About MaRS

MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the worlds largest urban innovation hubs.

MaRS supports promising high-growth companies to scale their businesses globally, while tackling key societal challenges in areas such as Health, Cleantech, Finance, Transportation, AI, and others. In addition to helping start-ups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries, and driving ideas to impact.

MaRS is the place where you can play ameaningful role in our innovation economy.

We understand qualifications on a job posting can be daunting. If you're passionate about the role and believe you can make a meaningful impact, we want to hear from you, even if you don't meet every listed qualification. Were always looking for great talent to join our team on planet MaRS.

We actively encourage all candidates, including equity-deserving communities, including those who identify as BIPOC, racialized, women, people with disabilities, and people with diverse gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations.

We want you to be comfortable being your most authentic self throughout our recruitment process. Please reach out to [email protected] if theres anything we can do to make your experience more accessible and inclusive, including accommodations. Include 'Accessibility Request' in your subject line.

About Marketing & Communications

The Marketing & Communications (MarCom) team at MaRS drives brand awareness, supports internal business unit marketing, and helps startups gain national and international exposure.

We manage the MaRS brand, ensuring it attracts top ventures, corporate partners, and investors through strategic campaigns and high-impact events. Our team also provides marketing expertise to business units, crafting content, newsletters, and event promotions that amplify our programs.

About the Position

The Associate, Marketing and Communications is a cross-functional role for someone with strong project management skills and an interest in event development. This role will support the Director, Event Programming & Content Partnerships and the Director of Content with event design and management, project coordination, marketing, business development, research and content development (social media, thought leadership articles, etc.) serving MaRS internal business units and external ecosystem ventures and partners. The role entails building and maintaining relationships with external ecosystem stakeholders and MaRS business units to ultimately help position Toronto and Canada as a global destination for top talent, investment and innovation.

This is a 1-year contract.

Key Responsibilities

• Project coordination and support for the planning and execution of large-scale signature MaRS events and speaker series (35%)
  • Support on overarching MaRS marketing and events strategy:
    • Audience engagement and community development,
    • Creating the platform for MaRS initiatives and thought leaders,
    • Promote MaRS health, climate and emerging tech efforts,
    • Build the MaRS brand, elevate our startups and entrepreneurs and help generate revenue via ticket sales and sponsorship.
  • Execute on marquee events working with business units internally as well as external ecosystem partners (e.g. corporate sponsors and ventures)
  • Track and manage sponsorship deliverables (speakers, content, branding placements etc.)
  • Book speakers, plan and execute speaker series, community events and media/investor receptions in collaboration with the Director, Event Programming & Content Partnership
• Project coordination and development for multi-platform content series and marketing campaigns (25%)
  • Work with the communications and content studio leads to provide project management support for creative marketing and communications campaigns that advance the tech and innovation narrative for MaRS, startups and partners and attract top talent, companies and investment to our ecosystem.
  • Develop concepts for content and campaigns in collaboration with the Director of Content & Director, Event Programming & Content Partnership (e.g. the MaRS Magazine and event series).
  • Provide production support for podcast series and upload new episodes to Simplecast.
  • Support the Director, Event Programming & Content Partnership on planning around major projects and initiatives in collaboration with internal and external partners, scheduling and supporting speaker prep calls and developing briefs for event sessions.
  • Track metrics and report on the performance of content and campaigns
• Business development and fundraising (20%)
  • Research potential ecosystem partners and pitch tailored sponsorship initiatives (content, events and campaigns) with support from the Director of Content and Director, Event Programming & Content Partnership
  • Develop contracts for event and content sponsors with oversight from the Director of Content, and Director, Event Programming & Content Partnership and track fulfillment of sponsorships (for events and marketing initiatives)
  • Coordinate logistics for campaigns. Act as on-site contact for projects when required.
  • Engage in post-project communication, maintaining relationships for future projects or events.
  
  
• Event platform management (20%)
  • Oversee event platforms (eg. PheedLoop and Eventbrite as well as other software), ticketing and speakers, including collecting and inputting speaker headshots and bios, supporting on development and publishing of event agendas, generating promotional ticket codes and ensuring branding materials are integrated across event marketing materials
  • Support on guest list development for special events by researching relevant sectors and extending invites to key players and tracking responses.
  • Attend weekly internal meetings. Provide updates on events as required.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor degreein communications, journalism, business, arts or science
• 3+ years in events, business development or corporate communications
• Event conception and execution skills.
• Business development and fundraising expertise
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Project and client management (i.e. strategy planning and contract development)
• Ability to balance internal/external stakeholders, deliver on marketing and communications plans that support needs of internal and external teams, an asset
• Production experience in broadcast events, an asset

Applications will close at 5pm EDT on April 8, 2025.

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada and reside in Ontario.

Salary Range: $50,000 - $65,000, extended healthcare benefits, lifestyle spending account, and paid time-off.

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