Senior Public Affairs Lead

Job Description

• Fixed term contract for 12 months, Full time
• $126,861.28 per annum plus Superannuation
• Join the Strategic Communications & Advocacy team

Hume City Council is one of Australia’s fastest growing and culturally diverse councils. We put the customer and our community at the centre of all that we do, ensuring our services are efficient and accessible.

The Senior Public Affairs Lead provides senior strategic communications, public affairs and publicity support to advance Council’s advocacy, reputation and organisational priorities. 

Reporting directly to the Manager Strategic Communications, the Senior Public Affairs Lead provides senior public affairs, publicity and strategic communications support for Council’s advocacy, reputation and organisational priorities. The role works under the direction of the Manager Strategic Communications and collaborates closely with the Government Relations and Advocacy unit to support advocacy campaigns, stakeholder communications, strategic media opportunities and profile-building activity. 

The position also supports the Manager Strategic Communications on ELT-facing communications, high-impact organisational projects, issues management and emerging priorities. The role provides senior communications advice and delivery support but does not have independent authority over Council’s advocacy agenda, government relations activities, public positioning or strategic communications priorities. 

What you’ll be doing:

• Provide strategic communications and public affairs support for Council’s Government Relations and Advocacy priorities.
• Lead publicity, profile-building and strategic media opportunities that promote Council’s priorities, achievements and advocacy agenda.
• Provide high-quality strategic communications advice, briefings, messaging and materials for the Executive Leadership Team, Councillors and senior stakeholders, working closely with the Corporate Communications and Reputation team to ensure consistent messaging, proactive reputation management and alignment with organisational objectives.
• Deliver high-impact communications projects and initiatives aligned to organisational priorities.
• Collaborate with the Corporate Communications and Reputation team to identify emerging issues, manage communication risks and develop proactive messaging strategies that protect and enhance Council's reputation
• Strengthen Council’s reputation, influence and visibility with government, industry, media, community and key stakeholders.
• Provide strategic issues management and communications advice on sensitive, complex or high-profile matters.
• Act as a senior strategic communications resource to the Manager Strategic Communications, supporting the preparation and delivery of advice, briefings, messaging, publicity opportunities and communications responses for ELT, Councillors, government stakeholders and other senior audiences.
• Work flexibly across the Strategic Communications function and broader organisation to support emerging priorities as required

The skills and experience you’ll bring to the role:

• Exercising sound professional judgement in preparing public affairs, publicity and strategic communications advice.
• Identifying communications risks, opportunities and issues requiring escalation to the Manager Strategic Communications.
• Interpreting complex policy, advocacy, project or operational information and translating it into clear, compelling and audience-appropriate communications.
• Developing recommendations for strategic messaging, public positioning, publicity opportunities and stakeholder communications.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority public affairs, publicity and strategic communications projects within agreed scope, timelines and approval processes.
• Ability to plan, coordinate and deliver communications activity that supports advocacy, reputation, publicity and organisational priorities, under the direction of the Manager Strategic Communications.
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, accurate and persuasive materials for senior leaders, Councillors, stakeholders, media and the community
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across Strategic Communications, Government Relations and Advocacy, Executive Services, service areas and project teams.

Required Certifications & Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Affairs, Government Relations or equivalent demonstrated skills and experience in strategic communications, public affairs, journalism, publicity, media relations or reputation management. Current driver’s licence.

Why Hume City Council?

A leader in local government, we’re committed to creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that is guided by our values:

We’re better, every day: We give things a go and value progress over perfection. We have permission to go for it and are expected to reflect and learn.

We’re in it together: At Hume, everyone matters. We Welcome and include all. Respect and safety are expected.

We show up: We empower and trust others and own our work. We rise to the challenges and are expected to do what we say we will.

All for Hume: We strive to achieve our best for the Hume Community. We are proud and passionate about working towards better outcomes and expect they are at the centre of everything we do.

We offer a competitive salary package, professional development opportunities, and a supportive work environment.

A child safe organisation and an equal opportunity employer. Council encourages people of all ages, people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQA+ people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply.

All candidates will be required to undertake background and probity checks including Reference Checks, Working with Children Check, and a Criminal Record Check.

For any queries, please contact us at [email protected].

Applications will be reviewed progressively throughout the advertising period. This role may close once a sufficient number of suitable applicants has been received. To ensure your application is considered, please apply as early as possible.