Angelo Persichilli, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communications director, resigned Friday less than a year after being named to the top job.
Persichilli, 63, a former journalist, announced his decision Friday in a letter to the parliamentary press gallery.
"With considerable regret, I have informed Prime Minister Stephen Harper that I am resigning from my position as director of communications, effective once my successor is appointed," he wrote.
"This is a prestigious position that requires extremely intense effort and very long hours, which at a certain age, are not an option for a long period of time."
Persichilli thanked Harper for the chance to serve him briefly.
"I would like to thank Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the opportunity to serve him during this exciting period. It has been an honour," he wrote in the letter.
Persichilli, the former political editor for a Canadian Italian language newspaper and a columnist at the Toronto Star was named to the post in late August, 2011. He replaced Dimitri Soudas.
Soudas, 32, left that job in June after five years in the Prime Minister's Office and 16 months as director of communications, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
He has since taken the role of executive director of communications for the Canadian Olympic Committee.
There have been 12 communications officers in the Prime Minister's Office since 2001 and six since Harper became Prime Minister in 2006.
