and international financial communities. As well, terminologists maintain a corporate terminology database and a specialized library, and develop and apply research practices aimed at evolving and advancing the Bank's terminological capabilities. Translation also provides ad hoc assistance to employees writing memos or other internal documents in French.

Conferences and Executive Services provides planning and management services for Bank-hosted international and national meetings and conferences, as well as a wide variety of special events in support of internal and external activities. The section provides members of the Governing Council with advice on matters of protocol, assists with the planning of visitor programs, and supports the employee-recognition program.

Internal Communications assists the Bank in achieving its communications objectives, including communicating openly and effectively with the public, by keeping employees informed about the Bank's role and objectives. It helps employees to share information. Bank news and announcements are posted daily on-line, and an employee newsletter is published six times a year. In a consulting role, it provides advice on internal communications to clients within the Bank. The section works closely with the Internal Communications Committee, a volunteer group of employees from a cross-section of job areas and departments within the Bank.