Public Relations Director - Maternity Leave Replacement

About the ALDO Group

Specializing in stylish and accessible footwear, handbags, and accessories, the ALDO Group has been around for more than 50 years. With over 1,500 stores in more than 100 countries, we operate under two signature brands, ALDO and Call It Spring, and we are the core footwear partner for Sperry in North America. The ALDO Group is also an industry-recognized wholesale licensed partner, specializing in the design, sourcing, and distribution of fashion footwear, handbags, and accessories. Our diverse portfolio includes household brands such as ROXY, Brooks Brothers, Ted Baker, Hunter, and G.H.BASS. In addition to our head office in Montreal, the ALDO Group maintains international offices in Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.aldogroup.com.

Enjoy meaningful recognition, flexible work options, great on‑site perks, generous discounts, and the pride of being part of a brand that leads with people, the planet, and its partners at heart.

About The Role

Reporting to the Vice President, Brand Strategy, PR & Social Media, the Director, Public Relations is responsible for developing and leading PR strategies that elevate ALDO's brand positioning, drive awareness and consideration, and strengthen fashion credibility. With a primary focus on North America and strategic support for international markets, this role leads impactful media relations, celebrity and stylist engagement, strategic partnerships, and PR initiatives that amplify the brand and its key campaigns. The Director will lead and develop the PR team, oversee external agency relationships and budgets, and work cross-functionally to ensure PR programs support overall brand priorities and deliver measurable impact.

• Develop and lead comprehensive PR strategies and programs primarily across North America, with strategic guidance and support for international markets.

• Drive brand awareness, consideration, and fashion credibility through compelling storytelling, proactive media relations, and impactful earned media opportunities.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key fashion and lifestyle media, editors, stylists, celebrities, and influencers to drive coverage, product placement, and brand advocacy.

• Oversee the development of press materials, including press releases, media pitches, lookbooks, briefing documents, Q&As, and other communications tools.

• Lead PR strategies for key campaigns, product launches, collaborations, events, and brand activations to maximize media visibility and overall impact.

• Identify and assess talent, partnership, sponsorship, and cultural opportunities that strengthen brand positioning, relevance, and fashion credibility.

• Manage external PR agencies and collaborate closely with internal teams and international partners to ensure alignment with global brand strategy and effective local execution.

• Lead, coach, and develop the PR team, setting clear priorities and fostering strategic thinking, creativity, collaboration, and accountability.

• Oversee PR budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation and delivery of programs on time and within budget.

• Establish and monitor key PR performance indicators to evaluate media coverage, quality of placements, reach, share of voice, brand sentiment, and overall program effectiveness.

• Analyze PR results and campaign performance, translating data and insights into actionable recommendations to optimize future strategies, identify new opportunities, and maximize return on investment.

• Prepare and present regular performance reports, campaign recaps, and post-mortems, demonstrating the impact of PR initiatives on brand awareness, fashion credibility, and overall brand health.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Communications, Public Relations, or a related field.

• 10+ years of PR experience, ideally within the fashion or retail industry.

• Proven leadership experience, including team development, agency management, and strategic program ownership.

• Strong relationships across the North American fashion and lifestyle media landscape.

• Expert knowledge of traditional and digital media, fashion, retail, pop culture, and marketing trends.

• Excellent strategic thinking, storytelling, writing, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

• Strong project management, organizational, analytical, and budget management skills, with the ability to translate performance data into actionable insights.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of independence, sound judgment, and accountability.

• Excellent written and verbal English; French proficiency is an asset.

• Keen sensibility and knowledge of fashion, retail, pop culture and marketing trends

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and media monitoring, analytics, and PR reporting tools